In today’s fast-paced business environment, organizations need to deliver software faster and more efficiently. Azure DevOps provides tools and services to help teams manage the entire software delivery process. With Azure DevOps Training, you can master techniques to streamline your development lifecycle. Learn to configure Azure DevOps for continuous integration and delivery. Leverage features like customizable Kanban boards, automated testing, release management, and more. Unleash the power of Azure DevOps to boost your team’s productivity and quickly release higher-quality software.

Introduction to Azure DevOps

Azure DevOps is a set of services and tools from Microsoft that helps teams manage projects efficiently by enabling collaboration, continuous integration, source control, testing automation, release management, and more. With Azure DevOps, teams can take a project from ideation to deployment quickly while maintaining quality.

Some of the key capabilities and benefits of Azure DevOps include:

• Integrated set of services: Azure DevOps brings together development, testing, project tracking, code repositories and release management into a single platform. This avoids having to cobble together disparate tools and enables seamless collaboration.
• Flexible source control: Azure Repos provides unlimited private Git repositories hosted in the cloud. Teams can choose between Git and Team Foundation Version Control (TFVC) and manage branching and merging smoothly.
• Continuous integration/deployment: Azure Pipelines automates building, testing and deployment of apps. Teams can set up CI/CD pipelines to release updates frequently and reliably.
• Agile planning: Azure Boards has tools to manage work tracking, sprints, kanban boards and backlogs as per agile methodology. This enables adaptive planning and rapid iteration.
• Quality assurance: Azure Test Plans makes it easy to create and manage test cases, run automated tests, track defects and log bugs effectively.
• Insights and Analytics: Built-in analytics provides useful metrics on builds, tests, code changes, burndown charts and team velocity. This enables data-driven decisions.
• Extensibility and Customizability: Azure DevOps is highly customizable with extensions, APIs and integration with popular third-party tools. Teams can tailor it to their unique needs.

With its comprehensive capabilities, Azure DevOps enables teams to deliver high-quality solutions faster. Next, let’s look at how to get started with Azure DevOps.

Setting Up Azure DevOps for Your Team

To unleash the power of Azure DevOps, the first step is to set it up and configure it for your team’s use. Here are the key steps:

Choose an Organization and Project

• Sign up for Azure DevOps and create an organization. The organization allows you to manage security and billing centrally.
• Within the organization, create projects for each team or application. All work for a project will take place under it.

Add Team Members

• Invite team members by entering their email addresses under the organization’s members tab.
• Assign roles like contributor, stakeholder, project admin etc. based on level of access needed.

Select a Process Template

• Pick an inbuilt process template like Agile, Scrum or CMMI based on how your team works.
• The template provides predefined configurations for planning, tracking, source control etc.

Configure Repositories

• Set up Git or TFVC repositories under the project to manage your source code.
• Decide on a branching strategy depending on team size and release frequency.

Set Up Pipelines

• Create build and release pipelines for continuous integration and delivery.
• Use build templates or start from an empty pipeline and add tasks as required.

Customize and Extend

• Tailor Azure DevOps by adding extensions, customizing work tracking, creating team dashboards and more.

With these steps, your team will be ready to start working efficiently on Azure DevOps!

Creating and Managing Projects in Azure DevOps

Azure DevOps organizes work into projects. Let’s look at how to best create and manage projects.

Choosing Project Names

Pick project names that are:

• Short, unique and memorable
• Related to the application or team identity
• Consistent across development, test and production environments

Utilizing Project Templates

• Start with built-in templates like Agile, Scrum or CMMI
• Select a template that matches your team’s methodology
• Customize templates further as required

Segregating Projects

• Use separate projects for clearly independent applications
• Maintain just one project for minor applications and components
• Group by team structure for large initiatives with interlinked components

Structuring Teams

• Keep team small (5-9 members) for efficiency
• Align teams to application modules and development lifecycle phases
• Add stakeholders and customers for transparency

Defining Policies and Permissions

• Manage permissions by adding groups, defining user roles and settings inheritance levels
• Create policy documents on branch strategy, code reviews, definition of done etc.
• Audit and review security and access periodically

Leveraging Cross-Project Reporting

• Roll up high-level reports across projects using cross-project dashboards
• Monitor overall lead and cycle times, quality metrics and release frequency
• Enable portfolio planning and organization-level decisions

With a thoughtful approach to structuring projects and teams, you can maximize productivity on Azure DevOps.

Version Control with Azure Repos

Azure Repos provides unlimited, cloud-hosted private Git repositories for version control. Here are some best practices for using Azure Repos effectively:

Repository Structure

• Maintain a single repository for small projects
• Split by team or application module for larger codebases
• Separate repositories for libraries, frameworks etc.

Branching Strategy

• Follow Gitflow and use long-lived main/develop branches
• Create release, feature and hotfix branches as needed
• Merge frequently to main/develop to avoid diverging code

Code Reviews

• Enforce code reviews before merging PRs
• Use branch policies to require minimum reviewers
• Automate checks for code quality, security, tests via PR

Git Commit Hygiene

• Ensure commits are focused, atomic and logically separate
• Use concise but descriptive commit messages
• Squash related minor commits before merging

Dependency Tracking

• Integrate Azure Repos with NuGet and npm to track dependencies
• Automate package upgrade PRs with Renovate Bot
• Schedule regular audits of dependencies and licenses

Access Controls

• Model repository permissions on branch hierarchy
• Grant minimal required permissions to prevent unauthorized access

By following version control best practices, teams can build better software with Azure Repos.

