Understanding the configurations of operational systems

Inverse software configuration management has been identified as the process of bringing an existing (i.e., operational) software system under configuration control. PISCES (proforma identification scheme for configurations of existing systems), a software tool under development to help in this area, is discussed. PISCES identifies and documents the configurations of an existing systems. It reduces the time taken for a maintainer to understand a system configuration and provides the framework on which subsequent control of the product may be based. In this way it unifies the development and maintenance process