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TFS Integration … Platform or Tools or both?

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UPDATE 2012-05-17: This is a dated post and contains broken download links. Please refer to TFS Integration Tools (Platform) for a list of the latest posts and URLs to the latest builds.
UPDATE 2012-10-25 : Update code gallery link to https://visualstudiogallery.msdn.microsoft.com/eb77e739-c98c-4e36-9ead-fa115b27fefe

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If you have been a visitor to our CodePlex site on https://tfsintegration.codeplex.com/ and the code gallery at https://visualstudiogallery.msdn.microsoft.com/eb77e739-c98c-4e36-9ead-fa115b27fefe, or have been following some of our blogs and forum discussions, you may be asking yourself as to what the difference, if any, is between the TFS Integration Platform and the TFS Integration Tools.

The Codeplex site home page will be refreshed shortly to address this topic and to guide the users to the correct download site. In the mean time, let us explore this question …

The TFS Integration Platform represents the re-usable and extensible framework, that allows us to develop integration tooling. Think of it as the engine room and the software development kit (SDK). The TFS Integrations Tools are built on the TFS Integration Platform and represent the official product name that is shipped and supported by Microsoft.

Custom developers can use the TFS Integration Platform as a platform to build third-party tooling that complements the Microsoft tooling, or extend the platform itself as shown in the illustration below.

Are you looking at the right product?

  • Are you trying to understand how the TFS Integration Tools and Platform are developed, by exploring the code base?
  • Are you planning to develop your own adapters, providers or other tooling, based on the TFS Integration Platform?
  • Are you looking for the bleeding edge version and early-drops of the TFS Integration Platform or TFS Integration Tools?

If you have answered yes to any of the above, you should probably get the latest bits from: https://tfsintegration.codeplex.com/.

Alternatively you may be looking for a supported tool to install, configure and use, without much interest in the inner workings. In this case you should get the latest and supported bits from: https://visualstudiogallery.msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/5a8d1703-7987-4081-ba2f-9d0b68b0ed3e

If we have a peek at the readiness package documentation that ships as part of the product, we will notice that the majority of the documents are focused on the platform itself, while others, such as the guidance and configuration documents are focused on the tools.

  1. The documentation that has been rebranded as TFS Integration Tools are indicated with an “X” in the Tools column.
  2. The Rational Getting Started document is under construction and is not yet included with the TFS Integration Tools.

Hope this helps to clear up some of the confusion … clear as mud?

Comments

  • Anonymous
    April 27, 2011
    You indicate that this is a supported tool.  However when I go to support.microsoft.com it is not in the list (or drop down) for project that you can file a support ticket with. I tried both "TFS Integrations Tools" and "TFS Integrations Platform"

  • Anonymous
    April 27, 2011
    You need to select "Visual Studio Team Foundation Server 2010"  from the list of products.

  • Anonymous
    April 27, 2011
    For assisted support you would need to:

  1. Go to the Assisted Support Options page - support.microsoft.com/select
  2. Choose More Developer Tools… under Developer Tools
  3. Choose Visual Studio Team Foundation Server 2010
  4. Choose Other in the drop down for the Support Topic and it will be sent to our support team

  • Anonymous
    April 28, 2011
    Thanks for the response!  I wish I had known this.  I phoned my support call in, but I think I could have given a lot better info for the support ticket if I could have typed it in.  Ah well, I will know now if there is a next time.

  • Anonymous
    May 04, 2011
    any news on when subversion will be supported with the platform migration

  • Anonymous
    May 04, 2011
    If you look at the codebase on tfsintegration.codeplex.com you will notice that a Subversion adapter is included in the Adapters. This, at this point, is still an "Alpha" version and not included in the currently supported TFS Integration Tools. You can build and test the adapter to determine if it meets your needs or alternatively share your requirements,so that I can follow up with the author if the adapter.

  • Anonymous
    August 29, 2011
    Looking for migrating MKS to TFS. Suggest if this is acheivable.

  • Anonymous
    August 29, 2011
    Please refer to Team Foundation Server Migration and Integration Solutions (msdn.microsoft.com/.../bb840033.aspx) for a list of migration partners and supported migration scenarios,

  • Anonymous
    September 08, 2011
    Hello, I have seen your presentation, I would like to how I can add user to [Project Collection Service Accounts]. I am trying through TFS Console, however this group are blocked. Best Regards, Adilson Machado

  • Anonymous
    September 09, 2011
    The comment has been removed