How to become Microsoft Gold / Silver Partner in ALM

Is your Company looking for doing business in ALM ?

Become a Microsoft Gold / Sliver Partner in Application Lifecycle Management here is a link for Benefits / Requirements (Link Here)

Free E-Books for VS & TFS 2012

If you are looking for a free E-books about Visual Studio 2012 & Team Foundation Server 2012

• Professional Team Foundation Server 2012 (Link Here)
• Testing for Continuous Delivery with Visual Studio 2012 From MSDN Library (Link Here)

How to be MS Certified in Application Lifecycle Management (ALM) ?

Do you want to be Certified as Microsoft Certified Solutions Developer

MCSD: Application Lifecycle Management

Here you go only 3 exams to be an ALM Hero :)  ( Link Here )

here are some other Visual Studio Certifications Here

Free Training and VM for ALM on Visual Studio 2013

Visual Studio 2013 Application Lifecycle Management Virtual Machine and Hands-on-Labs / Demo Scripts Link here Thanks to The Great Brian Keller

Free Training and VM for ALM on Visual Studio 2012

Visual Studio 2012 Application Lifecycle Management Virtual Machine and Hands-on-Labs / Demo Scripts  Link here Thanks to The Great Brian Keller

Microsoft Visual Studio Training Videos & VM on MS Virtual Labs

Try Microsoft Visual Studio in a virtual lab and learn more about coded UI testing, Team Foundation Server, SharePoint development, and other new features. Virtual labs are simple, with no complex setup or installation required. Here

Latest Free MS Training Courses (Including Visual studio 2012 , ASP.NEt 4.5)

Windows Azure Training Course – May 2013 

The Windows Azure Training Course includes a comprehensive set of technical content including hands-on labs and presentations that are designed to help you learn how to use the latest Windows Azure features and services.

May 2013 Update
The May 2013 update of the Windows Azure Training Course includes new content on Windows Azure Media Services as well as updates to use the latest Windows Azure SDK v2.0.

Content Updates:

·         New Lab: Introduction to Windows Azure Media Services

·         New Lab: Getting Started with Windows Azure Storage

·         Updated Labs to leverage the latest version of Windows Azure SDK.

Release date: 06/03/2013

Windows Phone 8 Training Course

Windows Phone 8 Training Course includes a comprehensive set of technical content to help you learn how to build applications for Windows Phone.

Release date: 04/24/2013

Web Camps Training Course – December 2012

The Course includes all the content presented around the world at the recent Web Camps events; presentations, demos, labs and more. Inside the new Course you’ll find content that covers the following technologies:

·         ASP.NET 4.5

·         ASP.NET MVC 4

·         ASP.NET Web API

·         jQuery

·         SignalR

·         Entity Framework

·         Visual Studio 2012

·         Internet Explorer 10 and HTML5

·         Building apps for Office with HTML5

·         Cloud application services

Release Date: 1/11/2013

Windows 8 Camp in a Box

This download includes the hands-on-labs, presentations, samples and resources from the Windows 8 camps.
The Windows 8 camps are free training events for developers ramping up on Windows Store app development.

Release Date: 01/03/2013

Hands-on labs for Windows 8

A series of eight hands-on lab modules that guide you through development of Contoso Cookbook, a realistic Windows Store app that incorporates many of the key new features available in Windows 8. You’ll learn to work with Windows 8 controls, view states, contracts, tiles and notifications, the Windows Store APIs, and other Windows 8 features. Choose the version of the lab series for the programming language you prefer: JavaScript and HTML, or C# and Extensible Application Markup Language (XAML).

Release Date: 9/10/2012

Internet Explorer 10 Training Course

This training Course covers development specifics for developers who will be targeting Internet Explorer 10 in their development experience. This Course contains documentation and details on things pertinent to developing applications that target features of the Internet Explorer 10 browser.

