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We work on .NET project, using TFS for:

  • source control
  • builds: gated check-ins that produce MSI files
  • deployments to Labs

We want to create a proper Continuous Delivery pipeline, that is a Dashboard with pipelines for each check-in with traffic lights. Pipeline should show all the stages like TFS build > Deploy to Lab > Smoke test > Integration Tests > Acceptance Tests > Deploy to PreProd > ...

So it has to be tightly integrated with TFS.

We are assessing 2 options:

  1. use TFS-based tool\plugin\dashboard if there are any that can show pipelines?
  2. use CI tool for example Jenkins, TeamCity, Bamboo to build this pipeline - ideally with support to fetch built code from TFS drop folder, not just the source code

What would you recommend?

Ivan
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1 Answers1

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If you are using TFS why don't you leverage the built in Release Management tooling? You can create a release pipeline that is automted and even include approvals I necessary.

http://nakedalm.com/building-release-pipeline-release-management-visual-studio-2013/

If you want to integrate the lab tools for collecting test results as part of your pipeline this works as well.

http://nakedalm.com/execute-tests-release-management-visual-studio-2013/

This works pretty well and the new features anounced at Connect() will make it even better.

MrHinsh - Martin Hinshelwood
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    The advice seems to be good, I've installed and starting to use Release Management. No idea yet if it will allow me to do everything I need, but initial feeling is good. Articles on the other hand are not worthy reading, I regret I lost 10 minutes on them - too watery and theoretical, reflect mostly authors limited experience, and not enough examples of actual tool usage, screenshots are too small, etc – Ivan Dec 05 '14 at 15:18
  • Try: http://nakedalm.com/create-release-management-pipeline-professional-developers/ (if the screenshots are to small then try zooming your browser ) – MrHinsh - Martin Hinshelwood Dec 05 '14 at 16:26
  • We did a pilot using RM and it seems to be not good for our requirements. It uses a classic approach to managing big and rare Releases with approvals etc. RM has nice features like clear definition of Environments and Components, and out of the box integration with TFS. But it doesn't provide this visibility we seek and easiness of use. We need a tool with more modern Continous Delivery approach - with web dashboard showing visual color-coded pipelines similar to what Junking Build Pipeline plugin does, or Thoughtworks Go. Hence I rate this answer as not relevant and even detrimental. – Ivan Dec 10 '14 at 13:06
  • Really? You asked for advice on product with tight integration with TFS. RM meets all of your requirements above and rejecting it because it is 'not pretty enough' is a little short sighted. Why don't you then use the ones you suggested? – MrHinsh - Martin Hinshelwood Dec 10 '14 at 13:11
  • If you read the header of the question you'll see that the key requirement is to have Continuous Delivery pipeline. RM lacks this functionality. It's not just about "being pretty". Read the book by Humble and Farley to see what is meant. – Ivan Dec 10 '14 at 13:16
  • I have, and often implement continuous delivery with RM, as do many of my customers. – MrHinsh - Martin Hinshelwood Dec 13 '14 at 06:04