关于UCM(统一变更管理)的体会[一]---澄清误解

        关于UCM（unified chanage management）自己有些实践，很早就想与大家分享；其实UCM有很多话题，该如何说起呢？
先从头说吧……

         对UCM的认识存在误解，有的朋友简单的认为UCM就是clearcase+clearquest的集成，这种理解是错误的。UCM其实是Clearcase的一种使用模型，即使不作clearcase跟clearquest的集成一样可以在clearcase中使用UCM projcet、创建UCM 对象，只是关联活动的控制无法使用到ClearQuest中的功能特性了。即使一起使用了clearcase和clearquest，在clearcase当中采用的是base VOB对软件资产进行配置管理，在ClearQuest当中仅仅是对活动进行单独管理也不能称之为UCM。

         让我们来看看RUP关于UCM的定义：

Unified Change Management (UCM) is Rational Software's approach to managing change in software system development, from requirements to release. UCM spans the development life cycle, defining how to manage change to requirements, design models, documentation, components, test cases, and  source code.

One of the key aspects of the UCM model is that it unifies the activities used to plan and track project progress and the artifacts undergoing change. The UCM model is realized by both process and tools. The Rational products Rational ClearCase and Rational ClearQuest are the foundation technologies for UCM ClearCase manages all the artifacts produced by a software project, including both system artifacts and project management artifacts. ClearQuest manages the project's tasks, defects, and requests for enhancements (referred to generically as activities) and provides the charting and reporting tools necessary to track project progress.

从中我们不难看出，UCM是一个model，他的意义在于建立了动态的工件和开发活动的关联及统一管理，贯穿软件开发的始终，实现了对开发过程真正意义上的变更管理（包括软件资产变更和开发活动变更），这个模型的实现主要是来自于过程和工具两个方面的，因此仅仅认为把工具集成使用就是UCM的观点其实是一种误解。

未完待续……