Release Date: 8/8/2012

SQL Server 2012 Developer Training Course

The SQL Server 2012 Developer Training Course includes technical content designed to help you learn how to develop SQL Server 2012 database and BI solutions.

Release date: 7/16/2012

Identity Developer Training Course

The Identity Developer Training Course contains hands-on labs, presentations and pointers to training videos. This page contains three versions of the Identity Developer Training Course :

·         Identity Developer Training Course (July 2012) for Visual Studio 2012 RC

·         Identity Developer Training Course (April 2011) for Visual Studio 2010 RTM

·         Identity Developer Training Course (March 2010) for Visual Studio 2008 SP1

Release Date: 7/5/2012

free eBook for Visual Studio 2012 and ASP.NET 4.5.

• Free eBook for Visual Studio 2012 and ASP.NET 4.5 Here. 

Free Training Course for Visual Studio 2010

Free Downloads From Microsoft Site:

• Visual Studio 2010 and .NET Framework 4 Training Course Download Here
• Free ebook: Moving to Microsoft Visual Studio 2010 Here
• If you Have Visual Studio 2010 don't forget to Install the latest Service Pack 1 Download Here

Top 10 Downloads for Visual Studio 2010 from MS Site

Visual Studio 2010 trial editions downloads on the Microsoft Download Center.

Visual Studio 2010 Express Editions

• Visual Studio Express, which includes:
• Visual Basic 2010 Express
• Visual C++ 2010 Express
• Visual C# 2010 Express
• Visual Web Developer 2010 Express
• Visual Studio 2010 Express for Windows Phone CTP

Visual Studio 2010 Trial Editions

• Microsoft® Visual Studio® 2010 Professional Trial - Web Install
• Microsoft® Visual Studio® 2010 Professional Trial - ISO (DVD-9)
• Microsoft® Visual Studio® 2010 Premium Trial - Web Install
• Microsoft® Visual Studio® 2010 Premium Trial - ISO (DVD-9)
• Microsoft® Visual Studio® 2010 Ultimate Trial - Web Install
• Microsoft® Visual Studio® 2010 Ultimate Trial - ISO (DVD-9)
• Microsoft® Visual Studio® Test Professional Trial - Web Install
• Microsoft® Visual Studio® Test Professional Trial - ISO (DVD-9)
• Microsoft® Visual Studio® Team Foundation Server Trial - ISO (DVD-9)

Visual Studio 2010 Free Training Materials

From MS Site:

1. Visual Studio 2010 and .NET Framework 4 Training Kit Download now , Watch the Training Course on Channel 9 Videos.
2. Moving to Visual Studio 2010 E-book Download Now.
3. Visual Studio 2010 Keybinding Cards Download Now.
4. How Do I? Videos for Visual Studio 2010.

Outside MS Site:

1. More Videos , Labs , Papers/articles ,Downloads click here

Rosario (Visual Studio 2010) Is comming to live

AT Last Visual Studio 2010 editions will be available on 12 of April 2010.
Editions to be realesed:

1. Professional (download RC version)
2. Premium (download RC version)
3. Ultimate (download RC version)
4. Test Professional (download RC version)

To compare its edition click here
If you Want to try TFS 2010 only (download RC version)
To Download (VM) a virtual machine that has Visual Studio 2010 Ultimate and Visual Studio Team Foundation Server 2010

Note that: on June 30 , 2010, all Release Candidate will expire.

Top 5 Downloads for VSTS & TFS 2008 Updates from MS Site

1. Visual Studio 2008 Team Foundation Server Service Pack 1 TFS 2008 SP1: http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?familyid=9E40A5B6-DA41-43A2-A06D-3CEE196BFE3D&displaylang=en
2. Microsoft Visual Studio 2008 Service Pack 1 (Installer) VS 2008 SP1: http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?familyid=FBEE1648-7106-44A7-9649-6D9F6D58056E&displaylang=en
3. Visual Studio Team System (VSTS 2008) Team Foundation Server TFS Power Tools - October 2008 Release http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?familyid=FBD14EEA-781F-45A1-8C46-9F6BA2F68BF0&displaylang=en
4. Microsoft .NET Framework 3.5 Service Pack 1: http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?familyid=AB99342F-5D1A-413D-8319-81DA479AB0D7&displaylang=en
5. Team Foundation Installation Guide for Visual Studio Team System (TFS 2008): http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?familyid=FF12844F-398C-4FE9-8B0D-9E84181D9923&displaylang=en

