What is the primary function of configuration management in IT?

The primary function of configuration management in IT is to systematically manage, organize, and control changes in IT systems. This involves maintaining the integrity of the systems and their components over time, ensuring that they operate as intended and are aligned with the organization's goals. Configuration management helps to establish a clear baseline of system configurations, allowing IT departments to know what the systems should look like at any moment. It facilitates tracking changes, which can include software updates, hardware modifications, and the deployment of new systems, ensuring that all modifications are documented, authorized, and tested. This systematic approach helps to minimize errors, reduce downtime, and streamline processes, ultimately contributing to better governance and compliance within the IT environment.

The other options, while relevant to IT management, do not encapsulate the core focus of configuration management. Managing user permissions is more aligned with access control mechanisms, optimizing network performance pertains to network management practices, and monitoring software licensing compliance deals specifically with software asset management rather than the overarching control of configuration changes across IT systems.