TOPIC: configuration (management system, control,... etc)

Hi all!
Can anybody explain me with some example what is "configuration", as in configuration management system, configuration control etc. I read the definition of the PMBOK guide, but it is a bit abstract for me - it seems a collection of procedures of many different types. What is a simple example of a configuration system procedures? what is a simple example of a procedure, which is not in the configuration management system?
Thanks!
stefano

Stefano, The PMBOK/PMI generalizes the myriad configuration management systems that exist in each business/organization by simply referring to the term as "Configuration Management System." A simple example might be Microsoft Project. A company may choose to use Microsoft Project to record, document, and update everything for their projects and put all that data onto an internal server managed by a Project Management Office. A part of the Configuration Management System is the Perform Integrated Change Control Process and any change to specification of deliverables and processes is called Configuration Control.

Configuration Management essentially is the broad management system for how you do projects.

Within the project, you might have to increase a budget. This a change control process, not configuration.

So, is that "same meaning" and objective of change management vs configuration management (in term of PMBOK) due to this generalization ?

Any other example (case) in construction regarding change management, change control that relates each other ...?

Thank you

Configuration management appears to be an evolving area in the PMBOK, and I think PMBOK v. 6 throws more light on configuration management.

I also found that an answer to one of the PMP exam questions in Prepcast had a neat distinction between change control and configuration management. It says in essence:

If a proposed change affects a baseline, it has to go through formal Change Control. Other changes may or may not require to go through formal Change Control.

The Configuration Management Plan describes which requests need a formal change control procedure, and which do not.

For those requests that do not, and which are described a configurable in the Conf. Mgmt. Plan, instructions to update the configurable item are described in the Conf. Mgmt. plan.