14 DAY TRIAL // 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.