Network configuration, or network configuration management (NCM) is the process of organizing and maintaining information regarding all components of a computer network. When a particular network needs repair, or a modification, or an expansion or an upgrading, the administrator will refer to the management database to come up with the best solution to the problem. The database contains all the locations and the important network addresses of all hardware devices, as well as all the information needed about the programs, versions and updates installed in network computers. Network configuration management tools have two types. It can either be vendor-neutral or vendor-specific. The vendor-neutral tools are by far the most common. They are designed for networks containing hardware programs from different and varied suppliers. Vendor-specific tools, on the other hand, usually work only with the products of a single company and offers enhanced performance in network sharing where that vendor dominates.