Task: Manage Baselines

Once the impacted technology configuration items are listed, their existing baselines must be identified. This can be done with the help of the Configuration Management Database. A configuration baseline is the configuration of a service, product or infrastructure that has been formally reviewed and agreed on, and serves as the basis for further activities . Any changes to baselines must be systematically controlled and monitored.

A backup of these baselines must be created. Any change in terms of addition, modification or deletion of an existing configuration item or an asset should be carried out based on appropriate controlling documentation or procedure. When a technology configuration item undergoes changes, appropriate versioning must be carried out and adequate documentation must be created and stored at the designated locations. The agreed Technology Configuration Management Tools must be used and document history and traceability between the configuration items must be maintained. The new or modified technology configuration items must be reviewed, and a new baseline must be created.

Authorizations required to approve the configuration baseline needs to be identified and documented. Approvals may be taken from the Client, third party or any other relevant stakeholder (as agreed in the Service Governance Plan). The Configuration Manager must ensure baseline audits are conducted to verify all technology configuration items which should be released have been included, and that the correct version of each item is present. Once the baseline accuracy is confirmed, it must be approved and signed off by relevant stake holders. In case a change should be rolled back, the Configuration Manager must ensure that the correct baseline is rolled back, and system is returned to its original state.

In case of technology assets, the Asset Manager must follow the defined procedure to modify the assets. Once modified and reviewed, or even in case new assets are added, re baselining must be carried out for the same and updated in the Asset Register.