Please watch the following video to get a high level overview of this project:

The project provides reference examples of using Visual Studio Team Service (VSTS) to build and deploy Dynamics 365 based applications. The reference examples are based on various use cases, including:

• Primary Release - Dynamics Only.json - Deploying a Dynamics 365 solution package and initial data from source control.
• Primary Release - Dynamics + Azure.json - Builds on Primary Release - Dynamics Only.json and adds deployment of Azure components to the release to demonstrate deploying a release across both.

The intent of this project is to evolve (over time) to implement additional reference examples based on common and/or requested use cases. Lessons learned from this project have resulted in contributions back to https://github.com/waelHamze/xrm-ci-framework/ and https://github.com/scottdurow/SparkleXrm/wiki/spkl. Please feel free to suggest new scenarios / starter templates or other ideas via the issues section.

These release templates point to a sample application that spans Dynamics 365 & Azure. The source code that will be built and deployed by VSTS is available at: https://github.com/devkeydet/CrmAsyncRequestResponseSampleV2

The source code in the repository above shows how to source control both code and configurations associated with a Dynamics 365 demo/poc/sample.

The reference build definitions show two different build scenarios:

• Primary Build.json - shows how to use VSTS to:
  • Build assets from a remote GitHub repository
    • This, of course, could be done from a VSTS repository as well depending on whether the source code should be public or private
  • Build all the assets from source control into their deployable form
    • Reports unit test pass/fail for both .net and javascript code as part of build reporting
    • Reports code coverage of unit tests
    • Solution package zip files
      • Packages Dynamics 365 configuration xml files using Solution Packager
    • Starter data import zip files
      • Zips up xml files produced by the Configuration Migration tool to setup sample data
    • .NET dlls for both Dynamics 365 and an Azure Function App
    • etc.
• Patch Build.json - shows how to use VSTS to:
  • Build a simple patch from source control

The reference release definitions show how to deploy assets from the build to the target environment(s). Each does the following:

• Primary Release - Dynamics Only.json
  • Resets a Dynamics 365 instance by using the Online Management API for Dynamics 365 Customer Engagement
  • Deploys the Dynamics 365 package and sample/intiial data using Package Deployer
    • Demonstrates how to activate plugins after the sample/initial data is imported
  • Updates plugin Secure Configuration since it doesn't get stored in the solution package and can vary by environment
  • Backs up the Dynamics 365 instance using the Online Management API for Dynamics 365 Customer Engagement
• Primary Release - Dynamics + Azure.json
  • Registers and Azure AD application so the code hosted in Azure has permissions to make web api calls to Dynamics 365
  • Resets a Dynamics 365 instance by using the Online Management API for Dynamics 365 Customer Engagement
  • Deploys an Azure Resource Manager template to provision necessary Azure resources
  • Gets configuration data from the Azure deployment for use in latter parts of the deployment process
  • Deploys Azure Functions dlls from the build
  • Applies configuration settings to the Azure environment
  • Deploys the Dynamics 365 package and sample data using Package Deployer
  • Updates plugin Secure Configuration since it doesn't get stored in the solution package and can vary by environment
  • Backs up the Dynamics 365 instance using the Online Management API for Dynamics 365 Customer Engagement
• Patch Release - Dynamics Only.json
  • Restore a Dynamics 365 instances to test applying the patch to, using the Online Management API for Dynamics 365 Customer Engagement
  • Import the patch solution
  • Publish the customizations
  • Disable Admin Mode using the Online Management API for Dynamics 365 Customer Engagement

Please watch the following videos to help you understand how to get started:

Part I - This video walks through Primary Build.json and Primary Release - Dynamics Only.json, with a goal of helping you understand how they work and how to import them into your own VSTS project.

Part II - This video assumes you watched Part I. It builds on Part I, with a goal of helping you understand how to import and execute Primary Release - Dynamics + Azure.json, which includes a more elaborate example, including provisioning, deploying and configuring Azure services and code that work as part of the overall application.