Item: Azure DevOps Server
Rating: 9
Author: Verified User

Usability

Azure DevOps Server or TFS is a complete suite in itself. From Developer's machine where the code is developed to the production environment where the code is meant to run it take care of complete flow within itself. It acts as a code repository you can check-in check-out codes using GIT interface. It also acts as a Build and Automation Test tool which can help you to judge sanctity of your code. It further acts as a release manager to deploy your application to the production environment. And all these steps can also be performed without any manual intervention with the option to have approval processes. Hence its a perfect blend of all set of tools and capabilities required to bring code to production.

Use Cases and Deployment Scope

Azure DevOps server is being utilized as a centralized tool for our organization's code & release management. All departments in the organization have their own repositories where they check-in their codes. Azure DevOps server along with GIT integration is serving as a central code repository for our organization. Also its widget integration and inbuilt templates to automate code build and release from almost any tech stack is worthy to have it as a DevOps tool.

Pros and Cons

Vast range of Template for Automated Build and Release Pipeline with option to have conditional triggers
Code repository mechanism is aligned with GIT which is a well known public repository system
Bug Management is also an integral feature of this tool
Dashboard creation option of Build and Release pipeline is also available

Can add more build templates for specific technology requirements
Can have more features in dashboards which can help dev teams stream line their tasks and priorities
Can have raise alarm feature in case of any sort of failure in devops pipeline execution

Return on Investment

Helped to achieve better code management
Helped to get rid of a separate bug management tool
Helped to build the devops pipeline within it hence removing need for separate devops tool

Alternatives Considered

Jenkins, Kubernetes and Bamboo

Azure DevOps server has quite an upper hand while we compare it with other tools in the market. Its not just a tool in fact its been a complete suit. If we look out at other products available as alternative options to Azure DevOps Server, they are meant for a specific purpose and hence always need to be integrated with some other tool for achieving the target. While Azure DevOps integrates within itself all features and utilities required to deliver the code from developer machine to the production environment.

Other Software Used

Atlassian Confluence, Amazon Web Services, Azure Active Directory

Likelihood to Recommend

Azure DevOps is well suited if you have a big team that is collaborating their codes and need to have devops pipeline for all build and release work. Also since this tool provides bug management facility, you don't need to purchase any other tool for that purpose. Moreover if you have your infrastructure built over Azure cloud then this is a best match for your requirements as it integrates well with it.

Ease of Integration

Azure DevOps server have a lot of inbuilt features which helps it to integrate with external tools. Also Azure market place provides an extensive list of custom-built solutions or widgets that can be plugged and play with your Azure DevOps Server environment. Using its API connectivity you can automate most of the manual tasks of monitoring the pipeline flow or code check-ins etc

Azure DevOps Server - A Complete Suite for your DevOps strategy

Overall Satisfaction with Azure DevOps Server (formerly Team Foundation Server)