The logo of the BCS Configuration Management Specialist Group

The Configuration Management Specialist Group (CMSG) is a Specialist Group (SG)[1] of the British Computer Society (BCS) a professional body, registered charity (incorporated by Royal Charter in 1984) and a learned society representing those working in Information Technology both in the United Kingdom and internationally. The CMSG was set up in 1995 and conforms to the rules for BCS Member Groups.[2] Its original aim was to provide a forum for the promotion of Configuration Management as a discrete management process. Its remit now extends across configuration, IT asset, change and release management with the aim being to provide an accessible resource of expertise based on experience, exchange, education, professional development and promoting industrial standards. Its key strength is facilitating the open exchange of experiences and ideas across configuration, IT asset, change and release management both between members and sources of expertise in the wider community.

The group organises a number of regular and ad-hoc events and meetings each year to cover relevant topics and provide for discussion and debate on configuration management topics for its members. Events that the group has run include 2 day residential conferences, and joint events with the itSMF [3] and other industry bodies.

Conference proceedings have been published[4][5] and have influenced books such as Configuration Management: Expert Guidance for IT Service Managers and Practitioners.[6] The CMSG also works with other BCS Specialist Groups and Branches to share knowledge and experience.

The CMSG has influenced national and international standards through Shirley Lacy (former Chair and committee member) who is the ITIL V3 Service Transition co-author ,[7] and project mentor for the ITIL 2011 Update .[8] Shirley has also presented for the group together with other ITIL Authors.[9] Another member of the committee, Rory Canavan sits on the working group of ISO/IEC addressing standards in IT Asset Management (ITAM) and Software Asset Management (SAM)

There is a strong sub group with regular networking events for software asset management (SAM). Meetings are held every two months, and attendance is typically 80+ people. A report on one of these meetings entitled The Five Constants of IT Asset Management and delivered by the CMSG's treasurer, Kylie Fowler was published in The Register.[10] The CMSG's 10th annual conference was held at the BCS's London Offices in June 2015 and the next SAM conference entitled Info Sec - Intersections and Interactions will take place in Manchester on 14 April 2016. Abstracts and available presentations from the June 2015 conference can be found here.

References

  1. ↑ BCS Specialist Groups - "List of BCS Specialist Groups"
  2. ↑ BCS Member Group Rules - "What is a BCS Member Group"
  3. ↑ BCS and itSMF joint conference - "Conference - The CMDB and CMS - the Powerhouse of Service Management, Olympia Conference Centre, London - 8th and 9th July 2008" Archived 13 January 2011 at the Wayback Machine
  4. ↑ Kennedy, M. (Ed). (2003). Proceedings of the First Configuration Management Special Interest Group of the British Computer Society Conference, Published by South Bank University Press. ISBN 1874418349.
  5. ↑ Kennedy, M. (Ed) (2007). Proceedings of 3rd BCS CMSG Conference "Life Cycle Management across the Supply Chain", Oxford Belfry Hotel UK, Published by South Bank University Press. ISBN 1874418659.
  6. ↑ Configuration Management: Expert Guidance for IT Service Managers and Practitioners (2010), Published by British Computer Society. ISBN 978-1906124588. "Configuration Management: Expert Guidance for IT Service Managers and Practitioners" Archived 2 May 2013 at the Wayback Machine
  7. ↑ Lacy, Shirley and Macfarlane, Ivor. (2007). Service Transition Book, Published by The Stationery Office. ISBN 978-0113310487.
  8. ↑ ITIL 2011 Acknowledgements. "ITIL 2011 acknowledgements"
  9. ↑ BCS CMSG Event on ITIL 2011 Update with Shirley Lacy and Stuart Rance. "ITIL 2011 Update at the BCS CMSG on 2011"
  10. ↑ The Register "The Five Constants of IT Asset Management"
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