Rocket DevOps Git Support

Hi Chris, I am a long-time programmer on the IBMi, and have just started looking at the Visual Studio Code for IBMi IDE.  We currently have Aldon LMi v8.5A installed and want to evaluate its features with VS.  I am crawling through the Eclipse Plug-in User guide to try to figure out the most secure and proper use of this so that we can get off SEU and be prepared for future projects.  Our IBMi knowledge of all these tools (GIT, etc) are limited.  We would like to join the 21st century over the next couple of years.  

Hello Kevin.

Thanks for your post and the interest in our VS Code Extension. As I mentioned in my  previous posts, we're very excited about about our plans to extend the integration possibilities for customers (like you!) wishing to adopt modern IBM i development tools.

in 2022, we renamed and renumbered Aldon LMi to Rocket DevOps core for IBM i 10.2 (RDOi). The upgrade from LMi 8.5A is straight forward and provided at no charge if you're current on  maintenance. Version 10.2 contains many new features, including the support for VS Code, and will be required for the new tool integrations we're adding in 2023. I encourage you to consider upgrading from 8.5A to 10.2 if that's possible.

I'll contact you by email to provide more details of our VS Code integration.

Regards,

Chris

Hi Kevin, 
Just dropping you a note on our latest release.
Check out the Customer Portal for more details (excerpt below...), but we've just announced two more releases for VS code support for RDOi (previously LMi).
The GA release of our extension for VS Code extension for RDOi and a beta release of VS Code extension supporting new Git integration features with RDOi.  The latter expands on our previous 'LMIGIT' implementation from version 8.5 to extend development with git synchronization (beta with GitLab, but additional repository options to follow in July). 
Best, 
Dale
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Rocket DevOps for Git for RDOi (VS Code extension) 10.2.2 - Beta

Rocket DevOps for Git for RDOi provides RDOi users and administrators with an updated git-based CI/CD pipeline solution allowing development team to use modern VS Code IDE features.

• Available to users via the new Rocket DevOps for Git VS Code extension employing GitLab webhooks and pipeline actions using existing RDOi promote and deployment of objects and source.
• Users will be able to edit source code in VS Code and commit/push code changes to GitLab repositories.
• Pipeline support available via GitLab webhooks for pull of the source code from git to IBM i IFS.
• Employs proven RDOi create (IBM i compile) processes (including management of required libraries and objects required for compilation on the i).
• All commit/push and build/deployment activities are logged using existing RDOi activity logging to support audit & oversight and employ RDOi authentication for user access to code and promote/deploy options.
• Existing RDOi deployment or data set operations are employed to update libraries external to the RDOi instance on local or remote servers.
• Supports Rollback/Backout operations via existing RDOp functionality for RDOi.

Hi Kevin, 

Preparing a post for our VS Code extension v10.2.2 GA release and wanted to follow up in this thread, too.  Details below and in the Rocket Communities site.

Please contact support if you'd like further details or assistance in planning an LMi / RDOi upgrade to the latest version to take advantage of the latest VS Code extension updates (now available on the VS Code Marketplace!).

Best, 

d

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RELEASE ANNOUNCEMENT

Rocket® DevOps core for IBM i 10.2 (PTF LMi102_03), Rocket® DevOps portal 10.2.2, Rocket® DevOps test 10.2.2, Rocket® DevOps extension for VS Code 10.2.2, and Rocket® Jenkins Plugin for RDOi 10.2.2

Rocket Software is excited to announce the release of Rocket DevOps 10.2.2!

Rocket DevOps is a modernization platform that enables end-to-end CI/CD for IBM i+ environments. Businesses can build the structure and flexibility they need to extend holistic DevSecOps best practices to IBM i while enabling their teams to adapt to any change in process or technology.

Special Note: Starting with version 10.0.0 Rocket Aldon Lifecycle Manager for IBM i (LMi) was renamed to "Rocket DevOps core for IBM i (RDOi)," and Rocket Aldon Lifecycle Manager for Enterprise (LMe) was renamed to "Rocket DevOps core for Enterprise (RDOe)."

