Azure DevOps Plans: A Comprehensive Guide

Azure DevOps Plans offer a flexible and scalable way to manage your software development projects. There are three main plans to choose from: Basic, Premium, and Enterprise.

The Basic plan is ideal for small teams and projects, allowing up to 5 users and 1 GB of storage. This plan is free, making it a great option for those just starting out.

With the Basic plan, you get access to essential features like version control, work item tracking, and continuous integration. However, it lacks some advanced features like analytics and reporting.

The Premium plan offers more features and support for larger teams and projects, including up to 100 users and 2 GB of storage. This plan also includes advanced features like analytics and reporting.

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Azure DevOps Plans is a game-changer for teams looking to streamline their testing processes. It's a cloud-based testing platform that allows users to integrate all their testing requirements into one place.

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You can use Azure DevOps Plans to manage planned manual testing, user acceptance testing (UAT), exploratory testing, and gathering feedback from stakeholders. This is a huge time-saver, as you can now have all your testing needs in one platform.

Azure DevOps Plans allows users to create test plans and execute test cases within a pipeline. This makes it easy to integrate testing into your existing development workflow.

Some of the key features of Azure DevOps Plans include:

This means you can test your application on any device or platform, and still have a clear understanding of how it's performing. It's a win-win!

Creating a test plan in Azure DevOps is a straightforward process. You can create a new test plan by clicking on "New Test Plan" on the "Test Plans" page, and then typing in a name for the test plan, setting up the area path and iteration correctly.

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To manage test plans, you can organize test cases within suites, and adjust the order of test cases within a suite using a drag-and-drop mechanism. This is especially useful for manual test cases.

Azure Test Plans also allow you to export existing test cases to a CSV file for modifications using Excel, and import changes made to test cases from a CSV file. This feature is particularly helpful for bulk updates to test cases.

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To create a test plan in Azure DevOps, you can follow these steps. First, go to the web portal, open your project, and click on "Test Plans." If you already have a test plan, just choose "Test Plans" to see the list of all test plans.

Next, click on "New Test Plan" to make a new test plan for your ongoing sprint. In the "New Test Plan", type in a name for the test plan, make sure the area path and iteration are set up right, and then hit the "Create" button.

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You can also create test cases within the Azure DevOps test plans. To do this, you can add a new test case using the work item form or select existing test cases from a dialog. Additionally, you can export existing test cases to a CSV file for convenient modifications using Excel.

Test cases can be organized into suites, which can be easily adjusted using a drag-and-drop mechanism. You can also move test cases from one suite to another using a drag-and-drop UI, making it easy to manage your testing activities.

Here are the practical steps to create a test plan in Azure DevOps:

1. Go to the web portal and open your project.

2. Click on "Test Plans" to see the list of all test plans.

3. Click on "New Test Plan" to make a new test plan.

4. Type in a name for the test plan and set up the area path and iteration.

5. Hit the "Create" button to create the new test plan.

By following these steps, you can easily create a test plan in Azure DevOps and start managing your testing activities.

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Collaboration is key to successful project management. Azure DevOps promotes collaboration among team members, allowing testers, developers, and project managers to work together within the same environment.

This makes communication and issue resolution more efficient. In fact, it's stated that collaboration can be more efficient with Azure DevOps.

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You can customize your Azure DevOps plan to fit your team's needs by adjusting various settings.

One of the customization options is to edit the plan's name or description, which can be done on the Overview tab.

You can also add or remove teams and backlog levels on the Teams tab. For Azure DevOps Services, you can have up to 20 backlog levels, while for Azure DevOps Server 2022, you're limited to 15.

Here's a breakdown of the customization options available on each tab:

To choose a test plan, you'll need to access the "Test Plans" section of your Azure DevOps project. This section is usually found in the left-hand menu or through the "Test" tab at the top of the page.

You'll see a list of all the available test plans, organized by folders. Click on these folders to view the test plans contained within.

To select the test plan you want to work with, simply click on it. This will open the test plan and allow you to view its details and associated test cases.

