This document discusses managing automatic releases with Azure DevOps. It recommends starting with manual package and release processes to create documentation before automating repetitive tasks. When automating, configurations should be stored and managed separately from code. Pipelines should be defined in code using YAML for easy editing and maintenance. The document demonstrates multi-stage build and release pipelines in YAML and mentions future improvements for container and Kubernetes support. Overall it provides guidance for establishing a manual-to-automated DevOps cycle for continuous delivery using Azure DevOps.

1. www.xedotnet.org
Gestire i rilasci automatici con Azure
DevOps
#XeOneDay
Gian Maria Ricci (@Alkampfer)
Evento realizzato
grazie al supporto di

2. DevOps Cycle
#XeOneDay 2

3. DevOps Cycle – Build and release
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4. 22/02/16 4
Manual is EVIL?

5. • Always start with manual package and release
• Create a Build and release document
• Follow step by step the document until it is perfect
• Start automation of the most error prone and tedious
work
• Do not underestimate the power of Manual Release
Management
• Clear separation of environment
• Auditing of operations
• Gates between environments
• Mixed Manual and Automatic tasks
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From Manual to automation

6. • In and out of codebase
• Default value in codebase
• Overridable with Environment Variables etc etc
• Configuration service
• Configuration in database
• Consul / Custom service
• Configuration management UI
• Avoid mysterious and manual editing of json or XML
files, create dedicated UI for configuration
• Store configuration outside files in application folder
• Store configuration outside of the server if possible
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<<First citizen configuration management>>

7. • Health check to assess quality of the service
• Check all configurations
• Verify jobs running as scheduled
• Verify disk space, database space, RAM Available, RAM
consumption etc
• Verify timing of execution of command etc
• Check that every mongodb instance is operative
• Try to prevent problem and alert the user before the real
problem strike
• Etc etc
• Use an enterprise level tool like Microsoft Azure
Application Insight
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<<Metrics and health checks>>

8. • Software should start if
• Database is not reachable (Just inform the user that the
db is not reachable, give opportunity to change
connection string)
• No configuration is made (first installation)
• Database is reachable but no schema was deployed
• Minimize the manual prerequisites of the environment
for your software to run
• Automate installation of prerequisites
• Mongodb or Sql is missing, allow for automatic
installation
• Etc etc
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<<Resiliency to missing prerequisites>>

9. <<Build once deploy many>>
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Build once
Dev
QA
Prod
Deploy
many

10. • Build definition directly stored in code
• Follow branches
• Easy to copy / initialize for new processes
• Easy to edit and maintain thanks to
• Visual Studio Code extension
• Browser based editing with task assistant
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YAML Build Pipeline

11. Titolo
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DEMO

12. • Multi staged pipelines for build and release
• Release in YAML with Build dependency
• More support for Kubernetes / Docker / container
• And much more…
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Future

13. #XeOneDay 13
http://www.codewrecks.com
alkampfer@nablasoft.com
@alkampfer
Contatti
Gian Maria Ricci