14 DAY TRIAL // Microsoft is providing a set of free training resources designed to streamline adoption and usage of Windows Server AppFabric. For those that are not familiar with Windows Server AppFabric yet, the solution is designed to simplify the development and management of both web and composite applications running on top of Internet Information Services (IIS), as well as ensure that customers can easily scale them. The new Windows Server AppFabric tutorials are available free of charge through the Microsoft Download Center and offer resources focused on service management training, as well as an appendix detailing the creation of the dependent application.
“There are two tutorials, one using the Windows Server AppFabric interface, and the other using Windows PowerShell. Both tutorials demonstrate how you can use Windows Server AppFabric to manage services by walking you through a simple purchase order service. The appendix describes the steps for building the purchase order service,” Microsoft stated. “We recommend going through the Windows Server AppFabric interface tutorial first, because it provides the background information for both tutorials.”
In the second half of May 2010, early adopters got the chance to download and test the Release Candidate development milestone of Windows Server AppFabric. The RC bits were available only for a short time to testers, with the final release of the technologies available as of early June 2010. The RTM Build of Windows Server AppFabric can be grabbed via the link below, and leveraged in concert with the tutorials by customers that wish to become familiar with the product.
Windows Server AppFabric extends Windows Server to make managing WCF and WF services built on .NET Framework 4 easier. Windows Server AppFabric includes Windows PowerShell cmdlets that enable you to manage applications from the command line or via scripts. Windows Server AppFabric also integrates with Internet Information Services (IIS) providing management and monitoring tools within the IIS Management console.
Windows Server AppFabric RTM is available for download here.