June 2017 Summaries

Matthew Casperson discusses the security challenges of handling sensitive information such as passwords in Octopus Deploy and how to mitigate these issues by integrating with WildFly's vault system. By exporting Octopus variables into a WildFly vault, sensitive data can be encrypted and stored securely, reducing the risk of exposure through common vulnerabilities. The process involves using a Groovy script to convert CSV files of secure values into a vault format, thus enabling seamless integration with WildFly's configuration files. This method ensures that passwords are no longer stored in plain text, enhancing security even if configuration files are compromised. The solution is designed to be implemented easily across domain and standalone nodes and aims to eventually be incorporated as a direct feature within Octopus Deploy.

Matthew Casperson's blog post from June 22, 2017, offers a detailed guide on configuring HTTPS for Tomcat in Windows by utilizing a Java keystore, similar to a previous approach with WildFly. It emphasizes the need for certain prerequisites, including an OpenSSL client, the Groovy SDK, and Java 8 JDK, to execute the necessary commands and scripts. The process involves creating and distributing certificates, followed by modifying the server.xml file to include a <Connector> element for HTTPS configuration and ensuring the HTTP connector's redirectPort attribute points to the correct port. A Groovy script is provided to automate these updates, and the author notes that these scripts are part of a proof of concept that may be integrated into Octopus Deploy in the future. Readers are encouraged to engage with the content by commenting on the script or suggesting Java features for Octopus Deploy.

Matthew Casperson's blog post discusses a new feature in Octopus Deploy that allows for the management and deployment of certificates, specifically focusing on exporting certificates into a Java keystore to secure a WildFly instance on Windows. The process begins with creating a self-signed certificate and private key, combining them into a PKCS12 keystore, and uploading it to Octopus Deploy. From there, a script extracts the certificate details and imports them into a Java keystore, enabling HTTPS support for WildFly. The post details configuring HTTPS for both standalone and domain WildFly deployments, using Groovy scripts to automate the process. It highlights the need for specific tools like OpenSSL and the Groovy SDK, and addresses challenges like the non-idempotent nature of the WildFly CLI tool. The post also provides insights into securing WildFly's management interface with HTTPS and discusses known issues and potential future developments within Octopus Deploy's integration with Java.

Matthew Casperson's blog post discusses how to deploy WAR files to Tomcat using the Tomcat Manager application. Initially, it involves configuring Tomcat by defining user credentials in the conf/tomcat-users.xml file, assigning browser-based users the "manager-gui" role and API users the "manager-script" role. The default maximum file upload size of 50MB can be increased by modifying the <multipart-config> element in the web.xml file. The process includes packaging the WAR file, staging it in a temporary location, and then deploying it via an HTTP PUT request to the Tomcat Manager's deploy URL, using the correct credentials and specifying the context path. Successful deployment can be confirmed by accessing the Tomcat Manager web interface. Casperson notes that these procedures are part of a proof of concept that may be integrated into Octopus Deploy, and invites feedback and discussion on potential Java support features.

In June 2017, Matt Richardson announced the re-launch of a Virtual Machine extension for Azure, designed to manage the Tentacle agent for Octopus Server after Microsoft updated the Azure portal, rendering the previous version incompatible. The newly re-written extension allows users to install, uninstall, or update a Tentacle's configuration on an Azure Virtual Machine using various tools such as the Azure Portal, PowerShell, Azure CLI, or ARM Templates, and even Terraform. Users can deploy the extension at the time of virtual machine creation or apply it to an existing resource group, providing flexibility in managing Azure VM environments. For further guidance on usage, including instructions for Azure Service Management mode and more, users are directed to the product's documentation.

Octopus Deploy's latest release introduces several enhancements, including a new native plugin for Atlassian's Bamboo build server, which simplifies integration and deployment pipeline configuration. The update also features improvements in the 'Deploy to IIS' step, enhanced security through SHA256 certificate generation, and a new Tentacle release strategy that reduces upgrade frequency by only updating Tentacle when changes occur. Performance optimizations include significant memory and query cost reductions, benefiting larger installations. Additionally, database schema upgrades now offer more transparency and flexibility, allowing users to choose the upgrade timing and account privileges. There are no breaking changes, and the release aims to improve user experience and efficiency in deployment processes.

Octopus Deploy, originally designed with .NET developers in mind, is expanding its capabilities to provide equal, first-class support for Java applications. The long-term vision involves enhancing deployments for Java applications on popular servers such as Tomcat and WildFly/JBoss EAP on both Windows and Linux platforms. Initially, it will support specific versions of these servers and introduce steps for deploying packages, managing certificates, and transforming configuration files in formats like XML, YAML, and properties. The move aims to eliminate current limitations, such as the dependency on Mono for Linux, by transitioning components to .NET Core. Additionally, Octopus Deploy plans to natively support Java package formats such as JAR, WAR, EAR, and RAR, and integrate Maven repositories as first-class package feeds, alongside supporting Maven versioning schemes. Feedback from users is encouraged to help shape the development of these new features and ensure the platform meets the needs of Java deployments.

Matthew Casperson's blog post from June 9, 2017, discusses deploying a WAR file to Wildfly 11 using Octopus Deploy, noting that the platform had yet to integrate native Wildfly support at that time. It explores two methods for deploying applications: directly uploading files via Wildfly's management interface, which has drawbacks like unoptimized file uploads and public IP exposure, and using Octopus Deploy's package step combined with local CLI tool execution on the Wildfly server, which reduces network traffic and deployment times by using delta copying. The post also details a Groovy script solution for idempotent deployments to Wildfly domains, highlighting its ability to create or update WAR file contents and assign them to server groups while leveraging the Spring retry framework for reliability. Casperson outlines prerequisites, such as installing Groovy and Mono, and provides steps for deploying to both Wildfly domain controllers and standalone instances. He concludes with a mention of ongoing efforts to enhance Octopus's support for Java and application servers like Wildfly, inviting feedback for future developments.

In the 4.0 release, a significant overhaul of the variable editor is planned to enhance usability and incorporate new features based on user feedback. Key improvements include a streamlined table editing experience, the ability to provide multiple values with different scopes to a variable, and the introduction of a popup editor for advanced options such as adding descriptions and larger text fields for code input. The new design aims to facilitate keyboard navigation, allowing users to efficiently input and manage variables, even in large quantities. Additionally, the update will feature new UI patterns, such as advanced filtering and source icons, to better organize and display information. The release will also focus on performance enhancements, leveraging recent web advancements, and will support Internet Explorer 11 and newer browsers.

Octopus Deploy offers a set of deployment steps that facilitate the deployment of Java packages to Java web servers on Linux, specifically targeting the deployment of WAR files to a Tomcat server. The process involves building the WAR file using Maven, packaging it into a ZIP file compatible with Octopus Deploy’s versioning standards, and pushing it to the Octopus Deploy repository using the CLI tool. The deployment environment and deployment target, which represent the servers receiving the deployment, must be set up, with a focus on utilizing SSH for communication and ensuring necessary permissions. The deployment process involves executing deployment steps using Octopus’ Calamari engine, which requires Mono for running on Linux, although future updates aim to streamline this with .NET Core. Limitations include the inability to modify configuration files within WAR packages during deployment, but improvements are anticipated to enhance Java support in Octopus Deploy, along with potential CI server add-ons for automating deployment processes.