Step-by-Step Azure App Configuration Deployment using Azure DevOps Pipeline

Introduction:

This document provides a step-by-step guide on how to utilize Azure Pipelines to push key-values from a configuration file to an Azure App Configuration store. By following these instructions, you can efficiently manage your application settings and configurations using Azure DevOps.

Also provides a comprehensive guide on setting up an Azure DevOps pipeline to pull key-value pairs from Azure App Configuration using Azure Pipelines.

Implementing a Pipeline to Push & Pull Key-Values to Azure App Configuration using Azure Pipelines

Prerequisites:

Before proceeding with setting up the pipeline, ensure you have the following prerequisites in place:

• Azure subscription
• Azure App Configuration store
• Azure DevOps project
• Azure App Configuration Push & Pull task:
Download this task for free from the Visual Studio Marketplace.
• Azure Pipelines agent version 2.206.1 or later
• Node version 16 or later for running the task on self-hosted agents

Azure DevOps Pipeline for Push Key-Value Pairs from Azure App Configuration

1. Create a Service Connection

   • In Azure DevOps, navigate to the project that contains your target pipeline.
   •Go to Project settings and under Pipelines, select Service connections.

   • Click on New service connection and choose Azure Resource Manager. • Select the appropriate Authentication method and enter your subscription, resource group, and a name for your service connection.
   • Manage service principal and add role assignments to grant necessary permissions.

2. Assign Role Assignments

   • Go to your target App Configuration store.
   • In the left menu, choose Access control (IAM).
   • Select Add role assignments and assign the role of App Configuration Data Owner to the service principal associated with your service connection

3. Use in Builds

   • Navigate to the build pipeline page in Azure DevOps.
   • Search for the Azure App Configuration Push task..
   • Configure the task parameters such as Azure subscription, App Configuration Endpoint, and Configuration File Path.
   • Save and queue a build to push key-values from the configuration file to the App Configuration store.

4. Use in Releases:

   • Go to the release pipeline page in Azure DevOps.
   • Choose an existing release pipeline or create a new one.
   • Add the Azure App Configuration Push task to the desired stage within the release pipeline.
   • Configure the task parameters and save to push key-values during the release process.

   • Troubleshooting
   • Enable debug logs by setting the pipeline variable system.debug to true if any unexpected errors occur during the execution of the task. Task parameters:
   • Import Mode: The default value is All. Determines the behavior when importing key-values.

All: Imports all key-values in the configuration file to App Configuration. o Ignore-Match: Imports only settings that have no matching key-value in App Configuration. Matching key-values are considered to be key-values with the same key, label, value, content type and tags.

Dry Run: Default value is Unchecked. o Checked: No updates will be performed to App Configuration. Instead any updates that would have been performed in a normal run will be printed to the console for review. o Unchecked: Performs any updates to App Configuration and does not print to the console.

Separator: The separator that's used to flatten .json and .yml files.

Depth: The depth that the .json and .yml files will be flattened to.

Prefix: A string that's appended to the beginning of each key pushed to the App Configuration store.

Label: A string that's added to each key-value as the label within the App Configuration store.

Content Type: A string that's added to each key-value as the content type within the App Configuration store.

Tags: A JSON object in the format of {"tag1":"val1", "tag2":"val2"}, which defines tags that are added to each key-value pushed to your App Configuration store.

- task: AzureAppConfigurationPush@7
  inputs:
    azureSubscription: 'connection-name'
    AppConfigurationEndpoint: 'https://testdemo988.azconfig.io'
    ConfigurationFile: 'appconfigData.json'
    Separator: ':'
    Label: 'prod'
    Strict: false
    ImportMode: 'All'

Snapshots:

AppconfigData.json have all the key & values that need to store in azure app configuration.

Azure DevOps Pipeline for Pulling Key-Value Pairs from Azure App Configuration

Step 1: Create a Service Connection

• Navigate to your Azure DevOps project and select Project settings.
• Under Pipelines, choose Service connections and click on New service connection.
• Select Azure Resource Manager and choose the authentication method.
• Enter subscription details and create the service connection.
• Manage service principal and note the display name.

Step 2: Add Role Assignments

• Go to your target App Configuration store.
• Select Access control (IAM) from the left menu.
• Click on Add role assignments in the right pane.
• Assign the App Configuration Data Reader role to the service principal associated with the service connection.
• Review and assign the role.

Step 3: Use in Builds

• Navigate to the build pipeline page in Azure DevOps.
• Search for the Azure App Configuration Task.
• Configure the task parameters
• Set Azure subscription to the service connection name.
• Set App Configuration Endpoint to your configuration store's endpoint.
• Leave default values for other parameters.
• Save and queue a build to test the task.

Step 4: Use in Environment Variables

• Search for the Power shell Task.
• Configure the task parameters.
• Select the Edit button and add the Azure App Configuration Pull Task.
• Configure parameters similar to the build pipeline setup.
• Save and queue a build to test the task.

- task: PowerShell@2
  inputs:
    targetType: 'inline'
    script: 'echo "$env:API_URL"'

Snapshots:

Conclusion:

By following these steps, you can seamlessly push key-values & pull key-values from your configuration files to your Azure App Configuration store using Azure Pipelines. This streamlined process ensures efficient configuration management within your DevOps workflows.

Reference link:

https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/azure-app-configuration/push-kv-devops-pipeline

https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/azure-app-configuration/pull-key-value-devops-pipeline

https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/azure-app-configuration/integrate-ci-cd-pipeline?tabs=windowscommandprompt