In previous versions of Team Foundation Server there was not a way to install and configure TFS to be run in a completely high available environment.  TFS 2008 supports the data tier running in a SQL Server Cluster.  If the TFS application tier server crashed, there could be a “warm standby” configured to take over but required a manual process to do this.   TFS 2010 supports running multiple Application tier servers using Network Load Balancing (NLB).  Last year I first heard of topology improvements in TFS 2010 in Brian Harry’s post about the Administrator, Operations,and Setup Improvements in Team Foundation Server 2010.  I think this is an extremely important feature as companies are utilizing more features in Team Foundation Server and expecting these services to always be available.

In this post I am going to explain:

• Configuring the second TFS application tier
• Enabling and configuring Network Load Balancing in Windows Server 2008 R2
• Testing TFS using the NLB Application tier severs
• Lessons learned

 

Team Foundation Server 2010 Farm Network Topology Diagram

This is a diagram shows the topology of the TFS configuration I created to demonstrate the NLB option.

 

 

I set up this environment on a laptop.  I installed Windows Server 2008 R2 x64 on the laptop as the host OS to utilize Hyper-V.   I added Active Directory Domain Services (ADDS) and DNS to this machine and configured it as the domain controller.  I installed SQL Server 2008 R2 x64 on it also to be the data tier for the TFS installation.  Both TFS Application Tier Servers were created as Hyper-V virtual machines with Windows 2008 R2 x64.  To make this configuration 100% redundant I would have needed to install the reporting services on both of the TFS Servers, used a SharePoint 2007 Farm for the portal, and a SQL Server cluster for the data tier.  In fact, now that I have all of this working, I am going to uninstall everything and try to get WSS and SSRS installed on both application tiers also utilizing the NLB.  This would allow for 100% redundant and high availability for all of the TFS 2010 Components with only 4 servers (creating a 2 server SQL Server Cluster). I will post a follow up on how this goes..

 

Team Foundation Server Installation

The TFS installation and configuration for the first server (TFS2010A) was done just as if it was going to be the only server.  Here are the settings after I installed the first server.

 

For the second server (TFS2010B), the only pre-requisites that were required were IIS 7 and SQL Client connectivity tools.    Below are the steps for configuring the second TFS Server.

In the TFS configuration, choose the “Application-Tier Only” installation option.

The first step was the Welcome step.  There were no options on this step.  The next step is to specify the configuration database that was created when the first server was configured. 

Next, specify the service account for the the new application tier.  I chose to use the same domain account that I used for the first server.

 

This screen shows the summary of the settings that were chosen before the verification is run.

 

After the first time I ran the verification I received two errors.  One was that .Net 3.5sp1 wasn’t installed.  I’m not sure why I reported this error.  When I checked it, it was installed.  It could be related to other error.  The other error, TF255040, was that I didn’t have Reporting Services or SQL Server Connectivity tools installed.

 

I installed the connectivity tools and reran the verification process and it passed this time.

 

The configuration completed successfully.

 

The TFS administrative console now shows both application tier servers.

 

 

Setting up Network Load Balancing in Windows 2008 R2 and Hyper-V

Now that both servers are installed and configured correctly, the next step is to set up Network Load Balancing (NLB).  This will allows users to connect to TFS through a single endpoint and allow NLB to balance the traffic and route all of the traffic to one server if the other is unavailable.  This provides high availability in the event of an outage or when the servers need to be updated.

The first thing to do before setting up NLB is to pick a static IP address and create a DNS (A) Record for the shared name.  In this example, TFS2010 is the endpoint that clients such as Visual Studio 2010.  Here is a snapshot of the A records.

 

Here is an article I used to help enable and configure NLB in Windows Server 2008 R2.  Below are the steps I performed to configure it.
http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc731695.aspx

For each TFS Application Tier server, install Network Load Balancing by going to Server Manager > Features > Add Features > Network Load Balancing

Once NLB is installed on all of the App Tiers, run the Network Load Balancing Manager by typing nlbmgr at the command prompt.  Then connect to one of the hosts.  I chose TFS2010a first.  Right click on the Network Load Balance node and choose “Add New Cluster”.  Add the current server to the node by walking through the wizard.  You should be able to leave the defaults unless you want to limit the NLB to just port 8080. The last step of the wizard is to assign the Cluster a shared IP Address.  This IP Address is how all of the clients will access and see it.  Make sure this is different than the IP addresses of the any of the nodes in the cluster.