Automation is a powerful feature that allows you to streamline your testing process.

It integrates with automation tools and frameworks, making it easy to automate the execution of test cases and include automation tests in your test plans.

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You can edit the plan name or description by choosing the Overview tab in the Plan settings dialog.

Each plan has a unique name and description that help identify it.

To add or remove a team backlog, select the Teams tab and click on the plus or minus sign next to the team name.

You can add up to 20 backlog levels for Azure DevOps Services or 15 backlog levels for Azure DevOps Server 2022.

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To filter work item types displayed on the plan, specify field criteria in the Field criteria tab.

All criteria are evaluated as an AND statement.

If you don't specify any fields, all work item types that appear on the teams backlog level will appear on the plan.

Here's a summary of the customization options available:

You can add up to 30 milestone markers to the plan in the Markers tab, specifying a label and selecting a color.

You can also add or remove fields from cards to display on the plan in the Fields tab.

These options allow you to customize the plan to suit your needs and preferences.

You can copy a test plan from the previous cycle with just a few adjustments to get it set for the new sprint. This can be done using the Copy test plan menu option.

Making a fresh test plan for each sprint or release is good practice. It helps you avoid carrying over unnecessary or outdated items from the previous cycle.

You can duplicate an existing test plan within the same project by using the Copy test plan menu option. This feature saves you time and effort in creating a new test plan from scratch.

You can import test suites into your current plan, which is a great way to reuse and build upon existing work. This feature allows you to bring in the structure and test cases from a selected suite into your current test plan.

Importing test suites is done by selecting the suite you want to import, and the structure and associated test cases will be added as references to your current plan. This means you won't end up with duplicate test cases.

It's worth noting that you can't import test suites from within the same test plan. This helps keep your test plans organized and prevents confusion.

Rebranding VSTS to Azure DevOps was a significant change for users. It happened in September 2018.

All prior VSTS users were upgraded to the new Azure DevOps platform. This change improved experiences for all users.

The primary difference between VSTS and Azure DevOps is that the newer Azure DevOps allows users to choose which services they would like to employ.

If you're a fan of using GitHub repositories with Azure Boards, you're in luck. Improved Boards + GitHub integration is on the horizon.

One of the first features to arrive will be the ability to add a link to a GitHub commit or pull request from a work item. This should make it easier to track changes and collaborate with team members.

In 2024 Q1, you'll also be able to show more details about a GitHub pull request directly within Azure Boards. This will give you a better understanding of the changes being made and help you make more informed decisions.

Here are some of the upcoming features in the Improved Boards + GitHub integration:

These updates will make it easier to use GitHub repositories with Azure Boards and will help you stay on top of your work.

When setting up your test plan, you can adjust the settings to suit your needs. Select the test plan parameters for setting up test executions or recording test results.

Azure Test Plans is the service that allows users to integrate a cloud-based testing platform. It manages all the testing requirements such as planned manual testing, user acceptance testing (UAT), exploratory testing, and gathering feedback from stakeholders.

You can create test plans and execute test cases within a pipeline using Azure Test Plans. This can be combined with Azure Boards to create a test that can be executed from the Kanban boards.

There are several types of testing that Azure Test Plans support, including:

Azure Test Plans also enable users to test on any platform while having end-to-end traceability and powerful data gathering tools. This helps diagnose any remedy identified issues.

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Azure DevOps offers a range of services, including Azure Boards for project management, Azure Pipelines for delivery and deployment management, Azure Repos for version control, Azure Test Plans for testing, and Azure Artifacts for component management and sharing.

The first five users of the Basic Plan are free, with additional users costing $6 (USD) per user per month. This plan includes access to Azure Pipelines, Azure Boards, Azure Repos, and Azure Artifacts.

Azure Pipelines offers one free Microsoft-hosted CI/CD job with 1,800 minutes per month and one free self-hosted CI/CD job with unlimited minutes per month, with fees starting at $40 (USD) per extra Microsoft-hosted CI/CD parallel job and $15 per extra self-hosted CI/CD parallel job.

