Microsoft Certified: DevOps Engineer ExpertDesign and implement source controlMedium
A company is setting up self-hosted build agents in an on-premises data center for Azure DevOps. These agents need to access internal network resources and build applications that require specific software (e.g., a proprietary compiler) not available on Microsoft-hosted agents. The agents should be configured to run as a service and securely communicate with Azure DevOps. Which steps are crucial during the agent installation and configuration?
- AInstall Docker on the agent machine and pull the Azure DevOps agent image.
- BInstall the Azure DevOps Server on the agent machine and register it as a build host.
- CDownload the agent package, run 'config.cmd' (or 'config.sh'), and provide the Azure DevOps PAT and URL.
- DConfigure a VPN connection from the agent machine to Azure DevOps and set up port forwarding.
Show answer & explanationAnswer & explanation
Correct answer: C. Download the agent package, run 'config.cmd' (or 'config.sh'), and provide the Azure DevOps PAT and URL.
Installing and configuring a self-hosted agent involves downloading the agent software, running the configuration script ('config.cmd' for Windows or 'config.sh' for Linux/macOS), and providing the Azure DevOps URL and a Personal Access Token (PAT) for authentication. This sets up the agent as a service and enables secure communication.
Why the other options are wrong
- A. While agents can run in Docker, the core self-hosted agent setup involves directly configuring the agent software, not just pulling an image.
- B. Azure DevOps Server is a separate product for on-premises DevOps; this question is about connecting an agent to Azure DevOps (cloud service).
- D. Azure DevOps agents communicate outbound over HTTPS to Azure DevOps, so a direct VPN or port forwarding from the agent to Azure DevOps is generally not required or the primary setup step.
Azure DevOps Self-Hosted Agent Setup
The process of installing and configuring an Azure DevOps agent on a user-managed machine (on-premises or cloud VM) to run build and release jobs.
- Requires downloading agent software.
- Uses `config.cmd` or `config.sh` for configuration.
- Authenticates using a Personal Access Token (PAT).
- Communicates outbound over HTTPS to Azure DevOps.
Memory trick: Download, configure, and connect your bot to the cloud.