14 DAY TRIAL // Microsoft has updated a resource designed to help customers make the best out of Cloud offerings such as Windows Azure, SQL Azure, and the Windows Azure AppFabric services.
The Windows Azure Platform Training Kit - November Update went live on the Microsoft Download Center recently and is available free of charge as was the case with previous releases of the kit.
The new refresh of the Windows Azure Platform Training Kit is designed to accompany the recent release of Windows Azure Tools and SDK 1.3.
Developers already familiar with the SDK and the evolution of Windows Azure already know that Microsoft is working to introduce new features to its Cloud platform, and in this regard, they should take the new version of the software development kit out for a spin.
“The November update provides new and updated hands-on labs for the Windows Azure November 2010 enhancements and the Windows Azure Tools for Microsoft Visual Studio 1.3.
“These new hands-on labs demonstrate how to use new Windows Azure features such as Virtual Machine Role, Elevated Privileges, Full IIS, and more.
“This release also includes hands-on labs that were updated in late October 2010 to demonstrate some of the new Windows Azure AppFabric services that were announced at the Professional Developers Conference including the Windows Azure AppFabric Access Control Service, Caching Service, and the Service Bus,” Microsoft stated.
The promise from the Redmond company is that the hands-on labs, presentations, and demos packaged into the kit will be continually updated in order to keep up the pace with the evolution of Windows Azure.
The next update is planned for introduction by mid-December 2010 an will be tailored to the new Windows Azure November enhancements and SDK/Tools release.
According to the software giant: “some of the specific changes with the November update of the training kit include:
•Updated all hands-on labs to use the new Windows Azure Tools for Visual Studio November 2010 (version 1.3) release
•New hands-on lab "Advanced Web and Worker Role" – shows how to use admin mode and startup tasks
•New hands-on lab "Connecting Apps With Windows Azure Connect" – shows how to use Windows Azure Connected (formerly Project "Sydney")
•New hands-on lab "Virtual Machine Role" – shows how to get started with VM Role by creating and deploying a VHD
•New hands-on lab "Windows Azure CDN" – simple introduction to the CDN
•New hands-on lab "Introduction to the Windows Azure AppFabric Service Bus Futures" – shows how to use the new Service Bus features in the AppFabric labs environment
•New hands-on lab "Building Windows Azure Apps with Caching Service" – shows how to use the new Windows Azure AppFabric Caching service
•New hands-on lab "Introduction to the AppFabric Access Control Service V2" – shows how to build a simple web application that supports multiple identity providers
•Updated hands-on lab "Introduction to Windows Azure" - updated to use the new Windows Azure platform Portal
•Updated hands-on lab "Introduction to SQL Azure" - updated to use the new Windows Azure platform Portal.”
The Windows Azure Platform Training Kit - November Update is available for download here. Windows Azure SDK and Windows Azure Tools for Microsoft Visual Studio (November 2010) is available for download here.