# Overview

The ESP Deployment Pipeline project is an effort to automate the deployment of the ESP application suite (built by ESS) into customer environments using Azure DevOps (AzDO) YAML pipelines and PowerShell scripts.

We are the third team to inherit this work. Team Ludo started it, got the build working in AzDO, and began deployment work before being reassigned. We pick up from there.

# Quick Reference - Key Concepts

| Concept         | What it is                                           | Notes File                     |
| --------------- | ---------------------------------------------------- | ------------------------------ |
| ESP             | Suite of apps deployed per-customer                  | [[ESP Applications]]           |
| AzDO Pipeline   | YAML-based CI/CD pipeline in Azure DevOps            | [[ESP Pipeline]]               |
| PowerShell Arch | Three-tier script architecture (T1/T2/T3)            | [[ESP Scripts]]                |
| Manifest        | Config file defining a customer environment          | [[ESP Manifest]]               |
| Dacpac          | Packaged SQL Server DB schema deployment             | [[ESP Database]]               |
| Stages          | Validate / Prerequisites / Predeploy / Deploy / Post | [[ESP Deploy Stages]]          |
| Known Issues    | Pain points, risks, and gaps                         | [[ESP Known Issues and Risks]] |
| Open Questions  | Things still TBC or not yet designed                 | [[ESP OQ]]                     |
| Glossary        | Terminology reference                                | [[ESP Glossary]]               |

# Context — Why This Project Exists

  - Few original ESS engineers remain; those left are on paid customer work
  - Manual deployments are slow, risky, and rely on tribal knowledge
  - Business goal: *all deployments are consistently repeatable with no manual VM work*
  - Initial scope: ROMAC DEV environment only
  - Future scope: all environments including PROD and ESS's own data centre

# Team History

| Team      | Contribution                                            | Current Status              |
| --------- | ------------------------------------------------------- | --------------------------- |
| ESS       | Built ESP; wrote original deployment docs               | Mostly departed             |
| Team Ludo | Full ESP build in AzDO; started deploy pipeline; dacpac | Reassigned to customer work |
| Our Team  | Inheriting deploy pipeline work                         | Active                      |

# Existing Resources to Review

  - Handover from Team Ludo: `ESP_Pipeline_Handover.docx`
  - Ludo deployment docs: `DEPLOY.md` (in Repos)
  - Ludo deploy scripts: `deploy` folder (in Repos)
  - ESP Main Build pipeline: AzDO → Pipelines → `ESS.esp Main Build`
  - ESP Deploy Pipeline: AzDO → Pipelines → `ESS.esp Deploy`

# File Index

| File                           | Contents                                |
| ------------------------------ | --------------------------------------- |
| [[ESS ESP Index]]              | This file — master index                |
| [[ESP Applications]]           | ESP app suite breakdown                 |
| [[ESP Pipeline]]               | AzDO pipeline structure and concepts    |
| [[ESP Scripts]]                | Three-tier PowerShell architecture      |
| [[ESP Manifest]]               | Manifest design and purpose             |
| [[ESP Database]]               | Database, dacpac, and SQL concerns      |
| [[ESP Deploy Stages]]          | Stages of deployment — detail per stage |
| [[ESP Known Issues and Risks]] | Known issues and risks                  |
| [[ESP OQ]]                     | TBC items and open design questions     |
| [[ESP Glossary]]               | Glossary of all technical terms         |
