Set up JIRA/Bamboo

[VitM]

We want some automated builds running. In the past, I have used Bamboo (https://www.atlassian.com/software/bamboo), which was pretty good as it ties in nicely with JIRA (https://www.atlassian.com/software/jira), and JIRA is something I really want for this project. The discussion on task-tracking system and automated build system can and should be had, but I'm working on the assumption that we're going to want JIRA/Bamboo and just run with it until told otherwise.

To get these up and running, we could either get our own webserver up, use a LAN and have team members connect to that (via Cisco?) or just buy the online implementation.

I am up for making a webserver or a LAN, as that gives us control of the JIRA/Bamboo, we are (or rather, I am) not under time-pressure while the core of the engine gets up. I should investigate using a LAN first as that is how I have always used these tools, and security of a webserver is an issue.

[VitM]

Welp, components are on their way.

[VitM]

So the server is up and I can do things on my LAN.

Had a quick look at Cisco VPN (encrypted, I trust it), but it seems like $$$.

So, it looks like LAMP potentially and getting JIRA/Bamboo on the Web. I have a bad feeling about that, so will probably do so more digging around VPNing!

Also, will need to bite the bullet on buying JIRA/Bamboo (only the two for now, while the engine goes up: could trial Confluence as a wiki and Stash for Git repos, but as long as the code is on Github, we can use it for repos and the wiki; Crucible and Fisheye we can look at when we grow in number I think). For 10 users and under, it's peanuts - £10 a component (a month? Too tired to navigate the site right now). So £20, potentially £30 if we want Agile (when we start making the games!)

[VitM]

Now we could use OpenVPN (http://openvpn.net/). Looks like I'd need to get a desktop up on the server (at the moment it's just command line and I kind of like it that way).

I much prefer some VPN shazzle to putting this out there on the web. The flip side is that devices are going to need to be set up with OpenVPN to connect, which I think is fine as tradeoffs go.

[VitM]

Hmmm, I've just realised that using a VPN will mean setting up accounts on the network for everyone. Which is fine, just something I was forgetting.

[VitM]

Looks like a license for 10 (concurrent) users for 1 year of OpenVPN is $75 (https://openvpn.net/index.php/access-server/section-faq-openvpn-as/pricing/151-how-are-clients-deployed-and-configured.html). Acceptable.

Edit: Although, it seems by default the trial allows two concurrent users. How fortunate!

[VitM]

OK, a lot of things to spew, all from talking to ADB, who has some good knowledge.

At the moment, my server is going to have a dynamic IP. A quick search of interwebs tells me I'm probably not getting a static IP from my provider. What we could do is use something like DynDNS (http://dyn.com/remote-access/) to access the server over the web reliably. Or we can back out and just choose the Atlassian online solution, paying per month. I would need to investigate backups and the like in that latter solution, but I'm pretty sure it takes a lot of that jazz off our hands. In the former situation, we would need to look at getting backups done ourselves.

A final thing is we could sack this off and just use GitHub. ADB pointed out some really useful things about it, and quite frankly, I think it would work for us now. Unfortunately, this is as much about learning about JIRA/etc, because we're going to want them if we ever want to go commercial (yes please!)

For now, I'm going to try and get this VPN up, grab my IP everyday and see how that works. We can evaluate the servers performance (maybe it's just crap and slow!) and then decide if we want a static IP from somewhere, or let Atlassian host for us.

Personally, I hope we can use the server I've got for now for learning, perhaps migrating up to Atlassian cloud later for performance/etc, until we go commercial and bring it back down with our own servers/etc.

[VitM]

Good news - I've got OpenVPN working. Did need to server config, but that's done now.

[jkeywo]

With or without a dynamic IP?

TBH I'm happy with GitHub for the moment. We'll have to see if we can produce anything worthwhile before taking things too seriously anyway.

[VitM]

I haven't seen the IP change, but I believe it's a dynamic IP. True enough, I don't have a problem with GitHub, and what with all this 'trouble' I'm alright using it for the forseeable.

But I am totally getting JIRA and Bamboo up, and seeing about this automated build thing. I should point out GitHub already has an automated build whosit - ADB knows more.

Humility has its place, but I'm pretty damn confident we can do this, and that it'll be worthwhile.

[VitM]

So I managed to get access to JIRA via the VPN, and I've got a trial JIRA up, so I may spend a bit of time playing with the process management because I'm sad like that.

Otherwise I'm going to keep this on low heat and dive headlong into UE4 and plugins!