Automating Builds with Azure Pipelines

Azure Pipelines enables continuous integration by automating the build and test process every time code is committed. Here are some tips for effective use of Azure Pipelines:

Build Configuration

• Use YAML for configuration as code and enable CI/CD
• Parameterize key aspects like environment URLs and credentials
• Create reusable templates for common build steps

Caching and Artifacts

• Cache files and dependencies to optimize build times
• Publish build artifacts like binaries for release pipelines
• Track artifact versions and preserve older builds

Testing and Validation

• Bake in unit, integration and functional tests in pipelines
• Fail builds on test failures to maintain quality
• Validate stylistic aspects like security, licensing etc.

Triggers and Queues

• Trigger CI on every commit to main/develop using webhook
• Configure schedules, tags or manual queues as required
• View history and audit logs for traceability

Self-Service Access

• Provide easy access via pipelines YAML editor
• Allow edits in non-production branches only
• Limit production changes to admins only

With robust build automation, teams can deliver software faster and more reliably.

Continuous Integration and Deployment (CI/CD) with Azure DevOps

Leveraging Azure Pipelines, Azure DevOps makes setting up Continuous Integration (CI) and Continuous Deployment (CD) seamless. Here are some best practices:

CI Pipeline

• Build, run automated tests and code validation on every commit
• Use multiple stages for modular pipeline
• Add tests for functionality, security, reliability etc.

CD Pipeline

• Deploy successful builds from CI to staging environment
• Include manual approval gates before production deployment
• Automate post-deployment testing and rollback on failure

Pipeline Security

• Integrate pipelines with source control branch policies
• Don’t store credentials directly in pipeline configs
• Manage and audit pipeline permissions

Validating Pipeline Success

• Check deployment results, run smoke tests and monitor application
• Notify stakeholders on pipeline failures and issues
• Track key pipeline metrics like lead time, failure rate, time to restore service etc.

Promoting Quality

• Zero downtime deployments using blue-green or canary patterns
• Telemetry and logging to detect problems after releases
• Use feature flags for controlled rollouts

With CI/CD best practices, releases become rapid, reliable, and low risk.

Managing Work Items and Agile Planning

Azure Boards provides agile planning and work tracking capabilities. Here are some tips for using it effectively:

Backlog Management

• Maintain product and sprint backlogs with prioritized items
• Include user stories, bugs, epics, tasks etc.
• Automate backlog updates from CI/CD pipeline results

Sprint Planning

• Schedule sprints and capacity as per team cadence
• Use boards for task breakdown and assignments
• Review velocity and adjust scope on retrospective

Work Tracking

• Move tasks across To do, In progress, and Done stages
• Set due dates, assign owners and link work items
• Automate state changes using extensions

Dashboards and Reports

• Customize team dashboards with cumulative flow, burndown etc.
• Review sprint and release burndowns regularly
• Send automated reports to stakeholders weekly and at sprint end

Process Refinement

• Inspect and adapt processes like definition of done
• Optimize WIP limits to maximize flow
• Balance technical debt and feature work proactively

With robust agile practices, teams sustain rapid and consistent value delivery.

Monitoring and Analytics with Azure DevOps

Azure DevOps provides insightful analytics for visibility into the software delivery process. Here are recommendations for tapping into them:

Delivery Timeline

• Track lead and cycle times for work items from inception to completion
• Break down queues and delays impacting delivery
• Optimize process bottlenecks to go faster

Release Quality

• Measure release failure rate percentage
• Analyze causes – inadequate testing, code defects, environment issues etc.
• Work on failure prevention and rollbacks to assure quality

Code Quality

• Follow commit trends, code churn and other code repository metrics
• Fail builds on violations for security, testing, coverage etc.
• Address high priority tech debt backlog proactively

Testing and Validation

• Track test case development, execution, defects and pass rates
• Analyze campaign and pipeline test metrics
• Use automation to prevent regressions

Team Productivity

• Track individual work item handling rate, burn down etc.
• Address patterns of unfinished work proactively
• Ensure healthy team velocity and morale

Make data-driven decisions to improve continuously with Azure DevOps analytics.

Enhancing Collaboration with Azure Boards and Repos

Azure Boards and Repos maximize team collaboration. Here are some tips:

Shared Team Backlog

• Maintain a central product backlog visible to entire team
• Discuss priorities openly during grooming and planning

Code Review workflows

• Use PR discussions for design decisions and alternatives
• Request reviewers from cross-functional areas
• Subscribe stakeholders to stay updated after merge

Visibility Across Work

• Use centralized Kanban board to visualize cross-functional work in progress
• Configure team notifications for full awareness
• Give read-access to stakeholders for transparency

Team Conversations

• Discuss requirements, design and progress updates in work items
• @mention team members on blocks or feedback needed
• Integrate with Teams/Slack for real-time chat

Dashboards and Reporting

• Build shareable reports, dashboards and wikis
• Broadcast accomplishments and recognize milestones
• Review challenges and retrospective findings together

With Azure Boards and Repos, teams build solutions, not just software, together.

Best Practices for Maximizing Efficiency with Azure DevOps

Here are some key practices that will help leverage Azure DevOps for maximum efficiency:

• Start with the end in mind – build a shared understanding of the outcomes sought
• Invest in team alignment – build relationships, empathy and trust
• Promote a culture of collective ownership and learning
• Align processes to maximize flow and minimize waste
• Prioritize keeping technical debt low through refactors and automation
• Use feature flags to decouple release from deployment
• Review metrics often and course-correct early
• Automate testing and infrastructure provisioning aggressively
• Implement progressively – iterate in small cycles
• Customize judiciously – don’t overconfigure services initially
• Make incremental improvements through frequent retrospectives
• Integrate security practices deeply rather than as an afterthought
• Leverage extensions and integrate with other tools where required
• Balance standardized policies with retained team autonomy

By applying these practices, teams can deliver innovation faster and smarter using Azure DevOps. The future is staffed by satisfied, motivated teams building securely at scale. With Azure DevOps, it is here now.