Glossary · Change, versions and configuration
Configuration baseline
Also known as: Baseline
German: Konfigurationsbasis
In configuration management, a configuration baseline is an approved snapshot of hardware, software, configuration, models, documentation and evidence at a defined point in time. Later changes are made and assessed against it.
- Systems engineering
- Verification
- Technical documentation
In one sentence
A configuration baseline is the approved reference state of a system, from hardware to evidence, against which every later change is measured.
Example
The delivered state of an integrated production line is frozen as a configuration baseline: controller firmware, safety program checksums, parameter sets, drawings, manuals and validation reports.
How it applies
- Scope: Include everything needed to reproduce and justify the approved state, including evidence versions and documentation, not only software.
- Machine safety: Safety program checksums and safety parameter sets in the baseline allow a quick check whether the installed system is still the verified one.
- Change management: Every change request refers to a baseline; approved changes create a new one. This is the basis of rollback capability.
- Technical documentation: The documentation versions in the baseline are the ones valid for the delivered machine. The technical file should be traceable to it.
Configuration baseline vs. backup
A backup is a copy of data. A configuration baseline is an approved and documented reference state, including the evidence and documentation that justify it. Restoring a backup that is not a baseline returns the system to an unknown state.