How to Install Exalate for Azure DevOps on Docker?

    Exalate App for Azure DevOps can be installed on the server using Docker.

    You need to install Docker. Check the docker documentation for more details.

    Steps to Install Exalate for Azure DevOps on Docker

    Check the release notes for the latest version.

    1. Create a docker-compose.

    Create a directory that would hold the docker-compose file:

    cd ~
    mkdir exalate-azurenode

    Create a docker-compose.yml file in it: 

    version: '2'
    services:
      database:
        restart: unless-stopped
        image: postgres:12.9
        volumes:
          - ./persist/db:/var/lib/postgresql/data
          - ./createdb.sh:/docker-entrypoint-initdb.d/init-user-db.sh
        environment:
          # adapt the default passwords
          - DB_NAME=azurenode
          - DB_USER=idalko
          - DB_PASS=idalko
          - POSTGRES_PASSWORD=changeme
        networks:
          - database
      azurenode:
        restart: unless-stopped
     
        # use the latest version https://hub.docker.com/r/idalko/azurenode
        image: idalko/azurenode:5.3.3
        depends_on:
          - database #wait for postgres to be started, not for ready
        volumes:
          - ./persist/home:/opt/azurenode/data
        environment:
          # Add your enviroment settings here, check documentation for details
          - AZURENODE_PG_HOST=database
          - AZURENODE_PG_DB=azurenode?gssEncMode=disable
          - AZURENODE_PG_USER=idalko
          - AZURENODE_PG_PWD=idalko
          - AZURENODE_PORT=9002
     
          # Use following variables to link the node with jwilder/nginx proxy
          # Replace exalate_for_azurenode.example.com with the appropriate FQDN
          - LETSENCRYPT_HOST=francis-ado.exalate.biz
          - VIRTUAL_HOST=francis-ado.exalate.biz
          - VIRTUAL_PORT=9002
     
        networks:
          - database
          - proxy
    networks:
      database:
        driver: bridge
      default:
        driver: bridge
      proxy:
        external:
            name: proxy
    
    

    Below you can find the environment variables used for the app container. All of them are optional, and in the given example, we've overridden AZURENODE_PG_DB, AZURENODE_PG_USER, and AZURENODE_PG_PWD just to show how to pass different credentials to the Exalate application.

    Full list of environment variables.
    Variable nameDefault valueExampleDescription
    AZURENODE_PG_HOSTAZURENODE_PG_HOST=databaseAZURENODE_PG_HOST=db.acme.comtells the exalate application where is the postgres database to connect to hosted
    AZURENODE_PG_DBAZURENODE_PG_DB=azurenodeAZURENODE_PG_DB=exalatetells the exalate application what is the postgres database name for the exalate application
    AZURENODE_PG_USERAZURENODE_PG_USER=idalkoAZURENODE_PG_USER=exalatetells the exalate application what is the postgres database user name for the exalate application to perform queries with
    AZURENODE_PG_PWDAZURENODE_PG_PWD=idalkoAZURENODE_PG_PWD=secrettells the exalate application what is the postgres database user's password for the exalate application to perform queries with
    AZURENODE_PORTAZURENODE_PORT=9000AZURENODE_PORT=8080

    tells what which is the port to start the exalate application on. Note that this is the port within the exalateazurenode_azurenode_1 container, thus if this variable is changed (for example to 80), the

        ports:
          - 9000:9000

    should also be changed to

        ports:
          - 8080:8080


    AZURENODE_SMTP_HOST_NAMEAZURENODE_SMTP_HOST_NAME=mail.server.comAZURENODE_SMTP_HOST_NAME=smtp.gmail.comis used to send email notifications about errors blocking synchronization
    AZURENODE_SMTP_PORTAZURENODE_SMTP_PORT=465AZURENODE_SMTP_PORT=587is used to send email notifications about errors blocking synchronization
    AZURENODE_SMTP_FROMAZURENODE_SMTP_FROM=admin@admin.comAZURENODE_SMTP_FROM=my.name@gmail.comis used to send email notifications about errors blocking synchronization
    AZURENODE_SMTP_USERAZURENODE_SMTP_USER=adminAZURENODE_SMTP_USER=my.nameis used to send email notifications about errors blocking synchronization
    AZURENODE_SMTP_PASSAZURENODE_SMTP_PASS=1234567AZURENODE_SMTP_PASS=secretis used to send email notifications about errors blocking synchronization
    AZURENODE_SMTP_TLSAZURENODE_SMTP_TLS=trueAZURENODE_SMTP_TLS=trueis used to send email notifications about errors blocking synchronization. Can be set to false, but then the AZURENODE_SMTP_PORT should be set to the port, that accepts non-SSL and non-TLS connections

