Install deployment agents and set an environment

Article
07/16/2018

| TFS 2015 | Previous version

Important

Release Management features have been integrated into Azure Pipelines and Team Foundation Server (TFS). For more information, see Build and Release in Azure Pipelines.

The newer web-based version is the recommended alternative to the server and client version described in this topic. If you do not already have Release Management installed, we encourage you to use the web-based version in TFS 2015 Update 2 and above or Azure Pipelines instead of the version described here. If you are already using an earlier server and client version, you should be aware that no new features will be added to these versions.

Installing Release Management on TFS

You can install deployment agents to each of the machines that are required to deploy your app with Release Management. Or you can 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.

If you decide to use deployment agents, make sure that the identity you use for these has sufficient permissions 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 good 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 the Microsoft deployment agent

Before you install the agent, confirm that you are a member of the Windows Administrators security group on the computer where you will install the agent. You must also be a member of the Release Manager role in Release Management.

Tip

Do you need to add teammates to the Release Manager role in Release Management? See Add users to Release Management.
If you have not already downloaded the deployment agent, do this now.

Note that this is a 90-day trial version of Release Management. For information about obtaining a non-trial version, see How to buy Release Management or Release Management Licensing. If you are an MSDN subscriber, you can download a non-trial version from the MSDN Subscriber website.
Launch rm_Deployment.exe. If you want to install to a specific location in the file system, choose the browse button (...) next to the default install location. Then choose Install.
Restart your computer, if prompted, and then choose Launch.

Tip

If you join the Visual Studio Experience Improvement Program, you can opt out at any time.
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. 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.

Important: If you specify an alternative account as the identity for the agent, this must be in the form domain\user. Do not use the format user@domain.
Choose Apply settings.
After the success message appears, close the configuration summary. Repeat these steps as required on every computer in the environment.