Get Started

To successfully activate Windows Azure platform benefits BizSpark subscribers will need to go through a three step process:

1. Activate Windows Azure subscription

   • Sign-in to your MSDN benefits page
   • Use the Windows Azure Platform link from MyAccount and follow the steps to “Activate” your MSDN benefits
   • Access Windows Azure through the developer portal
   
   
   
   ⇒ Sign up help

2. Download the tools

   • Visual Studio Developers: Download and Install Windows Azure SDK for .NET. Download the version that matches your version of Visual Studio, either 2010 or 2012.

     Download Windows Azure tools for Visual studio

     Note: If you do not have Visual Studio, Download Visual Studio Express free-of-cost: Visual Studio Express 2012 for Web is a set of free development tools you can download and install before installing Windows Azure SDK for .NET.

     Download Express 2012 Products, Express for Web

   • PHP Developers: The Windows Azure SDK for PHP enables PHP developers to take advantage of the Microsoft Cloud Services Platform -Windows Azure.

     PHP Developer Center

     Windows Azure SDK for PHP (select the version that best fits your development environment)

   • Java Developers: The Windows Azure SDK for Java gives developers a speed dial to leverage Windows Azure Storage services. This SDK is used in the Windows Azure Tools for Eclipse project to develop the Windows Azure Explorer feature.

     Java Developer Center

   • Node.js Developers: Deploy in seconds using Git with Windows, Mac, or Linux.

     Node.js Developer Center

   • Python Developers: Create Python Django web sites, develop Python Django apps with Visual Studio, and more!

     Python Developer Center

   • Mobile Developers: Windows Azure Toolkits for Mobile Devices including iPhone and Android.

     Windows Azure Mobile SDKs

3. Training: The Windows Azure Training Kit includes a comprehensive set of technical content to help you learn how to use Windows Azure and SQL Azure. The training kit has updated content for folks using either Visual Studio 2012 or Visual Studio 2010 tool sets. It also contains plenty of content to help you learn features currently in preview such as Windows Azure Virtual Machine, Windows Azure Virtual Networks and Windows Azure Media Services.

   • Download the Latest Training Kit