Rocket DevOps 10.2.2 release introduces comprehensive modern pipeline features that support organizations wishing to introduce new CI/CD processes and toolsets to IBM i development.

Tight integration with modern development tools such as Git, VS Code, and Jenkins is enabled in the 10.2.2 release. Customers can manage source code using native RDOi features, Git, or a combination of both technologies (the preferred repository must be specified at the Release level). VS Code can be used to edit source code and, optionally, build processing can be initiated using Jenkins. Regardless of source code provider or build initiation method, developers can still take advantage of the same Rocket DevOps IBM i build processor that they have come to rely on for over 30 years.

Git repositories can be populated automatically with IBM i source code previously managed by RDOi, and developers can use native Git functions to manage source code versions moving forward.

VS Code for IBM i offers an alternative to IBM® Rational® Developer for i. This release also includes a new version of RDOi support for VS Code. Customers can use VS Code to manage source using native RDOi functions or take advantage of new RDOi Git integration. This version is available from the VS Code Marketplace.

This release focuses on enabling Rocket DevOps customers to adopt modern DevOps CI/CD tools and processes. Customers can experiment and innovate by introducing new development technologies in a way and at a pace that makes sense to them. Continuity is a key feature of this enablement as traditional development methodologies continue to be fully supported.

Highlights of this release include: 

• Tight integration with modern tools including Git, VS Code, and Jenkins
• Git can be used to maintain source code for some or all RDOi managed applications
• New CI/CD Pipelines for build, test*, and deployment* automation
• Auto-population of Git repositories with current RDOi source code
• Git / IBM i Source Code Comparison / Synchronization
• New versions of VS Code extension include support for IBM i dependencies
• New Jenkins plugin that supports Jenkins Freestyle jobs for RDOi builds
• Addition of new RDO APIs that allow customers to create their own DevOps automation
• Ability to extract subsets of anonymized data from SQL Server databases*
• All RDO servers can run natively on IBM i avoiding the need to make complex infrastructure changes/additions

* - may require additional license

Compatibility Information:

• Host OS:
  • IBM i version 7.2, 7.3, 7.4, 7.5
  • Linux version Red Hat 7.9 and later, 8.1 - 8.6, Red Hat 9.0 - 9.2
• Rocket DevOps portal (RDOp) 10.2.2
• Rocket DevOps core for IBM i (RDOi) 10.2 PTF LMI102_03
• Rocket DevOps core for Enterprise (RDOe) Linux Server Edition 10.2, PTF RDOE10201
• Rocket DevOps core for Enterprise (RDOe) IBM i Server Edition 10.2
• Rocket DevOps test 10.2.2 (requires minimum IBM i 7.3)
• Ald/CS 10.2
• Community Manager 11.6.14 with PTF221127_11614
• Rocket DevOps extension for VS Code (RDOi & Git) 10.2.2
• Rocket RDOi for Jenkins 10.2.2
• Rocket DevOps Plugin for Atlassian Jira v3.0

Documentation:

Rocket DevOps portal 10.2.2 Release Notes and guides - https://docs.rocketsoftware.com/bundle?cluster=true&labelkey=rocket_devops_portal_10.2.2

Rocket DevOps test 10.2.2 Release Notes and guides - https://docs.rocketsoftware.com/bundle?labelkey=rocket_devops_test_10.2.2

Rocket RDOi for Jenkins Quick Start Guide - https://docs.rocketsoftware.com/bundle/rdoijenkins_gs_1022/page/yet1690309322250.html

Rocket DevOps extension for VS Code Release Notes - https://docs.rocketsoftware.com/bundle/rdoext_rn_1022/page/hlm1689284354885.html

Rachid:

We regret to hear of the experience you have with Rocket git.  We have not heard of similar experiences from other Git for z/OS customers.   

I recommend that you first open a ticket with Kyndryl, as you primary provider who will then contact the appropriate technical support desk for Clamart FR.  A support ticket will be necessary as you will be asked to provide appropriate logs so support team can perform diagnosis of the situation.

I hope you find this direction helpful.  Cheers!

Jeff Cherrington