Azure SDK 1.3 / Tools AND Azure Training Kit November Update
We have just release the 1.3 version of the Azure SDK, Azure Tools for Visual Studio and the Training Kit. This is the information and links for them:
Azure Software Development Kit (SDK) 1.3:
- Virtual Machine (VM) Role (Beta): Allows you to create a custom VHD image using Windows Server 2008 R2 and host it in the cloud.
- Remote Desktop Access: Enables connecting to individual service instances using a Remote Desktop client.
- Full IIS Support in a Web role: Enables hosting Windows Azure web roles in a IIS hosting environment.
- Elevated Privileges: Enables performing tasks with elevated privileges within a service instance.
- Virtual Network (CTP): Enables support for Windows Azure Connect, which provides IP-level connectivity between on-premises and Windows Azure resources.
- Diagnostics: Enhancements to Windows Azure Diagnostics enable collection of diagnostics data in more error conditions.
- Networking Enhancements: Enables roles to restrict inter-role traffic, fixed ports on InputEndpoints.
- Performance Improvement: Significant performance improvement local machine deployment.
Windows Azure Tools for Microsoft Visual Studio also includes:
- C# and VB Project creation support for creating a Windows Azure Cloud application solution with multiple roles.
- Tools to add and remove roles from the Windows Azure application.
- Tools to configure each role.
- Integrated local development via the compute emulator and storage emulator services.
- Running and Debugging a Cloud Service in the Development Fabric.
- Browsing cloud storage through the Server Explorer.
- Building and packaging of Windows Azure application projects.
- Deploying to Windows Azure.
- Monitoring the state of your services through the Server Explorer.
- Debugging in the cloud by retrieving IntelliTrace logs through the Server Explorer.
Windows Azure Platform Training Kit - November Update
The November update provides new and updated hands-on labs for the Windows Azure November 2010 enhancements and the Windows Azure Tools for Microsoft Visual Studio 1.3. These new hands-on labs demonstrate how to use new Windows Azure features such as Virtual Machine Role, Elevated Privileges, Full IIS, and more. This release also includes hands-on labs that were updated in late October 2010 to demonstrate some of the new Windows Azure AppFabric services that were announced at the Professional Developers Conference (https://microsoftpdc.com) including the Windows Azure AppFabric Access Control Service, Caching Service, and the Service Bus.
Some of the specific changes with the November update of the training kit include:
- Updated all hands-on labs to use the new Windows Azure Tools for Visual Studio November 2010 (version 1.3) release
- New hands-on lab "Advanced Web and Worker Role" – shows how to use admin mode and startup tasks
- New hands-on lab "Connecting Apps With Windows Azure Connect" – shows how to use Windows Azure Connected (formerly Project "Sydney")
- New hands-on lab "Virtual Machine Role" – shows how to get started with VM Role by creating and deploying a VHD
- New hands-on lab "Windows Azure CDN" – simple introduction to the CDN
- New hands-on lab "Introduction to the Windows Azure AppFabric Service Bus Futures" – shows how to use the new Service Bus features in the AppFabric labs environment
- New hands-on lab "Building Windows Azure Apps with Caching Service" – shows how to use the new Windows Azure AppFabric Caching service
- New hands-on lab "Introduction to the AppFabric Access Control Service V2" – shows how to build a simple web application that supports multiple identity providers
- Updated hands-on lab "Introduction to Windows Azure" - updated to use the new Windows Azure platform Portal
- Updated hands-on lab "Introduction to SQL Azure" - updated to use the new Windows Azure platform Portal
Note: The presentations and demo scripts in the training kit will be updated in early December 2010 to reflect the new Windows Azure November enhancements and SDK/Tools release.