September 2017 Summaries

Matthew Casperson's blog post provides a detailed guide on deploying a Spring Boot application as a Windows Service using Octopus Deploy. The process involves creating an executable using the winsw project, which allows Windows to run the Spring Boot UberJAR, and employing a Spring Boot Stopper application to facilitate a graceful shutdown via JMX communication. The configuration involves key settings in an XML file that outline how to start and stop the service, including enabling Spring Boot admin features, setting a JMX port, and ensuring security by blocking the JMX port through a firewall. Once configured, the application and its necessary files can be packaged and deployed as a Windows Service, making it operable just like any other service on the Windows platform.

Octopus 3.17 introduces significant enhancements, including first-class Java support, enabling teams to deploy Java applications safely and reliably across various servers like WildFly, Red Hat JBoss EAP, and Tomcat. The release also includes Swagger support for the Octopus API, making it more accessible and user-friendly through a human-readable UI. Improvements in user administration and authentication are highlighted by performance enhancements, especially when using Active Directory, and the introduction of Logins, allowing multiple accounts to be associated with a user. These updates aim to streamline user management and improve overall system performance without any breaking changes, while maintaining a seamless upgrade path.