14 DAY TRIAL // Microsoft has updated the tools that enable Visual Studio 2010 developers to build projects targeting Windows Azure.
Windows Azure Tools for Microsoft Visual Studio 2010 1.5 (September 2011) are now available for download from the software giant, free of charge, just as has always been the case. Of course, with the exception of the Express edition, all other Visual Studio 2010 SKUs cost quite a bit of money.
What the company is offering through the Download Center is the standalone resources necessary to deploy Windows Azure Tools for Microsoft Visual Studio 2010 1.5 (September 2011) manually.
However, Microsoft would like developers take another approach to installation. “Install Windows Azure Tools for Microsoft Visual Studio 2010 using the Web Platform Installer. You can automate the installation with the WebPICmd Command-Line Tool using the AppID: WindowsAzureToolsVS2010,” the company said.
“Windows Azure Tools for Microsoft Visual Studio extend Visual Studio 2010 to enable the creation, configuration, building, debugging, running, packaging and deployment of scalable web applications and services on Windows Azure,” the company added.
Windows Azure SDK 1.4 (March 2011) is one of the requirements of Windows Azure Tools for Visual Studio 2010 1.5 September 2011.
However, those developers that need to leverage WebDeploy will also have to deploy Windows Azure SDK 1.4.1 Refresh, available through the Web Platform Installer.
The updated Windows Azure Tools for Microsoft Visual Studio 2010 1.5 (September 2011) comes after just a day since Microsoft started offering the Windows Azure Platform Training Kit - September 2011 Update.
“The September 2011 update of the training kit includes updated hands-on labs for the Windows Azure SDK/Tools version 1.5 (September 2011.) The September update also includes a new hands-on lab for Service Bus Messaging, which demonstrates how to send and receive messages using the new Service Bus Message Queues and Topics that were just released,” revealed a member of the Windows Azure team.
Windows Azure Tools for Visual Studio 2010 1.5 September 2011 are available for download here.
The Windows Azure Platform Training Kit September 2011 Update is available for download here.