Automatic Configuration Management: Autodiscovery of Configuration Items and Automatic Configuration Verification

Abstract

Performing Configuration Management (CM) on systems such as an entire space mission ground system is essential. CM verifies that a system performs as intended, and is identified and documented in sufficient detail to support its projected life cycle. However, manual Configuration Management and Change Management on all the hardware, software, and documentation items comprising a complete ground system is time consuming and error-prone. An automated configuration discovery approach, where hardware systems are scanned for software and the results reported into a CM database, limits human error and saves a lot of time by reducing the need for manual configuration management. This paper describes the approach taken at GSOC during the preparation of two geostationary communication satellite missions and low earth orbit satellite missions to automate the task of hardware and software CM. This makes CM more efficient and transparent, and enables the Configuration Manager to track the configuration in the CM database during the full cycle, from configuration deployment to configuration verification.