We use SSWPackage.exe
The long answer - Deploying changes between development, staging and production servers can be a very interesting exercise:
- It is painstakingly awkward when you realize that you have forgotten a file
- Or forgotten to take the latest version of a particular file
- Each iteration is manual and can be error prone
- The result is that your developers are working late into the evening and your SharePoint servers are down for a prolonged period of time – something that may be very difficult to accept in a corporate environment
At SSW, we saw all this was unacceptable and work to improve this process.
Our answer to the deployment problem is a combination of tools and processes – we call it the SSWpackage.exe.
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Multiple development virtual machine environments
- Test repeated deployment to staging before you actually deploy to the production server
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SSW SharePoint Deployment Auditor – compares development, staging and production servers to identify missing files that needs to be deployed
- Specify ignore lists
- Spits out XML code that would be easy to add to your package xml
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SSW Package Updater – updates the solution package based on the XML definitions
- Ensure you always have the latest version of the files from development SharePoint included in your package.
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Microsoft Visual Studio extensions for Windows SharePoint Services
- Using the latest VSeWSS 1.3 CTP
- Generates the package and batch files
- SharePoint STSADM tool for deployment
Into the future of SSWPackage.exe:
- Fully continuous integration with SharePoint
- More SharePoint validation functions
- Improved versioning control
- A great GUI to bring it all together
