Azure DevOps (formerly VSTS)

  • Author: Ronald Fung

  • Creation Date: 16 May 2023

  • Next Modified Date: 16 May 2024

A. Introduction

Azure DevOps supports a collaborative culture and set of processes that bring together developers, project managers, and contributors to develop software. It allows organizations to create and improve products at a faster pace than they can with traditional software development approaches.

You can work in the cloud using Azure DevOps Services or on-premises using Azure DevOps Server. For more information, see Differences between Azure DevOps Services and Azure DevOps Server.

Azure DevOps provides integrated features that you can access through your web browser or IDE client. You can use all the services included with Azure DevOps, or choose just what you need to complement your existing workflows.

B. How is it used at Seagen

As a biopharma research company using Microsoft Azure, you can use Azure DevOps (formerly known as VSTS) to streamline your software development process and improve collaboration across your teams. Here are some ways you can use Azure DevOps:

  1. Agile project management: Azure DevOps provides agile project management tools that can help you to plan, track, and manage your software development projects. It supports popular agile methodologies such as Scrum and Kanban.

  2. Continuous integration and delivery: Azure DevOps provides continuous integration and delivery tools that can help you to automate your software build and release process. This can help you to improve the quality of your software and reduce the time to market.

  3. Version control: Azure DevOps provides version control tools that can help you to manage your source code and track changes over time. It supports Git and Team Foundation Version Control (TFVC).

  4. Test management: Azure DevOps provides test management tools that can help you to plan, execute, and track your software testing activities. It supports manual and automated testing.

  5. Collaboration and communication: Azure DevOps provides collaboration and communication tools that can help you to improve communication and collaboration across your teams. It includes features such as chat, wikis, and code reviews.

  6. Analytics and reporting: Azure DevOps provides analytics and reporting tools that can help you to gain insights into your software development process and track key metrics such as code coverage and test results.

Overall, Azure DevOps can help your biopharma research company to streamline your software development process and improve collaboration across your teams. With agile project management, continuous integration and delivery, version control, test management, collaboration and communication, and analytics and reporting, Azure DevOps can help you to create more efficient and effective software development workflows that meet the needs of your customers and employees.

C. Features

Azure DevOps supports adding extensions and integrating with other popular services, such as: Campfire, Slack, Trello, UserVoice, and more, and developing your own custom extensions.

Choose Azure DevOps Services

Azure DevOps Services supports integration with GitHub.com and GitHub Enterprise Server repositories. Choose Azure DevOps Services when you want the following outcomes:

  • Quick set-up

  • Maintenance-free operations

  • Easy collaboration across domains

  • Elastic scale

  • Rock-solid security

Azure DevOps Services also gives you access to cloud build and deployment servers, and application insights. Start for free and create an organization. Then, either upload your code to share or source control. Begin tracking your work using Scrum, Kanban, or a combination of methods.

For more information, see the Azure DevOps and GitHub integration overview.

Choose Azure DevOps Server

Azure DevOps Server supports integration with GitHub Enterprise Server repositories. Choose on-premises Azure DevOps Server when:

  • You need your data to stay within your network.

  • Your work tracking customization requirements are met better with the on-premises XML process model over the inheritance process model. The on-premises model supports modification of XML definition files.

When you deploy Azure DevOps Server, you can also configure the following servers or integration points:

  • Build server supports on-premises and cloud-hosted builds.

  • SQL Server and SQL Analysis Server support SQL Server Reports and the ability to create Excel pivot charts based on the cube.

Start for free by downloading Azure DevOps Server Express. Then, either upload your code to share or source control. Or, begin tracking your work using Scrum, Kanban, or a combination of methods.

For more information about managing Azure DevOps Server, see the Administrative tasks quick reference.

D. Where Implemented

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E. How it is tested

Testing Azure DevOps involves ensuring that the service is functioning correctly and securely, and meeting the needs of all stakeholders involved in the project. Here are some steps to follow to test Azure DevOps:

  1. Define the scope and requirements: Define the scope of the project and the requirements of all stakeholders involved in the project. This will help ensure that Azure DevOps is designed to meet the needs of all stakeholders.

  2. Develop test cases: Develop test cases that cover all aspects of Azure DevOps functionality, including project creation, work item tracking, build and release management, and testing. The test cases should be designed to meet the needs of the organization, including scalability and resilience.

  3. Conduct unit testing: Test the individual components of Azure DevOps to ensure that they are functioning correctly. This may involve using tools like PowerShell or Azure CLI for automated testing.

  4. Conduct integration testing: Test Azure DevOps in an integrated environment to ensure that it works correctly with other systems and applications. This may involve testing Azure DevOps with different operating systems, browsers, and devices.

  5. Conduct user acceptance testing: Test Azure DevOps with end-users to ensure that it meets their needs and is easy to use. This may involve conducting surveys, interviews, or focus groups to gather feedback from users.

  6. Automate testing: Automate testing of Azure DevOps to ensure that it is functioning correctly and meeting the needs of all stakeholders. This may involve using tools like Azure DevOps Pipelines to set up automated testing pipelines.

  7. Monitor performance: Monitor the performance of Azure DevOps in production to ensure that it is meeting the needs of all stakeholders. This may involve setting up monitoring tools, such as Azure Monitor, to track usage and identify performance issues.

  8. Address issues: Address any issues that are identified during testing and make necessary changes to ensure that Azure DevOps is functioning correctly and meeting the needs of all stakeholders.

By following these steps, you can ensure that Azure DevOps is tested thoroughly and meets the needs of all stakeholders involved in the project. This can help improve the quality of Azure DevOps and ensure that it functions correctly in a production environment.

F. 2023 Roadmap

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G. 2024 Roadmap

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H. Known Issues

There are several known issues that can impact Azure DevOps. Here are some of the most common issues to be aware of:

  1. Performance issues: If the service is not properly sized, it can impact performance and availability, causing issues with the speed and reliability of Azure DevOps.

  2. Security issues: Security is a critical concern when it comes to Azure DevOps. It is important to ensure that Azure DevOps is secured and that access to the solution is restricted to authorized personnel.

  3. Compatibility issues: Azure DevOps may not be compatible with all platforms, devices, or languages. It is important to ensure that Azure DevOps is compatible with the organization’s existing infrastructure before implementation.

  4. Scalability issues: Scalability issues can arise when scaling up or down the service. It is important to ensure that the service can scale to meet the needs of the organization.

  5. Integration issues: Integration issues can arise when integrating Azure DevOps with other systems and applications. It is important to ensure that Azure DevOps is designed to work seamlessly with other systems and applications to avoid integration issues.

  6. Testing issues: Testing issues can arise when testing Azure DevOps. It is important to ensure that testing is carried out thoroughly and that all aspects of Azure DevOps functionality are tested.

  7. Licensing issues: Licensing issues can arise when using Azure DevOps. It is important to ensure that the appropriate licensing is in place to avoid any legal issues.

Overall, Azure DevOps requires careful planning and management to ensure that it is functioning correctly and meeting the needs of all stakeholders involved in the project. By being aware of these known issues and taking steps to address them, you can improve the quality of Azure DevOps and ensure the success of your project.

[x] Reviewed by Enterprise Architecture

[x] Reviewed by Application Development

[x] Reviewed by Data Architecture