1.A method of using a relational database to record and retrieve configuration information on a unit of manufacture comprising at least one each of a parts information lookup table, a location information lookup table, and a unit storage table wherein: (a) said location information lookup tables provide a list of available locations to place a part in a unit of manufacture and further comprise a location definition lookup table, and (b) said parts information lookup tables provide a catalog of parts and further comprise a parts list lookup table used to identify each part, and (c) a set of parameter information lookup tables related to said parts list lookup table for defining any number of parameters of information unique to each part, comprised of parameter definition lookup table defining a list of said parameters for each part, which is related to a parameter list lookup table which defines a list of parameters that may be associated with any part in said parts list table, and (d) said unit storage tables provide the configuration of a unit of manufacture comprising: (i) a unit definition storage table, which is related to said location information lookup table to identify a specific unit of manufacture; and (ii) a unit parts list storage table, which is related to one or more of said parts in said parts list information lookup tables to provide a list of parts for each said unit of manufacture, where each part in said unit parts list storage table is assigned a location from said location definition lookup table; and (iii) a unit parameter list storage table, which is used to record configuration parameter values for each part in said unit of manufacture, which is related to both said unit parts list storage table and said parameter definition lookup table.