Windows Azure Platform Training Kit October 2011 Update

The latest refresh to the training content for Microsoft’s Cloud platform is now available for download.

The Windows Azure Platform Training Kit - October Update went live on the Microsoft Download Center on October 27, 2011, and is up for grabs free of charge, just as it was the case for all its predecessors.

It’s in the software giant’s best interest to ensure that customers get as much insight into its Cloud platform as possible, since, unlike the training, using the actual platform is far from free.

However, the Redmond company continues to provide a free trial of Windows Azure which allows testers to see just what they’re signing up for.

The Training Kit offered by Microsoft covers not just the Windows Azure OS, by also the Cloud data platform, SQL Azure as well as Windows Azure AppFabric.

Microsoft has made somewhat of a tradition out of updating the kit on a monthly basis, continually enriching the technical content.

Case in point: the October 2011 Update.

The software giant revealed that the “October 2011 update of the training kit includes the following updates:

• [New Hands-On Lab] SQL Azure Data-tier Applications

• [New Hands-On Lab] SQL Azure Data Sync

• [New Hands-On Lab] SQL Azure Federations

• [New Demo] Provisioning Logical Servers using Cmdlets Demo

• [New Demo] Parallel Computing on Azure - Travelling Salesman Demo

• [Updated] SQL Azure Labs and Demos with the new portal and tooling experience.”

In addition to the list of changes enumerated above, Microsoft also stressed that there are a number of minor fixes which were introduced to the content already available ahead of this update.

There are two versions of the kit available for download, a web installer or the full standalone release, and customers can opt for either one.

The Windows Azure Platform Training Kit - October 2011 Update is available for download here.