Microsoft Releases Team Foundation Server To Manufacturing

Microsoft is slated to release its long-awaited Team Foundation Server to manufacturing on Friday and begin posting pieces of the software on the Microsoft Developer Network next week.

Team Foundation Server is the last component of the Visual Studio Team System that Microsoft shipped in November. The server software adds an assortment of collaboration and project-management functions to Microsoft's set of developer tools.

While partners have been working with beta versions of Team Foundation Server for months, some related third-party products have been on hold for the software's final release.

Systems integrator EDS, for one, has used preview versions of Team Foundation Server for several internal projects and plans to expand to a companywide deployment once it has the final version in hand.

"We're finding it very valuable for source change control and for helping with our project management," said Aaron Kowell, chief technologist for .Net technologies in EDS’ application portfolio development unit.

EDS plans to lead with Visual Studio and Team Foundation Server for all of its .Net client development projects. "We've held off on going more global with it because it will be easier to deploy an RTM [release to manufacturing] product," said Etienne Tremblay, another technologist on EDS' application portfolio development team.

Still, the software has been functionally sound for some time, Tremblay added. "Most of the improvements in beta 3 and RTM have been bug fixes and performance fixes," Tremblay said.