Continuous deployment to Azure from TFS 2012 Update 2

Question

I am not using TFS Service (Preview/Online). I am running TFS 2012 Update 2 on-site and trying to deploy an Azure Service that contains a web and worker role. I'm also using Azure SDK 2.0.

I have tried endlessly to get the deployment working with the "AzureContinuousDeployment.11" template. However, from all my effort and from what I read on the web, it seems this template only applies when using TFS Service (Online/Preview) and not for on-premise TFS.

I have now ventured down the path as suggested by http://blogs.msdn.com/b/tomholl/archive/2011/12/06/automated-build-and-deployment-with-windows-azure-sdk-1-6.aspx and http://www.justaprogrammer.net/2012/10/18/continuous-integration-with-windows-azure-sdk-1-7-powershell-and-tfs-build-too/ article. I just started the process, so have nothing working yet. However, when looking at all the steps required to do, I can't help and pause for a moment and think "Is there a better way?". We are on TFS 2012 Update 2, TFS Preview has been out for, there must be an easier way to do this.

What are the suggested steps/processes required to do a continuous push of Azure solution out to the cloud as part of TFS?

Any suggestions?

Answer 1

The problem is that Azure SDK 2.0 is not yet roled out on TFS Online Build, see also: http://visualstudio.uservoice.com/forums/121579-visual-studio/suggestions/3932152-install-windows-azure-2-0-0-0-sdk-on-the-https-t.

Answer 2

Here are two fixes that TFS support gave me to get this working on my TFS on premise controller.

This only happens with Azure cloud services and only with an on premise build machine.

You will need to update the template and add quotes around the publishdir parameter value in the “Set project to build CSPack” activity in the workflow and check the template back in.

String.Format("/t:{0}:Publish /p:PublishDir=""{1}/app.publish/"" {2}", ccprojName, outputDirectory, MSBuildArguments)

To fix the assembly loading error, you need to copy

"C:\Program Files\Microsoft SDKs\Windows Azure.NET SDK\2012-06\bin\Microsoft.WindowsAzure.StorageClient.dll"

To

C:\Program Files\Microsoft Team Foundation Server 12.0\Tools

On the build machine and restart the service.

Let me know if that doesn't work for you.