Authored by an internationally known expert in configuration management (CM) solutions, this unique new book helps experienced professionals and novices alike see why CM is critical to the survival of their company’s e-commerce and e-business development and management. Unlike other books on configuration management, this book examines CM from a business value perspective and shows why CM is critical to successful software development and, in particular, web development and maintenance. You learn why your company’s e-business and e-commerce - encompassing web content, web applications, back-office applications, code and data - simply will not survive or thrive without CM. This practical, comprehensive book provides a thorough overview of CM technology, and reveals best practice techniques for selecting and deploying automated CM solutions. Nine key challenges facing e-commerce are detailed, along with practical guidelines for avoiding common pitfalls that can quickly derail your e-business. Case studies provide real-world examples of how major e-commerce companies use CM techniques for web development and maintenance today.