[Crawl-Date: 2026-04-23]
[Source: DataJelly Visibility Layer]
[URL: https://griffinitgroup.com/it-glossary/configuration-drift]
---
title: What Is Configuration Drift?
description: The gradual, often unintentional divergence of a system's actual configuration from its documented or intended state. Configuration drift occurs through m...
url: https://griffinitgroup.com/it-glossary/configuration-drift
canonical: https://griffinitgroup.com/it-glossary/configuration-drift
og_title: What Is Configuration Drift?
og_description: The gradual, often unintentional divergence of a system's actual configuration from its documented or intended state. Configuration drift occurs through m...
og_image: https://griffinitgroup.com/griffin-logo-og.png
twitter_card: summary_large_image
twitter_image: https://griffinitgroup.com/griffin-logo-og.png
---

# What Is Configuration Drift?
> The gradual, often unintentional divergence of a system's actual configuration from its documented or intended state. Configuration drift occurs through m...

---

Infrastructure

Intermediate
## What Is Configuration Drift?
What Is Configuration Drift? Configuration Drift the gradual, often unintentional divergence of a system's actual configuration from its documented or intended state. Configuration drift occurs through manual changes, ad-hoc patches, or undocumented modifications that accumulate over time.

## Why This Matters for Your Business
Configuration drift is a silent risk multiplier. When your firewall rules, server configurations, or application settings drift from their documented state, your disaster recovery plans, security audits, and troubleshooting procedures become unreliable — because they're based on what you think the system looks like, not what it actually is.
## Looking for Configuration Drift consulting?

See how Griffin IT Group delivers configuration drift as part of our Enterprise Technology Operations Centre. We provide hands-on implementation, ongoing management, and expert consulting for businesses across the Niagara Region and GTA.
[See our Configuration Drift Services](https://griffinitgroup.com/services/service-management/configuration-management)

## Related Infrastructure Terms

[Intermediate
## Active Directory
A directory service developed by Microsoft for Windows domain networks. It authenticates and authorizes all users and computers, assigning and enforcing security policies, and installing or updating software across an organization.](https://griffinitgroup.com/it-glossary/active-directory) [Beginner
## Backup
A copy of data stored separately from the original, used to restore information in case of data loss, corruption, or disaster. Regular backups are essential for business continuity.](https://griffinitgroup.com/it-glossary/backup) [Beginner
## Bandwidth
The maximum rate of data transfer across a network path, typically measured in bits per second (bps). Higher bandwidth allows faster data transmission and better performance for applications.](https://griffinitgroup.com/it-glossary/bandwidth) [Advanced
## CMDB (Configuration Management Database)
A centralized repository that stores information about all significant IT assets and their relationships, providing a single source of truth for the configuration items that underpin IT service delivery.](https://griffinitgroup.com/it-glossary/cmdb)

[Configuration BaselinePrevious](https://griffinitgroup.com/it-glossary/configuration-baseline) [All Terms](https://griffinitgroup.com/it-glossary) [Configuration Item (CI)Next](https://griffinitgroup.com/it-glossary/configuration-item)

## Need Help With Infrastructure?

Our team can help you understand and implement the right technology solutions for your business. Get expert guidance from local IT professionals.

[Schedule a Consultation](https://griffinitgroup.com/contact) [Call (289) 667-4000](tel:+12896674000)

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