Git-like way of updating Drupal database
The Configuration module is also a way to store configuration in files rather then the DB. You can then sync configurations by importing the configurations to a new system and pressing a button in the admin area to sync configuration with the newly updated files. there also exists  a Drush command to invoke the update.


  The configuration management module enables the ability to keep track
  of specific configurations on a Drupal site, provides the ability to
  move these configurations between different environments (local, dev,
  qa, prod), and also move configurations between completely different
  sites (migrate configurations) without the use of modules with all
  configuration being owned by the site.


I prefer this approach over Features currently, as this way Features does not attempt to take ownership of any of my files -- or rather become a dependency in my system. I believe you can later uninstall the Configuration module for example and not loose your set configuration values.