 

Next, add the other host to the cluster by right clicking on the cluster and choosing “Add Host to Cluster”.  Enter the name of the Host to be added to the cluster.

Here is what the Cluster looks like when it is configured.

 

Connect to TFS from Visual Studio 2010

 

Testing the high availability servers

To test the high availability configuration, I am going to take down one of the TFS application tier servers and then both.  First I created the team project while both servers were available.

Then I created a C# windows project, checked it in, and then checked out one of the files.

Next, I disabled the NIC on TFS2010a.

I did a Undo checkout on the file

NLB rerouted the traffic to TFS2010B and it worked perfect.

Next, I Disabled the NIC on TFS2010b so now both are disabled and it should error.

Tried to check out a file and got a TFS not available error as expected.

 

Last, I re-enabled the NIC on TFS2010A

I performed the check out again and worked perfect.

The NLB worked as expected.

 

Lessons Learned

I’m a developer.  I started my IT career as a server and desktop administrator but that was a long time ago.  So setting up a domain to test this scenario was fun but I ran into a few unexpected problems.   Here are a couple things that slowed me down.

• Installed DHCP and DNS with dynamic IP.  Make sure you assign a static IP address to the virtual internal network card on the DC.  Actually now that I have assigned static IP addresses to both of the TFS Servers, DHCP doesn’t even need to be installed.
• I couldn’t reach SQL Server 2008 R2 from the TFS Servers.  I got an TF255049 error in the TFS configuration.  I installed the SQL Server Management Studio and couldn’t connect using that.  I set up aliases and toggled named pipes on and off.  Still couldn’t connect.  Finally I stumbled upon the network protocol configuration for SQL.  TCP and Named Pipes were disabled.   Seems very strange but probably a security precaution.  I enabled TCP/IP and it worked perfect.

 

NLB Issue

I ran into an issue trying to configure NLB on Windows Server 2008 R2 using Hyper-V

“The interface is misconfigured”

Cluster IP address (IP) not added to TCPIP properties

Dedicated IP address (IP) not added to TCPIP properties

Fix is to enable MAC spoofing in the settings of each VM in Hyper-V.

Enjoy!

Mike

To me there has always been a feeling a of excitement to be able to build an application and then deliver it to someone that wants it.  When I first started programming over 20 years ago with GW-BASIC on my Tandy 1000 EX, it was limiting that what I built could only be run within GW-BASIC since it was an interpreted language environment and not compiled.  When I bought Quick Basic 4.5, I could finally compile my applications into an EXE and run them outside of the interpreter.  Then I felt like I hit the big time when I was able to build my first setup package in Visual Basic 4.  I remember I built a Hello World caliber application and created a setup package that took 3 or 4 floppy disks.  I didn’t think it could get any better than this :)  Over the years the the excitement about delivering applications became more from the what was built and not how it would be delivered.  Visual Studio has always included functional, no frills setup projects.  3rd Party vendors have created easier to use and more power tools for creating deployment projects such as InstallShield.   Developers who didn’t purchase a 3rd Party tool were limited to using the OOB (out of the box) setup projects within Visual Studio.  While this is functional, the developer has to know where and how to do things and the usability is not very intuitive.  It requires many steps to creating a MSI that I have blogged about in Deployments with TFS Part 2: How to create an automated deployment MSI.   In Visual Studio 2010 there is finally an easy to solution without purchasing an additional production.

Last week I saw this post from Somasegar on Building setup and deployment packages in VS 2010.   Microsoft has partnered with Flexera, makers of InstallShield to create InstallShield Limited Edition for Visual Studio 2010.  This brings the InstallShield graphical interface to Visual Studio.  In addition to providing a highly intuitive interface for building setup packages, this product allows setup packages to be built from with TFS Team Builds.  This has been a major pain point for automated deployments and SCM (Software Configuration Management) processes.  I downloaded and installed InstallShield 2010 LE and here is a walkthrough of the tool.

