Introduction
Team foundation server is a Microsoft product that was developed to assist the users in team foundation building, task item tracking, reporting of website and project management. It is a collaboration platform that was designed for Microsoft’s application life cycle. It offers support for multiple integrated platforms and environment, agile development practices and cloud services. It also gives the features and tools needed to facilitate effective control and management of software creation module during the whole information technology lifecycle. The application is used by the Microsoft team foundation to manage application using multiple client server tools with the support of STF 2013. Microsoft TFS is an enterprise-level application lifecycle management developed to be used in programming languages which are supported by visual studio. The TFS is proved to assist the programmers in various levels and supply them with critical professional concepts and tools for programming.
Version Control
Software version control is a tool or system which keeps a log of all the changes to the elements of source code such as folders, binaries, images and files. The tools monitor all the changes and gives room for baselines and versions’ manipulation. Version control works like a software configuration management tools. They perform various functions such as conflict resolution, file merging, source code branching, check out, edit, check in and file labeling. Version control keeps an organized set of any software version or file produced over a period of time. It enables the user to access previous versions of personal files and check the improvement that has been made over time. Ideally it keeps an archival history of retrievable and accurate information of files. Moreover, it helps the users to collaborate and work as a group regardless of geographical barriers. This is because version control can be shared via private network or internet by merging any file change to the source code contained in the database. This facilitates this through a process called directory or file check in, edit and checkout. In addition, it handles conflict in case multiple developers carry out concurrent changes on the same copy.
Work Item Tracking
According to Randell (2010), work item tracking is a Microsoft TSF’s module which enables the user to carry out various manipulations on the application. It s a simple application which provides integrated check in experience for multiple work item using a standardized work item graphical user interface. A check-in action is performed by either performing an action or associated with the check-in change set.
The subsystem that performs work item tracking is the principle team foundation server feature. A team project is required before a work item tracking is used. The team project is created using the wizard team project wizard. The wizard is used to specify and process the templates of blueprint and structure. The chosen template is the default feature of a work item. The template can be customized to meet specific requirements. It also facilitates a means for the team members to monitor everything which relates to the team project. A standard Microsoft TFS configuration has two process templates. These are MSF for CMMI process improved version and Microsoft solution framework used in agile software development.
AS per Medina-Domínguez (2007), On the other hand, team project is a unit infrastructure that has several independent elements and tools used in the development life cycle in software development. Each team project or software that undergoes development is categorized under its namespace that is specifically made for the team project. In essence, team project is a simple container that isolates the artifacts and tools relating to particular software that undergoes a development process. This will prevent other team projects from accessing those particular artifacts and tools. Team project is the principle concept which shields all the properties of a particular team. It is a virtualized container of the data and other related software artifact. The application is used by the Microsoft team foundation to manage application using multiple client server tools with the support of STF 2013.
How software development teams successfully deliver software solutions using TFS.
Leithiser & Hamilton (2008) claimed that the development process or the application life cycle management can be improved with the use of visual studio TFS suite tools. This works by applying proven practices in managing the program source code. Source code can be managed across the team developed, tested and built. It also assist in project, planning, monitoring are progress report. the application implement the use of agile planning tools and version control to manage software project. Basically, TFS keeps an archival history of retrievable and accurate information of files. Team foundation server can be implemented in managing to manage the developer’s the database, test infrastructure, built processes and laboratory development together with generating reports. The TFS can also be implemented to support the programming team to collaborate, connect and deliver their software within the shortest time possible. It is visual studio support software which can is used to ease the work of a development team.
References
Medina-Domínguez, F., Sanchez-Segura, M. I., Amescua, A., & García, J. (2007). Extending microsoft team foundation server architecture to support collaborative product patterns. In Software Process Dynamics and Agility (pp. 1-11). Springer Berlin Heidelberg.
Blankenship, E., Woodward, M., Holliday, G., & Keller, B. (2012). Professional Team Foundation Server 2012. John Wiley & Sons.
Randell, J. L., Gousset, M., & Gunvaldson, E. (2007). Professional team foundation server. John Wiley & Sons.
Leithiser, R., & Hamilton, D. (2008, March). Agile versus CMMI-process template selection and integration with Microsoft team foundation server. InProceedings of the 46th Annual Southeast Regional Conference on XX (pp. 186-191). ACM.
Deissenboeck, F., Juergens, E., Hummel, B., Wagner, S., Mas y Parareda, B., & Pizka, M. (2008). Tool support for continuous quality control. Software, IEEE,25(5), 60-67.
