Deploying a client application at scale requires compatibility, security, performance, and reliability of the software across different platforms and environments. Additionally, the software needs to be updated frequently to fix bugs, add features, or address security vulnerabilities. By using Azure Pipelines in conjunction with an application update framework such as Omaha, you can achieve a streamlined strategy to ensure seamless updates, efficient delivery, and overall user satisfaction.
Azure Pipelines and Omaha
Azure Pipelines is a cloud-based continuous integration and continuous delivery (CI/CD) platform. It enables development teams to automate build, testing, and deployment, ensuring fast and reliable software delivery.
Omaha is the open-source version of Google Update, which offers a mechanism to deliver client application updates. If you’re using Chrome or Edge for your browser right now, you already have Omaha working for you in the background. It makes sure users have access to the latest features, bug fixes, and security patches without manual intervention. Omaha consists of two main components: a server-side module called Omaha Server and a client-side module called Omaha Client. The Omaha Server hosts and distributes the updates. The Omaha Client runs on the end-users’ devices and periodically communicates with the Omaha Server to check for and install updates.
By leveraging Azure Pipelines and Omaha, you can automate build and deployment processes while guaranteeing efficient and reliable updates.
Deployment Strategy
The deployment strategy using these tools is quite simple. For your build, testing, and deployment, you’ll use Azure Pipelines in the same way you know and love. To handle large-scale deployments, you can use tools such as Azure Kubernetes Service or Azure Pipelines Scale Set Agents. Both of these allow automatic scaling based on demand.
For any updates, you’ll use Omaha. Setting up and using Omaha for your updates requires that you have an update server, which is where the update information and installer files will be stored. Your installer files will also need to include registry values that tell Omaha important information, such as version. With all files and parameters provided to the server, you can now distribute the Omaha client and client application installer to your users. There, it will run in the background. By default, Omaha will check every 24 hours for an update and will automatically install the update if detected.
By using Omaha for updates instead of manual intervention, we are reducing human error, increasing efficiency, and allowing teams to focus on new features as opposed to maintaining old ones. This is especially true for large-scale client applications.
For more information, or to get started today, contact our team of experts at PRAKTIK.