If you want to check the Top 10 Download links for VSTS 2008 from MS Site

Top 5 Links for Code Analysis using VSTS

1. Visual Studio Code Analysis Team Blog: http://blogs.msdn.com/fxcop/
2. Visual Studio Code Analysis MSDN link: http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ee1hzekz(VS.80).aspx
3. Visual Studio Code Analysis & FxCop : Writing Your Own Custom Rules: http://www.binarycoder.net/fxcop/
4. Step by Step How to Create Custom Code Analysis Rules for VSTS 2005: http://blogs.interknowlogy.com/timmccarthy/archive/2007/02/13/11543.aspx
5. VSTS 2008 Custom Code Analysis Rule Sample Code: http://www.codeplex.com/almspecialisttoolkit/Release/ProjectReleases.aspx?ReleaseId=14315

Are you still using Visual SourceSafe !!! ?

According to the Visual SourceSafe Road Map and between-the-lines reading of a VSS transcript, Visual Source Safe is targeted towards individual developers or small teams (1-5) with lightweight SCM needs. Microsoft is encouraging everyone else to migrate to the more sophisticated Visual Studio Team System. And Its Team Foundation Server (TFS) Version Control

Features of TFS Version Control

1. Atomic Checkin
2. Work Item Integration
3. Checkin Policies
4. Shelving
5. Delta File Storage & Delta Binary File Storage
6. Large File Support (>4GB)
7. Distributed Team Support
8. E-mail Check-in Notification
9. Non-Windows Support
10. Diff Tool Extensibility
11. Shared Checkout
12. VS 2003 Integration

VSS does not have:

• Workspaces
• Changesets
• Shelvesets
• XML Diff/Merge Tool
• Content Merge, Namespace Merge (branch)
• Auditing
• Locking
  

These are Some Numbers to show you the Big Difference:
In a project the repository was made up of just under 6,000 files making up around 250Mb and using a good WAN Connection to the server:
To make a Full get on source tree:
VSS - 1 hour 26 mins 53 seconds
VSTS - 7 mins 32 Seconds
To make a Get Latest when nothing changed (on full source tree):
VSS - 14 mins 23 seconds
VSTS - 3 seconds
To make a Right click on a folder:
VSS - 3.5 seconds
VSTS - Instant
To make a Navigate down a folder with no files in it:
VSS - 4.5 seconds.
VSTS - Instant
Show files checked out to me:
VSS - 3 mins
VSTS - Instant

At the End if you still insist to use Visual SourceSafe please Read this Choosing Between Microsoft Visual Studio Team System and Microsoft Visual SourceSafe

"Whidbey" 2005 --> "Orcas" 2008 --> "Rosario" 20XX

Visual Studio 2005 (codename Whidbey) and Visual Studio 2008 (codename Orcas) ... What's Next? "Rosario" to check Features and Specifications of it Click here.

To Download and try the CTP:

1. Newly published (10 april 2008) the Future Releases of Visual studio is Visual Studio® Team System Code Name "Rosario" April 2008 CTP (VPC Image) download here
2. The old version of "Rosario" was August 2007 CTP download here .