    Connecting to Postgres 10 or Higher

    For unencrypted connections from Exalate to a Postgres version 10 or higher, you need to disable gssEncMode with the following setting:


    # exalate is the name of the database on the postgres instance
    #
    AZURENODE_PG_DB=exalate?gssEncMode=disable

    create createdb.sh (referenced from docker-compose.yml):

    touch createdb.sh
    cat > createdb.sh << 'EOCREATEDB'
    #!/bin/bash
    
    TEST=`psql -U postgres <<-EOSQL
       SELECT 1 FROM pg_database WHERE datname='$DB_NAME';
    EOSQL`
    
    echo "******CREATING DOCKER DATABASE******"
    if [[ $TEST == "1" ]]; then
        # database exists
        # $? is 0
        exit 0
    else
    psql -U postgres <<-EOSQL
       CREATE ROLE $DB_USER WITH LOGIN ENCRYPTED PASSWORD '${DB_PASS}' SUPERUSER;
    EOSQL
    
    psql -U postgres <<-EOSQL
       CREATE DATABASE $DB_NAME WITH OWNER $DB_USER ENCODING 'UNICODE' LC_COLLATE 'C' LC_CTYPE 'C' TEMPLATE template0;
    EOSQL
    
    psql -U postgres <<-EOSQL
       GRANT ALL PRIVILEGES ON DATABASE $DB_NAME TO $DB_USER;
    EOSQL
    fi
    
    echo ""
    echo "******DOCKER DATABASE CREATED******"
    EOCREATEDB


    Ensure that the volumes are included in your backup strategy:

    • persist

    Start the Application.

    cd ~/exalate-azurenode
    docker-compose up -d

    About the URL of the Exalate Node

    The exalate node needs to be reachable by

    • the Azure DevOps instance.
      • Exalate will configure webhooks on the ADO project, which is used to notify Exalate whenever a web item is modified
      • Exalate needs to be reachable for the OAuth protocol to set up a trust relationship between the ADO instance and the Exalate node
    • the ADO users
      • The sync panel and the Exalate console are web properties that need to be reachable by the users.

    Register the Node in the Mapper

    The node needs to be registered in the exalate mapper.  The Exalate mapper is a kind of DNS service, maps instances to nodes
    This is required to be able to install the ADO extension on the organization site.  Whenever deploying the extension, the extension will request the mapper where the node serving the ADO organization is located.  

    Please raise a ticket on the support portal providing

    • URL of the ADO organization
    • URL of the Exalate node which has been deployed on-premise

    How to Manage the Application on Docker

    Run Queries to the Application's Database

    cd ~/exalate-azurenode
    docker exec -it exalateazurenode_database_1 bash
    su postgres
    psql -A $DB_NAME

    You can find all tables using PSQLs \dt+ command:

    \dt+

    All the Postgres SQL queries are permitted

    To exit the application's DB:

    \q
    # \q exits the psql 
    exit
    # exits the postgres user session
    exit
    # exits the exalateazurenode_database_1 bash session

    Inspect the Application's Filesystem

    cd ~/exalate-azurenode
    docker exec -it exalateazurenode_azurenode_1 bash

    Remove the Application

    cd ~/exalate-azurenode
    docker-compose rm

    Remove the Application Data

    Danger zone - do this only if you wish to lose all the synchronization information, including the current synchronizations enqueued to be performed and synchronization status.

    Be sure that the remote side (you exalate issues with) knows that you're stopping synchronization and are ready to handle synchronization errors.

    cd ~/exalate-azurenode
    # docker volume ls | grep exalateazurenode_vol |  awk '{ print $2 }' | xargs docker volume rm
    docker volume rm exalateazurenode_voldatabase
    docker volume rm exalateazurenode_volazurenode

    Troubleshooting

    Problems during the installation of the Exalate server for Azure DevOps

    If you have problems during the installation of the Exalate app for Azure DevOps you can find logs describing possible problems inside /tmp.

    The name for the file is generated randomly and automatically by the OS, but you can find the file by the creation date.

    Problems while running the Exalate server for Azure DevOps

    Logs will be generated under the directory: /opt/azurenode/data/logs.

    Refer to these logs to get more information about possible problems and communicate with our support if you need any assistance.