TFS Setup Guidance for Source Safe User - How to Layour projects/collections

Question

We have recently installed a new TFS server and are going to start using it for all new projects. We are currently using MS VSS and have the current layout for our projects folders.

Level 1 Folders - Categories of projects

• Executables
• Libraries
• WebApps

Level 2 Folders - Sub Categories within each category folder, these differ for each of the above Category folders

• Database
• Tools
• Finance
• Employment

Level 3 Folders - Actual projects within each Sub Category Folder where the solution files are stored

• TheFooApplication
• BarUtility
• ChewDotNet
• FooBarQueryApp
• etc.

We are not going to perform a full migration, new projects will be created in TFS and current projects will be moved when the developers have time to do so.

So my question is how should we arrange the collections/projects in TFS whilst maintaining the above folder layout? If we were to use multiple collections could we only do this for the Level 1 folders i.e. you can't have collections within collections can you? Would it be best to just have one collection and then maintain the above folder structure in that one collection?

One thing that may impact any answer is that there are dependencies between the projects. So for example there are projects in the 3rd level of "Libraries" which are referenced in projects in the 3rd level of Webapps and Executable.

Answer 1

First at all, dont use multiple team project collections in your scenario.

Each collection gets its own database and you dont have the chance to move, branch or do anything else over collections. Additional code sharing is not possible.

If you create a team project you have to choose an underlying process template for your team project which describes how your development process is integrated (MSF Agile, CMMI, Scrum).

Based on the process template the corresponding work item types, reports, queries and so on are build as artifacts of the team project. You cant switch the process template after you created the team project, the only way is to modify it to your custom needs.

So if you are using the TFS not only as source control, take time to thing about the process template, means which fits best to your development process.

Here is an overview.

If your Executables are the output of the source code in the source control system think about team builds and if they can do some work for you.

For me your structure look like 1 collection with one team project and the folder structure. I would take the time to make a run in a test enviroment to see if its working well.