Microsoft has taken the development tools associated with its Cloud operating system to the next level. In this regard, developers are able to download new Community Technology Preview releases of the Windows Azure software development kit and the Windows Azure Tools for Microsoft Visual Studio. The two CTP builds went live on the Microsoft Download Center over the course of the past two days and are now up for grabs for developers looking to build applications and services designed to integrate with Windows Azure. Microsoft emphasized that both the Azure SDK and the Azure Tools had been updated to play nice with the first Beta development milestone of Visual Studio 2010.

“Developers will be able to take advantage of the Windows Azure CTP improvements via the Windows Azure SDK update which is now available for download. The SDK update includes: enhanced robustness and stability; and improved Visual Studio integration with Development Fabric and Development Storage,” revealed a member of the Windows Azure team.

Windows Azure Software Development Kit (May2009 CTP) offers developers a complete package with APIs, tools, documentation but also code samples designed to streamline development of scalable distributed web services and apps for Windows Azure. The SDK is an integral part of the extensions Microsoft is delivering for both Visual Studio 2008 and Visual Studio 2010 Beta 1, packaged as Windows Azure Tools for Microsoft Visual Studio.

“Windows Azure Tools for Visual Studio now supports using Visual Studio 2010 Beta 1 to develop scalable web applications and services deployed to Windows Azure. It also installs the May CTP of the Windows Azure SDK. The Windows Azure Tools CTP specifically includes: Microsoft Visual Studio 2010 Beta 1 support; update for Visual Studio 2008 support; improved integration with the Development Fabric and Storage services to improve the reliability of debug and run of Cloud Services from Visual Studio; and enhanced robustness and stability,” the Azure team representative added.

Windows Azure Tools for Microsoft Visual Studio May 2009 CTP is available for download here.

Windows Azure Software Development Kit (May 2009 CTP) is available for download here.

Visual Studio 2010 Beta 1 is available for download here.