10 Download links for VSTS 2008 from MS Site

If you want to try to use VSTS 2008 , you need these download links

1. Visual Studio Team System 2008 Team Explorer ( but You must have a Team Foundation Server Client Access License (CAL) to use Team Explorer to access a Team Foundation Server).
2. Newly published (3/28/2008 ) VPC Image Visual Studio® Team System 2008 Team Foundation Server and Team Suite VPC Image (Trial) This image will expire December 31, 2008.
3. VPC Image Visual Studio® Team System 2008 Team Foundation Server only VPC Image (Trial) This image will expire April 1, 2008.
4. Free Tool Visual Studio Team System 2008 Team Foundation Server Power Tools - December 2007 Release it is a set of enhancements, tools and command line utilities that improve the Team Foundation Server user experience.
5. Microsoft .NET Framework 3.5
6. Visual Studio Team System 2008 Team Foundation Server (90-day Trial)
7. Visual Studio Team System 2008 Team Suite (90-day Trial) Team Suite provides multi-disciplined team members with an integrated set of tools for architecture, design, development, database development and testing of applications.
8. Visual Studio Team System 2008 Test Load Agent (90-day Trial) This Trial Edition has full retail functionality but will expire after 90 days or 25 runs, whichever comes first.
9. MSDN Library for Visual Studio 2008
10. Visual Studio 2008 and .NET Framework 3.5 Training Kit it is a Training Kit containing Labs, Demos and PPTs.

Free VSTS Videos

Free training Videos:

1. Getting Started with Team System from ASP.NET site.
2. How Do I?" Videos for Team System from MSDN of Visual Studio Team System 2005 Developer Center.
3. VSTS Tutorial Videos From Team System Rocks Community.
4. list of some Visual Studio Team System videos and webcasts a List From Digerati Technologies.

TFS Check-in Policies

Check-in policies are a mechanism for enforcing development practices across your development team. Check-in notes are a communication mechanism for collecting data from team members during the check-in process.

Out of the Box Check-in policies in VSTS 2005 :

1. Code Analysis : Requires that code analysis is run before check-in.
2. Testing Policy : Requires that check-in tests are completed before check-in.
3. Work Items : Requires that one or more work items be associated with the check-in.

For More Help in Working with Check-In Policies and Notes
Recommeded Free Custom Check-in Policies :

1. Code Comment Check-in Policy: This Team Foundation Server (TFS) Checkin policy ensures that the source code contains code comments (/// for C#, ''' for VB.NET) for classes, methods, properties, fields and events before checking it into Team Foundation version control (TFVC).
2. Code Review Workflow Check-in Policy: This project is a combination of a Code Review Work Item and a Code Review Check-in Policy. The check-in policy doesn’t allow a check-in unless it has an associated Code Review work item, and that work item is set to approved. Only people in a TFS group named {Project}\Code Reviewers can set an item to approved: Code Review Work Item, Code Review Custom Check-In Policy and Code Reviewers Security Group.
3. Banned files Check-In Policy: this policy allows you to specify a file extension or a regular expression in order to keep files that you don’t want out of version control. This is usually used for dll’s, build artifacts, or some website files that are automatically generated.
4. Time That Task VSTS Check-In Policy: Custom VSTS check-in policy that gathers hours worked on a task during each check-in. This policy requires check-in to be associated with only one task that is in an "Active" status. It also gathers the number of hours worked on the associated task incrementing the completed hours and decrementing the remaining hours. If the number of hours worked on code in check-in is greater than remaining work hours on the associated task, user will be asked to re-estimate the number or hours remaining for the task.
5. TFS Custom Path Check-In Policy: The Custom Path Check-In Policy works in concert with existing Team Foundation Server (TFS) check-in policies, providing a mechanism that allows you to specify the source control path(s) that a particular policy is allowed to act on. This will allow for example a single Team Project to have one set of Code Analysis rules for a particular folder and completely different set of rules for another folder. It would also allow for filtering what specific items the rules work on for instance enforcing a Work Item for any check-in of files ending in ".cs, .sln, .csproj" but ignore the rule for all other check-ins.

Don't Forget to Send Notification E-mail on the Checkin Policy Override

Using VSTS for Requirements Management

Newly published (3/21/2008 ) a White Paper describes Requirements Management with Team System.