DROPS for Azure DevOps

The DROPS plug-in for Azure DevOps is an open-source tool for continuous integration. The plug-in is installed from the Azure marketplace. It is found with the name DROPS Integration.

The DROPS for Azure DevOps plug-in is intended for release managers. It enables you to trigger the execution of import and deployment processes via Azure DevOps pipelines. You can add as many tasks in a pipeline's job as required, and each can call DROPS to execute a different task.

The DROPS plug-in for Azure DevOps is compatible with:

  • TFS 2017 Update 2+
  • TFS 2018
  • Azure DevOps Server 2019
  • Azure DevOps Server 2020
  • Azure DevOps Services

Follow the subsequent steps to set up the connection to the DROPS Server.

Step 1   In the Project Settings > Pipelines > Service Connections, click Create service connection.

Step 2   In the New service connection dialog, select ARCAD DROPS Server Connections. Click Next > to continue.

Step 3   Define the properties of the server connection. Click Save.

Server URL (required)

Enter the DROPS Server URL, including the port number.

Note

The server reference must be the one used in the certificate.

Server Key
[Optional] Enter the server key specified in the DROPS Server Certificate in .pem format.
Accept untrusted SSL Certificates
Check this box if you want to allow the DROPS clients to accept self-signed SSL server certificates without installing them into the Azure DevOps service role and/or Build Agent computers.
Authentication
Enter your Username and Password to access the server.
Details
[Optional] Enter a Service connection name and a description for the server connection.

Result   The server connection is created as an item in the Azure DevOps plateform.

Configure the following DROPS tasks settings in an Azure DevOps pipeline.

Step 1   Click + to add a task to the agent job.

Step 2   Select DROPS import and / or DROPS deploy in the Add task list, and click the Add button.

Step 3   Define the task's settings and click Save & queue.

Step 4   When all tasks settings are defined, click Save & queue.

To run the pipeline manually, select the parameters you need and click the Save and run button.

Result   The import and deployment tasks are executed in the order defined in the pipeline. Logs are available at the end of the execution.

Task version
The version number of the Azure DevOps pipeline task.
Display name
The name you wish to display for the Azure DevOps pipeline task.
DROPS Server
Select the server connection you have created in Service Connections in the drop-down list.
Application code

The code of the application that owns the target version.

Create Release: Tick to create a release if it does not exist.

Increment part

If the Create Release option is selected, define which part of the Release Number is incremented in the Increment Part dropdown list.

Release number

Available only if the Create Release box is not ticked. The mumber of the release in which the artifacts must be imported.

Release description

[Optional] Enter a description of the release.

Display execution log
Check this option to display the import process log in the task execution result view.
Component options

Select a Filter Type in the drop down list.

  • No filter

    In that case no additional information is required

  • File

    Specify the path to the filter file.

  • Azure DevOps

    Enter the external development version number in the External Release field.

  • Filtered

    Define the components to filter using the YAML syntax.

    components:
    - code: <The Component Code #1>
    strategy: <The strategy code of the component #i>
    externalVersion: <The source external version>
    ...
    - code: <The Component Code #n>
    strategy: <The strategy code of the component #j>
    externalVersion: <The source external version>
    Example
    ---
    components:
    - code: RM-CMP-FS
    strategy: FS-TEMPLATE
    externalVersion: "*RELEASE"

The DROPS Deploy task is used to deploy Application's Releases on the organization environments

Task version
The version number of the Azure DevOps pipeline task.
Display name
The name you wish to display for the Azure DevOps pipeline task.
DROPS Server
Select the server connection you have created in Service Connections in the drop-down list.
Application code
The code of the application that owns the target version.
Release number
The number of the release to be deployed.
Environment Code
The code of the environment on which the release is to be deployed.
Deployment Process
The code of the process used to deploy the release on the environment.
Transaction ID
The ID of the transaction linked to the deployment process instance.
Display execution log
Check this option to display the deploy process log in the task execution result view.

Deployment Process Options

Deployment Process Type

Select the type of deployment process you want to use. There are 2 available values:

  • Existing Process: will execute the deployment process identified by its code. Enter the code of the process used to deploy the release on the environment in the Deployment Process Code field.

  • File: will execute a deployment process whose definition is defined in the specified file. Enter the path to the file used to deploy the release on the environment for the related application in the Repository File Name field.

DROPS Entities Property Update

Properties Provider Type

The type of property provider you want to use. There are 2 available values:

  • Manual: The properties have to be defined manually.

    Define all the properties in the Property Definition List. Declare each property on a unique line using the following syntax:

    [entity].[property_key]=[property_value]

    where [entity] could be environment or application.

  • File: The properties have to be defined into a property file.

    Define the path to the file that contains the property list. In this file, declare each property on a unique line using the following syntax:

    [entity].[property_key]=[property_value]

    where [entity] could be environment or application.