Pushbaby is a simple tool for server software deployment on Windows.

In stark contrast to human childbirth, Pushbaby makes deploying your applications quite easy.

You might find it useful if you are deploying more than a just a website or find it a pain to connect to your production server.

(1) Glides though firewalls
Forget FTP. No need to talk to Colin from IT. Pushbaby works on port 80.

(2) Easy configuration
A simple alternative to MSDeploy.

(3) Progress in real time
Don't hang your build server. Your deployment script output is streamed back as it runs.

1. On your build server, Pushbaby.Client pushes the build output to your destination server(s).
2. On the destination server, Pushbaby.Service executes your own custom deployment script.
3. The standard output is streamed back to your build server through Pushbaby.Client.

Additional features include payload compession, parallel destination uploading and "snaked" deployment directories for atomic activation.

Pushbaby doesn't help with specific deployment tasks like web server configuration. It just executes your bat file (or whatever) on the destination server.

Put the Pushbaby.Client folder on your build server or in your source tree.
Put the Pushbaby.Service folder on your destination server(s).

In the Pushbaby.Service.exe.config, set the values:

• uri - the URI to listen on. See MSDN for the http.sys prefix format.
• sharedSecret - an encryption key for secure communication over the network.
• deploymentDirectory - the path of the directory in which to place the payload.
• executableFile - the path of the file to run when the payload has arrived.

For example:

<pushbaby>
  <endpoints>
    <endpoint uri="http://+:80/pushbaby/"
              sharedSecret="some-secure-key"
              deploymentDirectory="c:\deployments"
              executableFile="c:\deployments\deployment-script.bat" />
  </endpoints>
</pushbaby>

Write the deployment script, perhaps as a batch file, to perform the work on the server you need to do. Pushbaby passes the path to the uploaded payload as the first argument to the script.

Open an Administrator command window.

cd C:\Windows\Microsoft.NET\Framework\v4.0.30319
installutil {path-to-Pushbaby.Service.exe}

In the Windows Services UI, set the logon of the service to a user with necessary (probably Administrator) rights. Start the service.

To uninstall use the /u switch.

In the Pushbaby.Client.exe.config, set the value:

• sharedSecret - to the same as you used on the server.

Call Pushbaby as the last step in your build process.

Pushbaby.Client {path-of-file-or-directory-to-upload} {destination-1} [{destination-2} ...] [/tag:{some-tag}]

For example:

Pushbaby.Client "D:\Builds\Foobler.1.2.0.1234" "http://www.example.com/pushbaby/"

The /tag argument will be appended to the payload name, if supplied. The name of the source file or directory is used by default.

How do I know the service is running correctly? Open the endpoint URI in your web browser.

Can I deploy more than one application to the same server? Yes, you can specify multiple endpoints if necessary.

<pushbaby>
  <endpoints>
    <endpoint uri="http://+:80/pushbaby-my-app-beta/" ... />
    <endpoint uri="http://+:80/pushbaby-my-app-live/" ... />
  </endpoints>
</pushbaby>

How secure is Pushbaby? Don't I need to set up SSL? The design is intended to obviate the need for a secure transport.

This code was designed to solve a problem and as an exercise in network programming. This code has not been reviewed by a security professional.

This is a terrible idea.

Eric Lippert

You should of used SSH.

Colin from IT