Setup Azure DevOps

Introduction

Azure DevOps is a suite of development tools, services, and features provided by Microsoft that enables software teams to deliver high-quality projects faster. It covers the entire application lifecycle, and enables DevOps capabilities within a single solution.

Azure DevOps includes five main components:

1. Azure Boards
2. Azure Repos
3. Azure Pipelines
4. Azure Test Plan
5. Azure Artifacts

Azure DevOps supports integration with various tools and services and can be used to orchestrate a DevOps toolchain. It is available on the cloud or on-premises with Azure DevOps Server. In this How-To, we will explicitly focus on the cloud version.

Pricing

Azure DevOps pricing is based on a flexible model and varies depending on the services and number of users. Here’s a general breakdown:

1. Azure Boards & Azure Repos
   These are free for small teams up to 5 users. For larger teams, the first 5 users are free, and then it’s $6 per user per month for the next 20 users, $8 per user per month for the next 50 users, and $4 per user per month for each additional user.

2. Azure Pipelines
   Free for public projects. For private projects, it comes with 1 free Microsoft-hosted CI/CD and 1 free self-hosted CI/CD. Additional parallel jobs can be purchased: $40 per extra Microsoft-hosted CI/CD per month and $15 per extra self-hosted CI/CD per month.

3. Azure Test Plans
   The pricing for this service is $52 per user per month.

4. Azure Artifacts
   Each organization gets 2GB of storage for free. Additional storage can be purchased at $2 per GB per month.

5. Basic + Test Plans
   This includes Azure Boards, Repos, Pipelines, Artifacts and Test Plans. The pricing for this is $52 per user per month.

Remember that these are general prices and discounts may be available for larger teams. Also, prices may vary by region. For the most accurate and up-to-date pricing, it’s best to check the official Azure DevOps Pricing page on Microsoft’s website.

Prerequisites

To use Azure DevOps, you need to meet the following prerequisites:

1. Microsoft Account
   You need a Microsoft account to sign in to Azure DevOps. If you don’t have one, you can create it for free.
2. Azure DevOps Organization
   You need to create an Azure DevOps organization. If you have an existing one, you can use that.
3. Internet Connection
   Azure DevOps is a cloud-based service, so you need a stable internet connection to access it.
4. Supported Web Browser
   Azure DevOps supports the latest versions of Microsoft Edge, Google Chrome, Safari and Firefox.
5. Permissions
   You need to have the necessary permissions to create projects, repositories, pipelines, etc. in your Azure DevOps organization.
6. Software Requirements
   If you’re using Azure Pipelines for CI/CD, your codebase should be compatible with it. Azure Pipelines supports most programming languages and platforms including .NET, Java, JavaScript, Python, Ruby, PHP, C++, and others.
7. Billing
   If you’re using paid features, you need to set up billing by linking a credit card or a billing profile to your Azure DevOps organization.

Remember, these are general prerequisites. Depending on what you want to do with Azure DevOps, you may need additional tools or services.

How to create an Azure DevOps organisation

This section explains how to create an Azure DevOps organisation if you do not already have one.

1. Sign in to Azure DevOps
   Visit the Azure DevOps site at https://aex.dev.azure.com/ and click on Sign in. Use your Microsoft account to sign in. If you don’t have a Microsoft account, you can create one.

2. Create a new organization
   After signing in, click on Create organization.
   

3. Enter organization details
   You’ll be prompted to enter a name for your organization. Choose a name that represents your team or project. You’ll also need to choose the Azure DevOps region that is closest to your location.
   

4. Review and create
   Review the details you’ve entered. Check the box to agree to the terms of service and privacy statement, then click on Create.
   

5. Set up a project
   After creating your organization, you can set up a project. Enter a name and description for your project. You can also select the visibility of your project (public or private). Click on Create project to create the project.
   

6. Start using Azure DevOps
   You’re now ready to start using Azure DevOps. You can create additional projects, invite team members, set up boards, repositories, pipelines, etc.
   

Keep in mind, you need the necessary permissions to create an Azure DevOps organization. If you’re using a work or school account, your organization’s policies might restrict you from creating a new organization.

Permissions

Azure DevOps Permissions are a crucial part of managing and controlling access to your Azure DevOps resources such as projects, repositories, pipelines, and more. They help ensure that the right people have the right level of access to perform their tasks.

There are several levels of permissions in Azure DevOps:

1. Organization-level permissions
   These permissions are set at the entire organization level and control access to organization-wide resources and settings.

2. Project-level permissions
   These permissions apply to specific projects within your organization. They control access to project resources such as boards, repositories, pipelines, test plans, and more.

3. Team-level permissions
   These permissions apply to specific teams within your projects. They control what team members can do within their team’s scope.

4. Repository-level permissions
   These permissions apply to specific repositories within your projects. They control who can read, write, or manage a repository.

5. Pipeline-level permissions: These permissions apply to specific pipelines within your projects. They control who can create, edit, or manage a pipeline.

Permissions in Azure DevOps can be set for individual users, teams, or security groups. They can be set to Allow, Deny, or Inherit. Inherit means that the permission is inherited from a higher level (for example, a project-level permission can be inherited at the team level).

Managing permissions effectively is crucial for maintaining security and productivity in your Azure DevOps environment.

Therefore, my recommendation, especially at the start, is to start assigning rights at organisation-level. If you want to grant more fine-grained permissions over time, AzureDevOps offers you the options shown above.

This is the basic foundation for agile and successful teamwork.