Windows Azure Platform Developer Center

The Microsoft Windows Azure Platform is an Internet-scale cloud services platform hosted in Microsoft data centers. The platform includes the Windows Azure operating system, .NET Services, and SQL Azure.

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Windows Azure Tools and SDK
Windows Azure Tools for Microsoft Visual Studio extend Visual Studio 2008 and Visual Studio 2010 Beta 2 to enable the creation, configuration, building, debugging, running and packaging of scalable web applications and services on Windows Azure. The installation also includes the Windows Azure SDK.
Tuesday, Nov 17

Windows Azure Platform Technologies

Windows Azure

Windows Azure is the cloud services operating system that serves as the development, service hosting, and service management environment for the Windows Azure Platform. Windows Azure provides developers with on-demand compute and storage to host, scale, and manage Internet or cloud applications. and services on the Internet in Microsoft data centers.

Windows Azure supports a consistent development experience through its integration with Visual Studio. In the early stages of CTP, .NET managed applications built using Visual Studio will be supported. Windows Azure is an open platform that will support both Microsoft and non-Microsoft languages and environments. Windows Azure welcomes third-party tools and languages such as Eclipse, Ruby, PHP, and Python.

Windows Azure platform AppFabric

The Microsoft Windows Azure platform is an Internet-scale cloud services platform hosted in Microsoft data centers. The platform includes the Windows Azure operating system, SQL Azure and AppFabric.

Windows Azure platform AppFabric provides secure connectivity as a service to help developers bridge cloud, on-premises, and hosted deployments. AppFabric comprises Service Bus and Access Control, which can be used to build distributed and federated applications as well as services that work across network and organizational boundaries. From simple eventing scenarios to complex protocol tunneling, AppFabric Service Bus gives developers the flexibility to choose how their applications communicate, addressing the challenges presented by firewalls, NATs, dynamic IP, and disparate identity systems. AppFabric Access Control enables simple, secure authorization for RESTful web services that federate with a variety of identiy providers.

SQL Azure

Microsoft SQL Azure extends the capabilities of Microsoft SQL Server into the cloud as a Web-based, distributed relational database. It provides Web services that enable relational queries, search, and data synchronization with mobile users, remote offices and business partners. It can store and retrieve structured, semi-structured, and unstructured data.

"How Do I?" Videos

Windows Azure Resources

	Code Gallery Download or share sample applications or code snippets.
	CodePlex The Microsoft open source project-hosting site.
	Channel 9 Discover Azure Services videos, demonstrations, and interviews.
	MSDN Magazine Get useful Azure Services articles and sample code.