Team Foundation Server + Visual Studio 2008 Pro. A worthwhile combination?

Question

Consider the use case of:

• Team Foundation Server (Workgroup edition?)
• Visual Studio 2008
• 10-15 developers
• ~10 SQL Server devs and admins (data warehousing/reporting)

The needs are:

• replace Visual SourceSafe as the defacto version control system
• continue to use VS2008 Pro
• allow the SQL-focused users to leverage the TFS version control system without additional licensing
• continue using FogBugz

Questions

• Would you consider Team Foundation Server a viable solution to the above scenario?
• Which tools (free/integrated) would you recommend to the various users?
• Are there licenses needed for each user in the version control system of TFS?

Answer 1

I wouldn't invest in TFS unless you are intending to go whole-hog and use it as your workflow tool. It sounds like you already have other workflow tools that you're happy with (ie: Fogbugz...), so consider a source control solution that you'd like.

Myself, I prefer SubVersion. It's free, it "just works" (where TFS often feels like VSS.NEXT), and there's more online support, community and tools for you to tap into.

Answer 2

First, workgroup is limited to 5 people so that path isn't available to you.

Second, and more importantly, why use TFS? (I don't ask this lightly as I am a very big proponent of TFS).

IF you decide to use TFS without purchasing the Team level visual studio products then, yes, you will need to buy a license for each TFS user which will be accessing the server. The license pricing varies, but I think it's around $450 (USD) per seat plus $2700 (USD) for the server itself in a single server installation. The Team products all come with those licenses which is why you don't have to buy them. You will need a license for anyone that accesses any type of reports, source control, etc.

The reason why I ask about why you want to use TFS is that if you are using VS Pro AND FogBuz then you are already throwing away most of the TFS features. What's left is simply source control and build management. Source control can be acquired for free with SVN and you could use something for build management like Cruise Control. Testing could be handled by nUnit.

The whole point in TFS is the fact that everything is integrated. So that when you do a check in you can tie that to a particular work item, etc. Reports are available for looking at check ins, work item tracking, bug tracking, etc.

Answer 3

I know a few teams that are using TFS and love it. It offers a lot more than source control in the form of project management, out-of-the-box build integration, nice reporting, etc.

That said, I found it too time-consuming to set up and administer with our 5 person team. We wound up going with svn instead (combined with CruiseControl.NET, MSBuild, FogBugz) and haven't looked back since.

ANYTHING you choose will be better than SourceSafe. Microsoft doesn't even use VSS.

Specific answers:

1. TFS solves these problems quite handily, I think.

2. Plenty if you were using SVN, not aware of a lot of options for TFS.

3. Yes. They're not cheap, but you're getting a lot more for your money than just source control.

Answer 4

I can't imagine spending that kind of money to then learn how to use TFS.

Why not use svn or some other version control system?