Install deployment agent and set up machines for an environment

You can install deployment agents to each of the machines that are required to deploy your app with Release Management. Or, with Release Management for Visual Studio 2013 Update 3, you now have the option to use Windows PowerShell, Windows PowerShell Desired State Configuration (DSC), or Chef to deploy your app to machines without installing a deployment agent. To learn about how to do this, go here.

The steps for setting up machines to use in an environment with Release Management if you want to use deployment agents are:

1. Install the Microsoft Deployment Agent on each machine.

2. Configure the deployment agent on each server in the environment.

Make sure that the identity you use for the deployment agent has enough permission to do whatever tasks are required for the release. The service account you use for the deployment agents is automatically added to Release Management.

Tip

As a best practice, do not install the deployment agent on the same machine as the Release Management server. If you do install the two on the same machine and you need to upgrade, uninstall the server before you uninstall the deployment agent.

Install and Configure Microsoft Deployment Agent

Required permissions

To install Microsoft Deployment Agent, you must be a member of the Windows Administrators security group on the computer where you will install it. You must also be a member of the Release Manager role in Release Management.

Tip

Do you need to add team mates to the Release Manager role in Release Management? Add users to Release Management

1. Obtain the Release Management software (see Install Release Management), and launch rm_Deployment.exe. Read and accept the license to choose Install. If you want to install to a specific location in the file system, choose the browse button (...) next to the default install location.

   

   Restart your computer, if prompted, and then choose Launch.

   Tip: If you join the Visual Studio Experience Improvement Program, you can at any time. For more details, see “Q&A” in this topic.

2. Specify the account to run the Microsoft Deployment Agent Windows service and the URL of the Release Management Server. If you use a user account, choose Test to verify the password.

   Important

   If you specify an alternative account as the identity for the service, this must be in the form domain\user. Do not use the format user@domain.

   

   The deployment agent uses this identity to configure this machine for your release. Make sure the identity you use here has enough permission to do whatever tasks are required. For example, if you need to install your application on this machine as part of your release, add this identity to the local Windows Administrators security group. If this identity will need to access builds on the network, make sure it has access to the network drop location.

3. Apply the settings. You’ll get a summary of the configuration settings.

   

4. After the success message appears, close the configuration summary. Repeat these steps as needed on every computer in the environment.

Next steps

After you set up the environment, you might want to connect release management to TFS. See Connect Release Management to TFS