Customers and developers preparing to embrace Microsoft’s Cloud platform have a wide variety of resources to take advantage of in order to familiarize themselves with the technology. Case in point: the Windows Azure Platform Training Kit. With the Kit, Microsoft offers what it referred to as a comprehensive collection of technical content designed to streamline the adoption of Windows Azure. Just ahead of Christmas, the software giant updated the Windows Azure Platform Training Kit with new content, and the resource is now available via the Microsoft Download Center.

“The Azure Services Training Kit includes a comprehensive set of technical content including hands-on labs, presentations, and demos that are designed to help you learn how to use the Windows Azure platform including: Windows Azure, SQL Azure and AppFabric. The December release includes new and updated labs in addition to information about Microsoft Codename “Dallas”,” Microsoft stated.

Windows Azure’s official launch in November 2009 at the Professional Developers Conference 2009 (PDC09) in Los Angeles was not synonymous with General Availability. In fact, only at the start of January 2010 will Microsoft remove the Community Technology Preview label from Windows Azure. Since the release in November, customers have continued to test drive Windows Azure CTP completely for free, and will be able to do so until February 2010.

Even though Windows Azure will make its debut as a production service for paying customers on January 1st, 2010, Microsoft will not charge users. The first month will instead be reserved for testing the production provisioning systems and for the validation of the billing systems. Windows Azure billing will only debut on February 1st.

David Jung, a Developer Technology specialist for Microsoft, focused on the Communications Sector vertical industry within North America, enumerated the changes brought to the table by the December update for the Windows Azure Platform Training Kit:

Hands On Labs

Introduction to Windows Azure
Exploring Windows Azure Storage
Deploying and Monitoring Applications in Windows Azure
Windows Azure: Worker Role Communication
Federated Authentication in a Windows Azure Web Role Application
Building ASP.NET Web Form Applications with Windows Azure
Introduction to SQL Azure
Migrating Databases to SQL Azure
SQL Azure: Tips and Tricks
Intro to Dallas
Introduction to the .NET Service Bus
Introduction to the .NET Access Control Service
Service Remoting with Service Bus
Eventing with the Service Bus

Presentations and Videos

Windows Azure Platform Overview (C9 - VIDEO)
What is Windows Azure? (C9 - VIDEO)
Windows Azure Storage Overview (C9 - VIDEO)
Deploying Applications on Windows Azure (C9 - VIDEO)
Windows Azure Compute (C9 - VIDEO)
Introduction to Windows Azure (PPTX)
Building Services with Windows Azure (PPTX)
What is SQL Azure? (C9 - VIDEO)
Introduction to SQL Azure (PPTX)
Building Applications using SQL Azure (PPTX)
Scaling out with SQL Azure (PPTX)
What is Microsoft Codename "Dallas"? (C9 - VIDEO)
Introduction to Microsoft Codename "Dallas" (PPTX)
What is the Access Control Service (C9 - VIDEO)
Introduction to the Service Bus (C9 - VIDEO)

Demos

Deploying Windows Azure Services
Hello Windows Azure
Windows Azure Guestbook Demo
Windows Azure Logging and Configuration Demo
Windows Azure using Blobs Demo
Windows Azure Worker Role Demo
Windows Azure Using Queues Demo
Windows Azure Using Tables Demo
Preparing your SQL Azure Account
Connecting to SQL Azure
Managing Logins and Security in SQL Azure
Creating Objects in SQL Azure
Migrating a Database Schema to SQL Azure
Moving Data Into and Out Of SQL Azure using SSIS
Building a Simple SQL Azure App
Scaling Out SQL Azure with Database Sharding
AppFabric Service Bus Direct Connection Demo
AppFabric Service Bus webHttpRelayBinding
AppFabric Service Bus Publish and Subscribe
AppFabric Service Bus Service Registry
AppFabric Service Bus NetOneWayRelayBinding

Windows Azure Platform Training Kit - December Update is available for download here.