The Azure™ Services Platform is designed to help developers quickly and easily create, deploy, manage, and distribute web applications and services.
Windows® Azure is a runtime environment in the cloud that delivers on-demand compute, storage, and automated systems management. Windows Azure provides developers with the ability to host, scale, and manage Web applications on the Internet through Microsoft® data centers.
Watch this video to see how to build and deploy on Windows Azure
Get Started Quickly Using Your Existing Skills. Windows Azure reduces barriers to entry to creating reliable and scalable web applications because it is an open platform that supports both Microsoft and non-Microsoft technologies allowing developers to build applications and services on Windows Azure using their existing Microsoft® Visual Studio® 2008 or non-Microsoft programming languages and tools, such as PHP.
Standards Based Platform. Windows Azure supports popular standards and protocols including SOAP, REST, and XML. Using the Windows Azure tools, developers can build, debug, and deploy to Windows Azure directly from their existing development environment.
Control and Scalability. Developers have control of their environment and can specify their own performance standards while paying only for the resources needed for their applications. New Fabric Controller technology in Windows Azure provides developers with the ability to upgrade applications without interruption. Windows Azure includes tracing, logging, and monitoring functionality, giving insight into resource usage and performance.
Live Services are a set of building blocks for handling user data and application resources. Live Services provides developers with an easy on-ramp to build rich social applications and experiences that can connect with over 460 million Windows Live users. Live Services includes Mesh technologies for synchronizing user’s data and extending web applications across multiple devices.
Watch this video to learn about Live Services
Jumpstart traffic to your site. Engage with over 460 million users on Windows Live.
Embed social building blocks. Live Services provides comprehensive user centric services that include Identity, Directory, Communication and Presence, Geospatial, Search, and Mesh services. Build rich social applications and put the user at the center of the things they care about.
Connect across digital devices. Live Services includes Mesh technologies for synchronizing users’ data and extending web applications across multiple devices. Offer the same great applications online, offline, and connect the power of the web with rich client experiences across a world of digital devices.
During the Community Technology Preview (CTP), all developers can download both the Windows Azure SDK and the Windows Azure Tools for Microsoft Visual Studio, and simulate a hosted environment on their local system. Developers will also have access to a suite of readiness resources including virtual hands-on labs, webcasts, and documentation such as white papers. Support will be provided through developer-to-developer blogs and forums.
Developers can register for the CTP program, which includes attendees of the Microsoft Professional Developers Conference 2008 (PDC), will be able to host their services in Windows Azure through Microsoft data centers. Developers will also receive free trial access to the rich set of cloud-optimized modular components including Microsoft SQL Azure, Live Services, and Microsoft .NET Services.
Register here to access Azure services*
* As part of pre-release community review, limited allocation of registration slots may temporarily place you on a waiting list until additional slots open up
