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Migrating Azure DevOps Variable Groups

Howdy Folks,

I was working on an application modernization project. And there was a requirement to migrate application deployments from one project to another in Azure DevOps. deployment pipelines were heavily dependent on variable groups. So, we wanted to migrate these variables group to the new project.

Couldn't find any solutions in internet for this, so came up with the below scripts. You can grab the scripts from the below GitHub URL.



DaniduWeerasinghe911/Migrate-Azure-DevOps-Variable-Groups: This Repo Include PowerShell Scripts relating to Migrating Azure DevOps Variable Groups (github.com)

Azure DevOps Variable Groups

Azure DevOps Variable Groups are a way to store and manage sets of variables that can be used across multiple pipelines in Azure DevOps. These variables can include secrets, connection strings, and other sensitive information that is needed for builds and releases.

Variable Groups provide a centralized way to manage these variables and ensure that they are consistent across all pipelines that use them. They can also be shared across multiple projects within Azure DevOps, making it easier to maintain a consistent set of variables across an organization.

Why Migrate Azure DevOps Variable Groups?

There are a few reasons why you might need to migrate Azure DevOps Variable Groups from one project to another:

  1. Reorganization of projects: If you are reorganizing your Azure DevOps projects and need to move Variable Groups from one project to another, you will need to migrate them.
  2. Consolidation of projects: If you are consolidating multiple Azure DevOps projects into a single project, you may need to migrate Variable Groups from the original projects into the consolidated project.
  3. Migration to a new organization: If you are migrating from one Azure DevOps organization to another, you will need to migrate Variable Groups along with your pipelines.

How to Migrate Azure DevOps Variable Groups

Migrating Azure DevOps Variable Groups can be a time-consuming and error-prone process if done manually. Fortunately, there are scripts available that can automate much of the process.

The scripts provided in the GitHub URL you provided are designed to migrate Variable Groups from one project to another within the same Azure DevOps organization. The scripts are written in PowerShell and use the Azure DevOps REST API to access and modify the Variable Groups.

The migration process involves the following steps:

  1. Export the Variable Groups: The first step is to export the Variable Groups from the source project using the Export-AzureDevOpsVariableGroups.ps1 script. This script will export all Variable Groups in the source project to a JSON file that can be used to import them into the target project.

  2. Import the Variable Groups: The next step is to import the Variable Groups into the target project using the Import-AzureDevOpsVariableGroups.ps1 script. This script will read the JSON file generated in step 1 and create new Variable Groups in the target project with the same names and values as the source Variable Groups.

  3. Update Pipeline References: Once the Variable Groups have been migrated to the target project, any pipelines that reference them will need to be updated to use the new Variable Groups. This can be done manually by editing the pipeline YAML files, or you can use the Update-AzureDevOpsPipelineVariableGroups.ps1 script provided in the GitHub URL to automate this process.

Conclusion

Migrating Azure DevOps Variable Groups can be a daunting task, but with the scripts provided in the GitHub URL you provided, the process can be automated and streamlined. By following the steps outlined in this blog post, you can easily migrate Variable Groups from one project to another within the same Azure DevOps organization.


As always dont forget to comment if you have any questions. Happy to help anyway I can. :)

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