C#/.NET - Continuous Integration and FTP Deployment

Question

Note: I'm a newb to Continuous Integration

What is the "best" approach to get these functions:

1. Build (assemblies and web app)
2. Testing (MbUnit or NUnit)
3. and if it passes tests deploy via FTP to the main server (internet).

And what I mean by "best" is cheapest option, and easy to learn (low headache).

Answer 1

I have written a pretty detailed blog post using TeamCity, and Web Deployment projects to automate build and deployment (local) here:

http://www.diaryofaninja.com/blog/2010/05/09/automated-site-deployments-with-teamcity-deployment-projects-amp-svn

I have then added to this to show FTP addition

http://www.diaryofaninja.com/blog/2010/09/21/continuous-integration-tip-1-ndash-ftp-deployment

Basically the process is like this:

• Using a teamcity build server i download from my SVN repo
• I build and deploy the site to a local folder on the build server
• I fire a command line FTP client that supports scripting called WinSCP using the MSBUILD Task EXEC (http://winscp.net/)
• Upload all my sites content
• Have insert beverage of choice

I then make sure that i only deploy the Trunk of my SVN repo, and develop and test everything in an branch before merging - this way only tested stuff gets deployed. Add Automated testing to your build cycle and you've got a match made in heaven.