Download and Installation

Read Somasegar’s blog post on how to download and install it.  (see link above)

 

InstallShield 2010 LE Setup project

Once it is installed and you create a InstallShield Setup project, the Project Assignment view is the default view.  As you can see, the graphic is a guide that explains the parts of the MSI and the steps to create the package.  At the bottom of the screen are the steps to the installation project.  In addition to the steps at the bottom of the guide, there are also intuitive steps to the right that keep all of the package settings cleanly organized.  

This first step is to fill out the basic information about the application that is going to be deployed.

In the second step, required operating systems and prerequisite applications can be specified and enforced when installing the application.  Custom prerequisites can be defined by choosing “Create a custom software condition” under “More Options”.

The installation Architecture section step is disabled in the Limited Edition.  In the other editions different features can be defined for users to choose what sections they want installed.

The next step is the Application Files.  Here the application’s files can be added to the installation.   The “Add Project Outputs” is the primary button for adding the application files.  I found this dialog window to be a lot easier to use than the Visual Studio setup project.

The Application Shortcuts step is where desktop and start menu shortcuts can be defined.

If the application requires any registry entries, they can be defined in the Application Registry step.

The last step is the Installation Interview.  This step asks a series of questions that drive what dialogs the user running the installation will see.  Custom dialogs are not supported in the InstallShield Limited Edition.   Custom dialogs are supported in the Visual Studio setup projects.  For the automated deployment MSIs, I create a dialog that allows the user to specify the environment.

Custom Actions are non-standard activities that can be performed at different points of the installation process.  The Limited Edition supports VBScript, JScript, and Exe custom actions.  However, as shown in the following image, there are only a couple points in the process where custom actions can be defined.  The Premier and Professional editions also support InstallScript, a powerful scripting tool to create more advanced customizations to the installation process.

After I built the MSI, I ran package to install it.  Users will see this message box that the installation was created with a beta version of InstallShield. 

 

InstallShield 2010 LE for Visual Studio 2008

The InstallShield 2010 LE Installation also installs a version that works within Visual Studio 2008.  This interface looks the same in Visual Studio 2008 as it does in Visual Studio 2010.

 

Building MSIs with Team Build 2010

This is the feature I am most looking forward to in InstallShield 2010 LE.  Standard Visual Studio 2008 setup projects can not be built within Team Build without some tricks.  Unfortunately TFS Source Control and Team Build integration is not available in this beta version.  I verified this with Flexera.  They are currently working on it.  As soon as an updated version is available with this enabled I will do a follow up post detailing the TFS Source Control and Team Build experience.  I’m interested to see the following in action:

• Triggering a build and having the MSI compile with the updated assemblies.
• Curious to see if the InstallShield Setup project build can detect new dependencies added.  My tests will include adding a reference to the primary output application.  Then do a new build to see if the MSI will automatically include it.  It might be expecting too much but this would be very beneficial.

 

Overall

• The Project Assistant is a very simple to use series of steps to create a complete setup project.  As users feel more comfortable with the too, they will probably jump to the specific screens they are looking for in the navigation pane on the right.  Both are highly intuitive and significant improvements over the the standard Visual Studio setup projects.
• Most things that are supported in the standard Visual Studio setup project can be accomplished with InstallShield 2010 Limited Edition.  For most installation packages, these limitations will not be problem.  However, I will not be able to create automated deployment MSIs because of the limitations of no custom dialogs and not being able to create custom properties.
• Being able to rebuild the MSIs during each Team Build is a huge benefit.  Once this feature is available, I think it will become my favorite feature.
• I believe Microsoft and Flexera will both win with this product.  Microsoft’s Visual Studio 2010 will include an improved tool for creating installation packages without having to reinvent the wheel.  Flexera has built an amazing and easy to use product that will work for the majority of scenarios, but many will want to upgrade to the Express, Professional, or Premier editions to get the full power of InstallShield.
• The final product should be great, but this beta version is not ready to be used for more than evaluation purposes.  Between the beta message box that is displayed when the user installs it and the fact that the TFS Source Control and Team Build integration features are not available yet, I recommend waiting until the final version is released.

Mike