Change and configuration management software automates a subset of IT software asset management, providing teams the control needed to ensure compliance through automated patching, license management, policy enforcement, thereby reducing costs.
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Change and configuration management software is one of several types of IT asset management software focused on optimizing the configurable aspects of an organization’s IT environment and managing the process of changing those configurations. As the name suggests, change and configuration management involves two distinct functionalities: change management and configuration management.
Configuration management involves the automatic manipulation of any configurable parts of the resources or environments on which software runs. This process includes identifying the configurable parts, giving them unique labels, and ensuring that their configuration is protected from errant changes. Configuration managers also determine the best baseline for any configurable aspects to make sure that the relevant systems are running optimally.
Change management, on the other hand, is the part of the software that governs the actual changes needed to be made to configurable system parts. This process includes identifying areas that need to be changed, understanding the impact this change will make, making change requests, strategizing about possible future changes, and actually implementing the requested changes. Change and configuration management solutions thus combine these two functionalities into a single software solution.
Some commonly shared features among change and configuration management software solutions include:
Complexity: The current and future complexity of your organization's IT infrastructure is vital to selecting the correct change and configuration management solution. If you have a complex IT infrastructure or are planning on scaling your infrastructure significantly, you will need a more robust tool. However, if your organization has a relatively simple IT instance and is not expecting to scale up, a simpler solution may be more appropriate and cost-effective.
Rollback Mechanism: If something goes wrong, the ability to rollback any changes is vital. Most change and configuration management software has some form of rollback mechanism, but they’re all slightly different. Ensure that the product you select has a rollback mechanism that fits with the needs of your organization and will get you back on track quickly and easily should you need to use it.
Cost vs. Time Saved: Change and configuration management software can get pricey quickly. Weighing the cost of the product with the money saved by the automations it provides is vital. Examine the features and automations offered by each product, and compare it by the cost of paying an employee to do each of those tasks to ensure that the time saved by product you select is worth the cost.
Vendors of Change and Configuration Management software do not generally display explicit pricing information for their products due to the complex and variable nature of their implementation across different organizations. Many products offer multiple tiers of pricing (despite the actual price being absent) based on the particular needs of the customer. And some products (such as Salt) are open source and free to the consumer. For customized price quotes, prospective buyers should reach out directly to the vendor.
Some popular change and configuration management software products include:
