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Using BuildMaster for COTS Software Configurations
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I know BuildMaster supports the typical custom software development scenario in which developers are producing applications that run on databases, etc. However, could BuildMaster support the deployment of commercial, off the shelf (COTS) software configurations? For example, could we use it to track deployments of Microsoft Dynamics CRM across different environments? Or Dynamics AX? In this scenario, we aren't deploying CRM or AX itself, but packages of configuration changes.
Thoughts?
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Good question.
So when you say, "packages of configuration changes", do you mean "complex customizations that need to be tested/verified in a series of pre-production environments"?
I don't know Dynamics, but if it works like other ERP systems (SAP, etc), then it's basically code that's being delivered. As such, using BuildMaster would make sense to model the software delivery process (environments, approvals, etc).
We do have a few users who use BuildMaster in this manner... but the automation is tricky (so I hear), since SAP wants you to do everything within its own environment (as opposed to migrating changes over multiple environments).
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Automation in this case, fortunately, isn't our top concern. We're basically looking to help people understand what version of a configuration is in each environment at a given time (authorizations and sign-offs are an added bonus). I can't speak intelligently about AX, but let's use Dynamics CRM as an example. Say we have Dev, Test, and Prod. The current approach is to make configuration changes in Dev and roll them into a "solution" (CRM's name for packaged configurations), then export the solution to a zip file. We unzip the file, which contains a bunch of XML files, and check those in to TFS. Then, we fire up CRM Test, import the solution, and we're good to go. Going from Test to Prod is just another export/re-import step.
I'm ok with all this being manual (in fact, it may be necessary), but I'm wondering where BuildMaster comes in. Do you just specify a deployable called "CRM Packaged Solution", and then promote as needed? In this scenario, it seems to me like BuildMaster is totally "unhooked" from what's actually happening (it's not actually moving any files, etc.), but we are using BuildMaster basically just to log/track what's going on.
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That sounds about right. I'd probably have BuildMaster capture the "solution" artifact from TFS:
- Get Latest from $/path
- Create Build Artifact CrmSolution
And then have a "Manual Action" or a set of Manual Actions in the deployment plan that describe the steps to (manually) deploy. Something like "first download artifact from BuildMaster by clicking this URL, then go into DynamicsCRM Admin, and click Uplaod Config, etc."
You could then add in an email action, or a stop/start service (maybe that's easy to automate?), etc.
Even if there's no automated deployments, you're still getting the log/track benefits - and if you use manual Actions, you're creating a well-documented process that can be followed step-by-step.
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I think I'm getting a handle on this now. Pretty cool stuff.
Thanks so much for your help!
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