Software Configuration Management (SCM) is a tool that is used to manage change. Let's say Bob and Susan are both tech writers and both are working on updates to a technical manual. During a meeting, their manager assigns them each a section of the same document to update.
The technical manual is stored on a computer that both Bob and Susan can access. Without any SCM tool or process in place, a number of problems could arise. One possible scenario is the computer storing the document might be set up so that Bob and Susan can not both work on the manual at the same time. This would slow them down considerably.
A more dangerous situation arises when the storage computer does allow the document to be opened by both Bob and Susan at the same time. Here is what could happen:
- Bob opens the document on his computer and works on his section.
- Susan opens the document on her computer and works on her section.
- Bob completes his changes and saves the document on the storage computer.
- Susan completes her changes and saves the document on the storage computer.
This illustration shows the problem that
