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Overview of Resources

RapidDeploy has a feature allowing you to externalise the definitions of some of your deployment resources such that they may be reused by different projects. You can configure resources in RapidDeploy and then link them to any projects. Each resource defines some end point where the actual resource resides, either locally or on a remote server.

Resource types

RapidDeploy currently supports following resource types:

Local file resources links files located in the local FS.

Remote file resources fetches a remote files via server transport plugin to the local file system. You can use any remote server display name defined in the RapidDeploy Infrastructure panel. The connection details for that server definition will be used.

HTTP file resources fetches a remote files via WGet operation to the local file system.

SCM and artifact resources fetch remote content from the respective SCM or artifact repository type.

Resource Formats

RapidDeploy currently supports following formats:

  • Binary Library
  • Data Dictionary
  • Transport Plugin Data
  • Cloud Provider Plugin Data

Binary Library format determine that the resource is 'pull' into your deployment package at either 'Package Creation' time, or deployment time (on the deployment target).

Data Dictionary format determine that the resource could be attached to projects and merged with the project data dictionary. So, dictionary entries set on this resource can be shared among different projects. This entries are synchronised manually on project edition time and also automatically on deployment time. This format is only supported by Local File and Remote File types.

Transport and Cloud Provider Plugin Data formats determine that the resource could be attached to servers definition. So, the plugin data can be set and then shared into different server plugin definition. This enables a way to centralise infrastructure settings among different nodes. This format is only supported by Local File and Remote File types.

Linking projects to resources

Once some resources (Binary / Dictionary) have been defined, you can link them to one or more projects. Linking a project to a resource means that any change made to that resource will be on the next project package operation or deployment to a target (depending on download setting), cause the resource to be created/updated in that target.

Linking servers to resources

Once some resources (Transport / Cloud Preview) have been defined, you can link them to one or more servers. Linking a server to a resource means that any change made to that resource will impact automatically on all servers plugins data.

Local vs Remote download

The resource plugins that allow resources to be downloaded from remote targets can be used in two modes. Choose the mode by setting Download On Target to Yes or No, default is No.

When set to No, the resource is downloaded at package creation time and is included in the deployment package. Use this mode when you want the resource to be included in the package. Use when:

  1. One or more target servers does not have connectivity to the external resource itself.
  2. The external resource is small and changes often.
  3. You want the deployment package to be a point-in-time snapshot of everything that is needed to run the deployment.

When set to Yes, the resource is downloaded at deployment time and is not included in the deployment package. Use this mode when you want the resource to be downloaded directly on the target, for example:

  1. When all the target servers have connectivity to the external resource.
  2. You want to avoid downloading to the RapidDeploy server and then copying from there to the target server.
  3. The external resource is very large. This mode is therefore especially useful for binary installations.