A few months back some distinguished members of the Microsoft ALM community released Professional Team Foundation Server 2010. I’ve recently completed reading it and below is a review for those who may be on the lookout for some reference reading. Disclaimer: I received a complimentary review copy, though I reserve the right to offer an unbiased opinion.
If you have been on the lookout for a book which covers Team Foundation Server (TFS), then chances are this is going to meet your needs. This book comes in at around 650 pages and a RRP of around £40 but you can pick it up for less than half that on many popular websites in printed and digital format. Given the amount of material this book provides, from technical illustration and reference to real world problems, solutions and tips, it represents excellent value.
I highlight ‘you’ and ‘covers’ above because you may have a specific area of interest and skill or you may wish to acquire a general knowledge of TFS. As the book states, it is for Developers, Testers, Stakeholders, Project Managers and Business Analysts, TFS Administrators, and Extensibility Partners, i.e. pretty much everyone. It is also clearly structured so that you may choose what areas you are interested in. The authors say the book is not for ‘developers or testers who are just starting out their craft’, however I see no harm in these people reading this book to see and learn all the cogs that are provided by TFS to provide a successful ALM experience.
Given that this book aims to provide so much coverage and is only ~650 pages, there is extensive linking to external resources like MSDN and blog posts. This isn’t a particularly bad thing, however I feel that in some cases the authors should have incorporated the content into the book. With this in mind, remember to have some bookmarks or an internet connection available when reading.
Seeing this books’ Table of Contents reminds one of just how extensive TFS is. There are parts of the book which I skim read, but I know I will go back to reference when needed. I believe the selling point of this book is that it will provide you with direction and answers for your particular skill and a first step reference to the other parts of TFS when you encounter them.
I unreservedly recommend Professional Team Foundation Server 2010 for your bookshelf (be it physical or virtual).
My Rating
- For Beginner / Intermediate Users: 5 / 5
- For Experienced Users: 4 / 5
Mike
Mike Fourie 
Professional Team Foundation Server 2010 I’ve always wanted to write a technical book and when I started getting involved in Team Foundation Server I thought that this technology area might be my chance.