January 2019 Summaries

In the third episode of "Ask Octopus," released earlier than scheduled, the discussion focuses on variable run conditions, tips for switching authentication providers, and methods for locating a deleted release. Viewers can access previous episodes and submit questions through the Ask Octopus page, as well as find direct links to specific questions addressed in the video, such as running a step only when another step fails, switching authentication providers, and recovering a missing release. Additional information on these topics is available in the documentation, and viewers are encouraged to subscribe to the YouTube channel and follow the playlist for updates on new episodes.

Octopus has introduced a new feature called Spaces, designed to help teams better organize their Octopus servers by grouping projects, environments, and resources into distinct spaces, thereby reducing noise and improving efficiency. With an updated navigation bar, users can easily switch between spaces, seeing only the relevant resources for each space. The implementation of Spaces has prompted a revamp of the security and permissions model, allowing teams to independently manage their space's security without requiring system admin intervention. While the use of Spaces is optional, it comes with some breaking API changes that users should review before upgrading. Integration updates, including Tentacle, are necessary when adopting Spaces, and Octopus Server 2019.1 must be installed to start using the feature. This version is a fast lane release, with a long-term support version expected by the end of Q1 2019, and Octopus Cloud customers will receive the update during their maintenance window.

In the second episode of "Ask Octopus," Ryan Rousseau addresses API-centric questions and discusses Automatic Deployment Triggers. The episode provides solutions to common problems such as handling an API key when leaving a company, retrieving a project ID by name using the API, and scaling infrastructure with deployment triggers in Octopus. Viewers are encouraged to find more detailed information in the provided documentation on Service Accounts, the Octopus REST API, and Automatic Deployment Triggers. Additionally, the episode introduces a new page for viewing and submitting questions and encourages viewers to subscribe to the YouTube channel for future episodes.

Azure has deprecated the Azure Service Management (ASM) APIs in favor of the newer Azure Resource Manager (ARM) API, which offers enhanced features such as Resource Groups and better support for modern cloud services. As a result, from version 2018.12.0, Octopus will no longer proactively retrieve Cloud Service or Storage Account details in the portal when using Azure Certificate Accounts, though deployments will continue to function. The switch to ARM requires users to shift from Management Certificates to Azure Active Directory with Service Principals for authentication, as ARM does not support the former. Despite Azure's intention to phase out older APIs, some functionalities, notably related to Azure Cloud Services, will still be accessible via HTTP API endpoints for compatibility reasons, although these are not supported through ARM. Octopus users will experience changes in the configuration process, where auto-populated fields are replaced by manual input fields, reflecting the transition away from deprecated libraries.

Octopus Deploy has announced a new initiative called the Ask Octopus Video Series, aiming to address frequently asked questions from their community in a more time-efficient manner than traditional webinars. The team recognized the extensive preparation required for webinars and the significant value users derive from the Q&A sessions, which often include broader questions beyond the webinar's topic. To bridge the gap between user inquiries and efficient knowledge sharing, they plan to release short, focused videos every Friday, covering interesting questions from the past week and providing valuable insights in a format that saves time for both presenters and viewers. The series will start with straightforward questions and evolve based on community feedback, potentially transforming significantly over time.