We cannot update TFS 2015 to TFS 2018 because we have SQL 2012 and TFS 2018 need a higher version. It will take another 6-8 months before we upgrade SQL 2012 to SQL 2016 or latest.
My question is, Can I do TFS Build 2018 with TFS 2015 Server, is it possible? I am not sure about it.
Thanks.
The answer is "Yes, but it would be a huge pain and be an awful, hacky process". I started to write some of it out, and then I realized that there's no point in doing it.
You need an installation of TFS 2018 to use any of its features.
That requires SQL 2016.
That means you'd have to stand up an entire new instance of TFS.
At that point, you might as well just stand up new hardware/VMs and do a migration upgrade.
To summarize:
Q: Can I use TFS 2018 build with TFS 2015?
A: Not without installing a new instance of TFS 2018.
Q: Can I use TFS 2018 without SQL Server 2016?
A: No.
Related
We currently have TFS set up on three Win2012 servers: app server, build server, deployment server.
It is using SQL Server 2014 which is on a separate server (let's call it SQL1). We have a SQL 2017 server (SQL2) that is not in use but can be used to migrate databases there.
Our plan is to upgrade to TFS 2018. Since TFS 2018 does not support SQL 2017, What is the best approach here?
In-place upgrade TFS 2015 to TFS 2017 (which supports SQL 2014). Then upgrade SQL 2014 to SQL 2017 on SQL1. Once SQL upgrade is done, then we can do another in-place upgrade to TFS 2018.
Migrate existing TFS databases from SQL1 to SQL2 server. Upgrade TFS 2015 directly to 2018 and point to databases on new SQL 2017 server.
Backup SQL1 databases. Upgrade SQL1 to SQL 2017. Restore databases. In-place upgrade TFS 2015 directly to TFS 2018.
What would be the best approach here? Thanks.
I recommend the following:
Spin up fresh Windows 2019 or 2022 servers.
Install SQL Server 2019 on one of 'm.
Install Azure DevOps Servers 2020 or 2022 on the other.
Restore the databases on the SQL server.
Run the configuration wizard on the Azure DevOps Server and have it perform the upgrade.
In most cases this process can run in a couple of hours if you've prepared all the machines and accounts, DNS entries etc.
I was working with Team Foundation Server 2015 where I had some releases configured for some environments (env1, env2, ...).
I installed TFS 2018 in a different machine. I migrated the code and I have completed the creation of a build definition.
I'd like to configure a release, using the old TFS 2015 environments. Can I install a TFS 2018 Agent, in the environments where I had installed the TFS 2015 agents?
In this way both of the agents would work without issues? The TFS 2015 Agent would work with TFS 2015 and the TFS 2018 Agent would work with TFS 2018 (both in the same machine).
I want to do this because my team is still working with TFS 2015, but as I am still setting up and testing TFS 2018 build/releases, I'd like TFS 2015 to work flawless (whithout any issue) while I am setting up and using TFS 2018 (with TFS 2018 Agents).
Different versions of agents can easily work on the same machine. As long as you keep the rule of thumb of 1 cpu core for the system and 1 cpu core per agent.
I have had multiple versions of agents running before on the same build machine without any issue. The only problem would be to try and connect an agent with 1.* versions to TFS 2018, since that wouldn't work, but since that is not what you are asking for, I would say that you are good to go :-)
I have a TFS 2015 installed in a Server.
Now, I want to upgrade it to TFS 2018 i na different Server.
I am planning to install TFS 2018 in the new machine, and than import the database from TFS 2015. This is an alternative to install TFS 2015 in the new machine, and than upgrade it to TFS 2018.
What do you think of my solution? Do you think that by installing TFS 2018 and than using the data in the database of TFS 2015 will let me make the upgrade successfully (Prtojects, Customizations, Configurations)?
I think that if you would like to do something like this, you need to setup the database on the new machine first, import the database of TFS 2015 to that database.
Then install TFS 2018, select that you already have a database and select the imported one.
The upgrade will go through your database and update a lot of different columns and rows, which is why you cannot expect it to work in the way you suggest.
I am not aware of any documentation for upgrade of TFS. We are planning with New infra instead of inplace.
What are the pre-requists for same? what utilities i will require to move comeplete data from 2013 to 2018?
Most importantly, if i migrate from 2013 to 2018 will my users will loose all their workitems mappings to test cases in MTM or it will be same?
Upgrade is a full data transfer. You will have all data in the previous TFS.
As TFS 2018 only supports SQL Server 2017 and SQL Server 2016 (minimum SP1), upgrade SQL Server is necessary.
You need to go through article Upgrade your deployment to the latest version of TFS before doing upgrade. And follow the steps in article Upgrade scenario walkthrough for Team Foundation Server to upgrade your TFS. Summarize the steps here:
Prepare your environment. The first step is to check the system
requirements for TFS 2018. Upgrade SQL Server is necessary for your
scenario. Including SQL Server, you also need to check other system
requirements and prepare the environment.
Expect the best, prepare for the worst. You must have a complete and
consistent set of database backups in case something goes wrong.
Do the upgrade. Once the preparation is done, you'll need to install
the new version of TFS to get new binaries, and then run through the
upgrade wizard to upgrade your databases.
Configure new features. Depending on what version you upgraded from,
you may need to configure each team project to gain access to some
of the new features made available.
Here is a useful blog for your reference:
https://blogs.msdn.microsoft.com/rob/2016/12/22/upgrading-from-tfs-2013-to-tfs-2017/
Here are the System Requirements that you would have to cover to be able to upgrade. Some of them for your case are:
Client operating systems:
TFS 2018 Windows 10 (Professional,Enterprise) Version 1607 or greater
TFS 2013 Windows 8.1 (Basic, Professional, Enterprise)
Windows 7 (minimum SP1) (Home Premium, Professional, Enterprise,
Ultimate)
SQL Server:
TFS 2013 Update 4 - SQL Server 2014 or SQL Server 2012 (minimum SP1)
TFS 2018 - SQL Server 2017 or SQL Server 2016 (minimum SP1)
This means that you would have to upgrade your current TFS at least once prior going to TFS 2018. This would include upgrading your SQL Server and change your current OS. The options would be either TFS 2015 Update 3 or later, or TFS 2017 based on your preferences.
To be aware of what's new in the TFS systmes after TFS 2015, you could take a look at TFS page "What's new".
The similar question here: TFS 2012 to TFS 2018 Migration/Upgrade Path.
So you may do upgrade from 2013 to 2018, but you have to consider new requirements for Operating system and SQL Server, deprecated xaml build, new work item form. Any existing links between work items (requirements, tasks, tests) will be same.
In my opinion you can do inplace update if your OS in list with requirements. Detailed steps here: Upgrade to Team Foundation Server (TFS) 2017
I'm currently running TFS 2013 on one Windows Server 2012 box and TFS Build 2012 Update 4 on another box. My question is if I upgrade my TFS Build Server box to utilize TFS Build 2015, will I need to upgrade my TFS 2013 Server as well?
Also, what about the opposite? Can I upgrade my TFS 2013 server to TFS 2015 and still use my existing TFS Build 2012 Server which is using web deploy to build and publish to various other servers on our network?
Yes, TFS Build 2015 and Build vNext require your main TFS server to be at least 2015.
The other way around, TFS 2015 can talk to Team Build 2010, 2012, 2013 as well as the new 2015 build agents of course, as long as they're updated to their latest service pack and update version.
Upgrading your TFS 2012 build server would not be too hard either, depending on the amount of customizations made to the build workflows.