Where can I get quality TFS2013 Training

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gundar

488 posts

Ultimate Geek

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#139468 10-Feb-2014 14:40

Some larg-ish TFS projects are coming up and I have been shortlisted to do that actual work.

I have many years experience with things like AD, NDS, GroupWise, SQL, Exchange; upgrading, migrating, etc. These products all being enterprise-y and with complex, scalable backends.

I rang around the three MS certified training companies in the Auckland/Hamilton area and none have any idea if they will ever offer this as a course. Is there somewhere else I can go and get some accredited TFS2013 training - not looking to do the exam, but might, but I would like enough training to deploy a new service and upgrade an existing service with as little fallout/loss as possible.

If nowhere else, how is this product installed - does everybody else just 'wing it'? Can I do three courses elsewhere that would give me enough background knowledge to complete the work at hand - like a sharepoint, a VB and an IIS course, for example?

Before you comment "RTFM" this is about wanting to build a quality service that is in a supported state and I am not a big manual reader, rather I prefer practical training or at least, I don't want my first to be done from the manual.

Thanks

Gund

charsleysa

597 posts

Ultimate Geek

#983470 10-Feb-2014 17:20

No point in paying to use TFS, all the info you need is online. Just setup a repo, check out the files you want to work on, then check them back in when you're done. If you have issues just Google it.

I haven't used TFS2013 but I've used older versions and it's quite easy to use for source control, it's when you start to use it for agile programming and documentation control that it gets complicated.

Regards
Stefan Andres Charsley

gundar

488 posts

Ultimate Geek

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#983505 10-Feb-2014 17:44

charsleysa: No point in paying to use TFS, all the info you need is online. Just setup a repo, check out the files you want to work on, then check them back in when you're done. If you have issues just Google it.

I haven't used TFS2013 but I've used older versions and it's quite easy to use for source control, it's when you start to use it for agile programming and documentation control that it gets complicated.

Yeah, need it for workflow integration and we do secret things, so we don't cloudify our work.

Thanks.

TwoSeven

1624 posts

Uber Geek

Subscriber

#983529 10-Feb-2014 18:21

Not sure if there is any specific training in the MS Virtual Academy site, however, the process management tool surprisingly enough isn't all that difficult - in TFS2013 (my definition of difficult does not factor in time). The only real thing is that the documentation isn't as good as it could be, so working out how to modify some of the rules can take a bit of learning.

Main thing though is work out what you want to do before hand - so things like drawing up a process flow diagram and storyboarding some of the screens.

As I use the CMMI template I have modified it to kick off with a 'request for work' which drops a requirement into the selected team, and have also introduced the feature and initiative work item types (with appropriate linking).

VS Online is pretty good, but it doesn't give the fine grained integration that TFS server does within the corporate environment.

If you have the appropriate MSDN subscription TFS server is free (from memory).

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Regs

4066 posts

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Snowflake

#983799 11-Feb-2014 00:06

for online options, try:

Microsoft Virtual Academy: http://aka.ms/mva (- free -)
TechNet Virtual Labs: http://aka.ms/technetlabs (- free -)
Tech Ed Online on Channel9: http://channel9.msdn.com/Events/TechEd (- free -) - recorded tech ed sessions, some specifically handling upgrade scenarios etc -
Pluralsight: http://pluralsight.com/ (- subscriber content -)

if you need a classroom course and the usual providers here are not offering it, then you might have more luck jumping the ditch to SydneyMelbourne for a course there or, if you need a few people trained at once, fly someone over to take a course in-house.

ALMTrainer

1 post

Wannabe Geek

#984041 11-Feb-2014 13:03

Hi Gundar,

I have a full curriculum of 6 x TFS 2013 courses that I deliver in both the US and Australia/New Zealand. I have been a Microsoft Visual Studio ALM MVP for the past 8 years and have divided my time between consulting and training on ALM Solution using TFS. I am currently in Seattle delivering my TFS 2013 courses but will be back in Australia to deliver training the week after next. All of the courses can be attended remotely using GoToMyPC (Labs) and GotoMeeting (Instruction/Audio). I already have two kiwis joining the course remotely :)

Here is the list of TFS 2013 courses that are available.
1. Application Lifecycle Management solutions using TFS 2013
2. Managing Projects with Microsoft Visual Studio Team Foundation Server 2013
3. Software Testing with Visual Studio 2013
4. TFS 2013 Configuration and Administration
5. TFS 2013 Developer Fundamentals
6. Test Automation, Web Performance, and Load Testing with VS 2013

The upcoming courses that are scheduled over the next 2 months are:
24-Feb TFS 2013 Developer Fundamentals (2-days)
26-Feb TFS 2013 Configuration and Administration (3 days)
10-Mar Managing Projects using TFS 2013 (2 days)
12-Mar Software testing with Visual Studio 2013 (3 days)

You can find out more or register for these courses at http://www.alm-training.com/Schedule.aspx?R=AU

gundar

488 posts

Ultimate Geek

Trusted

#984257 11-Feb-2014 16:33

ALMTrainer: Hi Gundar,

I have a full curriculum of 6 x TFS 2013 courses that I deliver in both the US and Australia/New Zealand. I have been a Microsoft Visual Studio ALM MVP for the past 8 years and have divided my time between consulting and training on ALM Solution using TFS. I am currently in Seattle delivering my TFS 2013 courses but will be back in Australia to deliver training the week after next. All of the courses can be attended remotely using GoToMyPC (Labs) and GotoMeeting (Instruction/Audio). I already have two kiwis joining the course remotely :)

Here is the list of TFS 2013 courses that are available.
1. Application Lifecycle Management solutions using TFS 2013
2. Managing Projects with Microsoft Visual Studio Team Foundation Server 2013
3. Software Testing with Visual Studio 2013
4. TFS 2013 Configuration and Administration
5. TFS 2013 Developer Fundamentals
6. Test Automation, Web Performance, and Load Testing with VS 2013

The upcoming courses that are scheduled over the next 2 months are:
24-Feb TFS 2013 Developer Fundamentals (2-days)
26-Feb TFS 2013 Configuration and Administration (3 days)
10-Mar Managing Projects using TFS 2013 (2 days)
12-Mar Software testing with Visual Studio 2013 (3 days)

You can find out more or register for these courses at http://www.alm-training.com/Schedule.aspx?R=AU

I have contacted your offices, already recieved a quote and forwarded to my general manager.

Thanks for the quick response and slick service, so far.