Beta Announcement: Project Hana (aka MOF v4)

For many years, Microsoft had a pair of technologies: MSF (Microsoft Solutions Framework) and MOF (Microsoft Operational Framework). MSF was built from Microsoft's experience building tools like Office, etc. MOF was based on ITIL, with significant additions.

Both products, sadly, seemed to die a death. Perhaps as a kiss of death, they were transferred into MSL and then went from obscurity to the grave. The MCT classes were dropped over a year ago. LIke many, I just assumed that MSL and the wider MS had given up.

I was much surprised and excited by reading in the mcs.ireland.blog/infrastructure blog details about Project Hana (MOF v4), including an invite code to get ahold of the beta.

I am really pleased to see that MOF has not died a death. I am really excited that someone at MS gets it enough to not let these two technologies die. If you are an IT Pro (or a developer for that matter), you should take a look!

This is good news!!!

Technorati tags: MOF, MSF, Microsoft

Microsoft Solutions Framework (MSF) for Agile Software Development, Beta 2

You can download Beta 2 of the Microsoft Solutions Framework (MSF) for Agile Software Development.

MSF is going to change quite radically in the coming months. There will be two versions, MSF Agile, and MSF "Formal", otherwise known as MSF For CMMI Process Improvement. It appears that the guys from the silly names department seem to have been at work again (but as I sometimes get paid by the word, I can't grumble too much)

Details of MSF Agile are up on the web site, and are being baked in to Visual Studio. Details of MSF Formal have not been disclosed yet, and neither have details on MSF Certficication (at both practitioner and MCT levels) and certification training. One MS spokesman suggested this information would be available at product launch in November. We'll see how long after launch is required to deliver the training, certification, etc.

Microsoft Solutions Framework Version 4.0, Beta

Microsoft are in the process of updating Microsoft Solutions Framework, as part of the ongoing work on Whidbey, and Visual Studio. Details have been sketchy, but we're beginning to see some details. For reasons I can't quite totally work out, Microsoft has released part of MSF 4.0 via GotDotNet Workspaces. You can obtain the first deliverable, MSF Agile. This material is delivered as a sort of web site, with a root page (ProcessGuidance.html), which points to other documents.

MSF Agile is "a scenario-driven, context-based, agile software development process for building .NET and other object-oriented applications. MSF Agile directly incorporates practices for handling quality of service requirements such as performance and security. It is also context-based and uses a context-driven approach to determine how to operate the project. "

Three key changes from MSF 3.0 are:

1. The lifecycle for each iteration is slimmed down to just three phases: Plan, Develop, Test.

2. The roles change too, with only 5 roles: Architect, Business Analyst, Developer, Project Manager, and Tester.

3. Finally, the work products are different. New artifacts include: Threat Model Data Flow Diagram, and Quality of Services Requirements List. The Vision Statement is still included!

It looks an interesting approach. I'll have to read more about it to discern the deeper differences.