Windows Azure: Cloud Computing in Application Services (Channel 9)

Technical Strategist Steve Marx sits down with us to discuss what Windows Azure means for developers. The basic idea is to make it really simple for developers to deploy web applications and services without having to worry about scaling, management. So, Windows Azure is an operating system in the sense that it abstracts away the infrastructure details of the cloud "machine". Steve takes us through the process of deploying web applications and services without having to worry about scaling or management using cloud computing in Windows Azure.

It's always great to chat with Steve. You'll enjoy this classic style C9 interview Wink

More info on Azure Services, Windows Azure and Cloud Computing:

Windows Azure website.

Cloud Computing Development

Cloud Computing Applications

Application Development Trends-Coming to Terms with Cloud Computing

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Eric Lin

Oct 27, 2008 at 12:33 PM

It makes the programmable web a reality. let's start to get developer to write more and more reusable components on it.
CRPietschmann Chris Pietschmann

Oct 27, 2008 at 1:35 PM

I'm not sure I like the idea of having Microsoft host all of my "cloud" apps with Azure. Will I be able to host my own instance of the Azure platform in my own data center, if I want??
radekg

Oct 27, 2008 at 3:47 PM

Not sure if you understand the idea of Azure but what is the point of having the cloud in your data center? You can deploy win2008 with whatever you need if you want OS in data center.
staceyw Before C# there was darkness...

Oct 27, 2008 at 4:42 PM

Based on http://channel9.msdn.com/posts/Charles/John-Shewchuk-and-Dennis-Pilarinos-Inside-NET-Services/
AFAICT, if you need your service hosted inside your own lan, you can use .Net services and leverage some of the other stuff like auth, but keep your code local. So you can pick and choose what you need.
staceyw Before C# there was darkness...

Oct 27, 2008 at 4:54 PM

Thanks Charles and Steve. Really cool stuff. As it happens, I am looking for hosting for my take on a *witter service with an Astoria backend and a smart client (and SL client in the works after I get better VS-SL support..hint Any chance a fellow 9'er with a new social service can get a "token" for the Azur ctp so I can host it?
getlostyoupest

Oct 28, 2008 at 5:38 AM

why not linking his blog using the azure tech he mentions at the end of his speech?

http://blog.smarx.com/

the editors and posters of channel9 are really lazy basterdz. i kid you not.
BlackTiger If you stumbled and fell down, it doesn't mean yet, that you're going in the wrong direction.

Oct 28, 2008 at 6:02 AM

What do I need to smoke to understand "coolness of cloud"?... No, really.
EdSF

Oct 28, 2008 at 6:38 PM

So why the "barrier" of requiring Vista and Win 2008 Srv just to get going with the SDK (including the tools for VS2008!)?

Can't understand why a "platform independent" solution has this barrier...on the dev side at that?

sigh...
sowmyan

Oct 30, 2008 at 1:48 AM

Great information steve !

I am very much excited on this technology. I had registered in www.azure.com and I have installed azure SDK to work on some sample (ASP.NET Hello world sample) but whenever I try to create host service none of the services are availble there. I noticed the below message.

Register for Services*
*Due to pre-release CTP status, you may be temporarilyplaced on a waiting list for certain services.

Also I noticed that, under the "Account" section in the site, I need to put Resource Token ID and need to claim the token. But I haven't recieved any email with that information.

Any body know how I can get host services to work on some samples ?
Zhe Yang

Oct 30, 2008 at 2:02 AM

The reason why the current CTP doesn't support XP as a dev environment as well as a workaround to get some partial functionality (development storage but not development fabric) working on XP were discussed in this MSDN forum thread.

http://social.msdn.microsoft.com/Forums/en-US/windowsazure/thread/ad40d420-9bb6-452d-b84c-9928349ab2db
mcastilho

Oct 30, 2008 at 9:19 PM

There is a nice blog you can follow info on Azure platform

http://www.azurejournal.com
Jovialn

Nov 19, 2008 at 1:21 PM

I understand that Azure and Microsoft Server 2008 are complementary technologies. Are there plans to help port code for Windows server 2008 to Azure and vice versa. What will be the issues here and what are the limitations as per current implementation of azure.

The idea being that initially a small company might start out with Azure and rely on its scalability solutions. Eventually the company might want to move to self hosted servers using Windows Server 2008. In that case, developers would prefer the transition to be as easy and bug free as possible. Are such scenarios being considered?

What about providing solutions so that users have a inhouse azure environment e.g. My company decides that we need to maintain the data on our own local servers, then all I need to do is go buy say 20 servers, and then use a framework to create a mini azure environment inhouse. There will be maybe 2 fabric controllers which keep in sync and ensure that there is no single point of failure and beyond that all the remaining machines are maintained by these controllers just as azure is doing currently in data centers. Providing such a solution would allow companies to switch between azure in microsoft datacenter and 'mini azure' with their own servers relatively easier.
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