Here's a summary of the pricing plans:

Azure DevOps offers a suite of focused services that cater to various aspects of the development lifecycle. The core services include Azure Boards, Azure Pipelines, Azure Repos, Azure Test Plans, and Azure Artifacts.

Azure Boards is a scalable service that tracks team work with Agile and Scrum techniques or Kanban boards, project backlogs, customized reporting, and issue tracking. It enables developers to follow user stories, bugs, and features, and access interactive backlogs, boards, lists, and calendar views.

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Azure Pipelines can automatically build and test code in major languages, including Node.js, Python, Ruby, Java, PHP, C#, C++, Go, Xcode, .NET, Android, and iOS. It combines continuous integration, continuous testing, and continuous delivery to build, test, and deliver code to a deployment target.

Azure Repos is a set of version control tools that manage and track changes to code over time. It provides a private Git repository or TFVC that offers functionality like collaborative pull requests and advanced file management.

Azure Test Plans provides tools that enable developers to improve code quality and collaboration across the development process. It offers browser-based test management capabilities for planned manual testing, user acceptance testing, exploratory testing, and gathering feedback from project stakeholders.

Azure Artifacts enables developers to package and share code. It supports multiple package types, including NuGet, npm, Python, Maven, and Universal Packages.

Here's a summary of the core services offered by Azure DevOps:

Azure DevOps also offers additional services, including Azure Test Plans, which allows users to integrate a cloud-based testing platform to manage all testing requirements. It also offers Azure Artifacts, which enables developers to package and share code.

Azure DevOps offers a range of pricing plans to suit different needs and budgets.

The Basic Plan is a good starting point, offering free access for the first five users, with additional users costing $6 per user, per month. This plan includes access to Azure Pipelines, Azure Boards, Azure Repos, and Azure Artifacts.

Azure Pipelines provides one free Microsoft-hosted CI/CD job with 1,800 minutes per month and one free self-hosted CI/CD job with unlimited minutes per month. Extra Microsoft-hosted CI/CD parallel jobs cost $40 per user, per month, while extra self-hosted CI/CD parallel jobs cost $15 per user, per month.

For open-source teams, Azure DevOps offers a variation of the Basic Plan, which includes five free users, with additional users costing $6 per user, per month. This plan includes Boards, Repos, and Artifacts, with Pipelines providing 10 free parallel jobs and one free continuous integration/continuous delivery (CI/CD) parallel job with up to 1,800 minutes per month.

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Azure Artifacts offers 2 GB of free storage, with additional storage costing $2 per GB. It integrates with Azure Pipelines and supports Maven, npm, and Python packages.

Here's a summary of the pricing plans:

GitHub Advanced Security is now generally available for Azure DevOps. Any project collection administrator can enable it for their organization, projects, and repos from the Project Settings or Organization Settings.

You can configure GitHub Advanced Security for Azure DevOps from our documentation. This feature is expected to deliver new capabilities in the future.

Here are some of the features you can expect from GitHub Advanced Security for Azure DevOps:

These features will help improve the security of your Azure DevOps projects.

Azure DevOps Server is a self-hosted option that requires timely server maintenance and upgrades, whereas Azure DevOps doesn't require users to maintain or upgrade any servers.

Azure DevOps Server connects to an intranet server and is authenticated with Azure AD credentials, limiting its use to the server's premises. In contrast, Azure DevOps connects to the public internet and can be used anywhere by logging-in with a Microsoft account, Azure AD, or personal access tokens.

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Azure DevOps Server doesn't offer a SharePoint integration feature, but Azure DevOps does. Additionally, Azure DevOps Server can't perform load testing, whereas Azure DevOps can perform load testing on the cloud.

Azure DevOps Server doesn't provide a SQL reporting service feature, but Azure DevOps does. This is a significant difference between the two options, especially for organizations that rely on data analysis.

Here are some key differences between Azure DevOps Server and Azure DevOps:

Azure DevOps Server might be the preferred choice for organizations that want direct control over the development infrastructure or don't wish to contend with specific data management and localization issues that prevent the use of a cloud platform.