14 DAY TRIAL // Starting with IIS7 and Windows Server 2008, Microsoft has increased the focus on luring LAMP engineers and developers towards its platform and adjacent technologies. One aspect of the Redmond company's efforts in this regard is ensuring that PHP on Windows delivers the same level of performance as on the open-source Linux operating system, with the FastCGI Extension for IIS. Moving onward, Microsoft is also providing the necessary resources for developers to start building PHP applications tailored to Windows, Internet Information Services, and SQL rather than Linux, Apache and MySQL. In this regard, the April 2009 release of the PHP on Windows Training Kit is now available for download.
“We just launched the PHP on Windows Training Kit that developers can use to learn how to build PHP applications using Windows, IIS 7 and SQL Server 2008 taking full advantage of the platform,” explained Paolo Barone, academic developer evangelist, Microsoft. “The guide includes demos and hands-on labs covering several aspects of the various capabilities that the Windows platform allows PHP developers to use.”
In March 2009, a number of LAMP engineers won trips to Redmond in a contest that awarded the highest number of PHP/Pearl applications that could be transitioned to Windows Server 2008 and made available across the web with IIS 7.0. No less than 71 apps were ported out of 75 possible, showing that PHP could find a home on Windows Server and IIS.
“PHP & SQL Server Demos: Integrating SQL Server Geo-Spatial with PHP and SQL Server Reporting Services and PHP. PHP & SQL Server Hands On Labs: Introduction to Using SQL Server with PHP and Using Full Text Search over Office Documents in PHP. PHP on Windows Hands On Labs: IIS Access Control Features for PHP; Using IIS 7.0 Media Features in a PHP Application; Troubleshooting PHP; and Migrating PHP Applications to IIS 7.0,” Barone added.