(1) In a network, a system for gathering current configuration information from all nodes in a LAN.

(2) In software development, a system for keeping track of large projects. Although version control, which maintains a database of revisions, is part of the system, a full-blown software configuration management system (SCM system or CM system) automatically documents all components used to build executable programs. It is able to recreate each build as well as to recreate earlier environments in order to maintain previous versions of a product. It may also be used to prevent unauthorized access to files or to alert the appropriate users when a file has been altered.

Increasingly, parts of version control and configuration management are being added to application development systems. Examples of stand-alone configuration management systems are PVCS, CCC/Harvest and ClearCase. See CSCI.