Updated Windows Azure SDK CTP Available for Download

Developers building applications designed for Microsoft’s Cloud operating system now have available for download a fresh release of the Windows Azure software development kit. As of July 20, 2009, the Microsoft Download Center is offering an updated Community Technology Preview of the Windows Azure SDK. The resource brings to the table the application programming interfaces (APIs), but also the tools, code samples and the associated documentation necessary to streamline the building of projects on top of Windows Azure.

“The Windows Azure SDK supports developing and deploying services containing multiple web and worker roles. A service must include at least one role, of either type, and may include zero or more web roles, and zero or more worker roles,” revealed a member of the Windows Azure team. “The new PowershellRole sample hosts the Powershell runtime within a Windows Azure role. It demonstrates a simple remote console web role as well as a worker role whose implementation is a Powershell script. The host also includes the CloudDrive sample snap-in to provide access to Windows Azure Storage from script.”

At the start of the past week, Microsoft revealed that it would launch version 1 of Windows Azure in November 2009, at the company's Professional Developer Conference 2009. At the same time, the software giant also made public the pricing model for its Cloud operating system. Come November, customers in 21 markets around the world will have access to tailored offerings, the Redmond company indicated.

“The Windows Azure platform is an internet-scale cloud computing services platform hosted in Microsoft data centers. The Windows Azure platform, which provides a range of functionality to build applications that span from consumer Web to enterprise scenarios, includes a cloud services operating system and a set of developer services. Windows Azure, Microsoft SQL Azure and Microsoft .NET Services are the key components of the Windows Azure platform. Windows Azure provides developers on-demand compute and storage capabilities to host, scale, and manage web applications on the internet through Microsoft data centers,” Microsoft noted.

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