What's needed in a complete ASP.NET environment?
- by Christian W
We have a ASP3.0 application with a few ASP.NET (2.0) dittys mixed in. (Our longtime goal is to migrate everything to ASP.NET but that's not important for this issue)
Our current test/deploy workflow is like this:
1 Use notepad++ or VS2008 to fix a bug/feature (depending on what I have open)
2 Open my virtual test-server
3 Copy the fixed file over, either with explorer, or if I can be bothered to open it, WinMerge
4 Test that the fix works
5 Close the virtual test-server
6 Connect to our host with VPN
7 Use WinMerge to update the files necessary
8 Pray to higher powers that the production environment is not so different that something bombs.
To make things worse, only I have access to my "test-server". So I'm the only one testing it.
I really want to make this a bit more robust, I even have a subversion setup running. But I always forget to commit changes... And I don't even work in my checked out folder, but a copy of what is currently in production...
Can someone recommend some good reading on deploying, testing, staging and stuff like that. I currently use VS2008 and want to use subversion or GIT (or any other free VCS). Since I'm the only developer, teamsystem is not really an option (cost-related).
I have found myself developing an "improved" feature, only to find a bug in the same feature in the production system. And since my "improved" feature incorporated deleting some old functionality, I have to fix bugs directly in production... That's not a fun feeling...
(I have inherited this system recently... So it's not directly my fault that it is like this ;) )