Windows Azure AppFabric Labs SDK August 2010 Update Available

Concomitantly with the Windows Azure AppFabric LABS August 2010 release, Microsoft has also updated the software development kit (SDK) associated with the environment designed to streamline testing experimental AppFabric technologies. The Redmond company debuted and wrapped up the introduction of the Windows Azure AppFabric LABS August Release yesterday, August 5, 2010. At the same time the August Update of the Windows Azure AppFabric Labs SDK went live on the Microsoft Download Center.

As any other SKD, the Windows Azure AppFabric developer resources are designed to provide developers not only with access to the necessary APIs to build on top of Microsoft’s Cloud offerings but also with tools, documentation, and samples. Essentially, the SDK is meant to make it as easy as possible to develop applications leveraging the Windows Azure AppFabric in the Labs environment.

“The Windows Azure AppFabric Labs environment is where the AppFabric team showcases early versions of the services,” Microsoft stated. The Windows Azure platform AppFabric LABS Environment was introduced in March 2010. With the latest updated delivered to the environment, the software giant has kicked up a notch Access Control Service (ACS).

“The August release of the Labs environment contains a radically different version of the Access Control Service (ACS),” the Redmond company revealed. Microsoft’s Justin Smith highlighted some of the features of the Windows Azure AppFabric Labs August 2010 update:

“•Integrates with Windows Identity Foundation (WIF) and tooling
•Out-of-the-box support for popular web identity providers including: Windows Live ID, Google, Yahoo, and Facebook
•Out-of-the-box support for Active Directory Federation Server v2.0
•Support for OAuth WRAP, WS-Trust, and WS-Federation protocols
•Support for the SAML 1.1, SAML 2.0, and Simple Web Token (SWT) token formats
•Integrated and customizable Home Realm Discovery that allows users to choose their identity provider
•An OData-based Management Service that provides programmatic access to ACS configuration
•A Web Portal that allows administrative access to ACS configuration.”

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