14 DAY TRIAL // Microsoft has updated the collection of CmdLets offered for its Cloud platform to play nice with version 1.3 of the Windows Azure software development kit. The refreshed version of the Windows Azure Service Management Cmdlets are currently available for download from the MSDN Code Gallery for customers that are also leveraging Windows Azure SDK 1.3.
“Until February 7th, 2011 morning, if you had tried to compile the Windows Azure Cmdlets with Windows Azure SDK 1.3 you must have encountered [an error indicating] that compilation is not successful,” reveals Microsoft Avkash Chauhan.
“Further investigation related to compilation failure reveled the following problem:
The Windows Azure Cmdlets project AzureManagementTools.Cmdlets contains a reference to Microsoft.WindowsAzure.StorageClient.dll which still has dependency on Windows SDK 1.2 based Microsoft.WindowsAzure.StorageClient.dll (Version 1.0.0.0) and because in Windows Azure SDK 1.3 this Microsoft.WindowsAzure.StorageClient.dll (Version=1.1.0.0) is updated which cause this compilation problem,” Chauhan added.
The latest Windows Azure Service Management Cmdlets have evolved specifically to allow IT professionals to take advantage of the resources in concert with Windows Azure SDK 1.3.
At the start of February 2011, the software giant also updated the Windows Azure SDK. Customers that upgraded to the latest refresh should be running version 1.3.20121.1237 of the software development kit.
The update offered for the SDK is designed to allow developers to patch their applications and services running on Windows Azure.
According to Microsoft, a security issues was discovered affecting ASP.NET projects created with the 2010 release of the Windows Azure SDK version 1.3, which use the new "Full IIS" feature and also have to have a Web Role deployed.
Customers need to re-package their services and subsequently upgrade or re-deploy their projects to Windows Azure.
“The Windows Azure Service Management CmdLets provides a set of cmdlets that wrap the Windows Azure Management and Diagnostics APIs and enable a user to configure and manage their Windows Azure operations.
“These cmdlets can help you develop and test your Windows Azure applications by making it simple to script out your deployments and upgrades, and quickly scaling out your applications. Furthermore, you can use these cmdlets to set and manage your diagnostic configuration,” Microsoft stated.
Windows Azure SDK and Windows Azure Tools for Microsoft Visual Studio (November 2010) Refresh is available for download here.