Configuratiemanagers

Configuratiemanagers refer to software tools and practices designed to maintain and enforce the configuration of computers, servers, and other devices across an IT environment. They store declarative configuration definitions, automate software installation and settings, and continuously verify that systems remain in compliance with defined policies. The goal is to reduce drift and ensure predictable, reproducible environments.

Common capabilities include a centralized configuration repository, versioning, and automatic application of desired state. They support idempotent operations so repeated runs do not change already correct configurations, allow drift detection and remediation, orchestration of multi-step tasks, and role-based access control and auditing for compliance.

Architectures vary: agent-based systems install lightweight agents on managed nodes, while agentless solutions use remote commands or APIs. A control plane stores configurations as code (or manifests) that are applied to targets. Secure communication, inventory collection, reporting, and integration with ticketing or CI/CD pipelines are typical components.

Use cases include OS hardening, software deployment and patch management, configuration drift remediation, and policy enforcement in data centers, cloud environments, and edge locations. They enable repeatable server provisioning, simplify compliance reporting, and support hybrid environments where many platforms must be managed consistently.

Prominent examples include Ansible, Puppet, Chef, SaltStack, and Microsoft's Endpoint Configuration Manager (formerly System Center Configuration Manager), among others. While terminology and models vary, most configuratiemanagers emphasize declarative state, automation, and auditable change history to reduce manual configuration errors.