Architecture & Stuff

Follow Ignition Showcase on your Windows Phone

Bill Zack MS — Wed, 01 Jun 2011 13:29:07 GMT

Ignition Showcase is a site focused on building and enhancing the vibrant ecosystem of Independent Software Vendors and start-ups on the Microsoft platform. The goal of Ignition Showcase is to bring together the right people and experiences from across...(read more)

Farewell to Architecture and Stuff

Bill Zack MS — Tue, 11 Jan 2011 22:02:12 GMT

I have decided to stop posting to this blog in order to devote more time to posting on our Ignition Showcase Team Blog . If you have enjoyed following my posts here then be aware that I intend to continue to post to the Ignition Showcase blog about Cloud...(read more)

Ignition Showcase 1-4-2011

Bill Zack MS — Tue, 04 Jan 2011 22:14:22 GMT

ISVs and Partners An ISV in the Age of the Cloud Microsoft Partners: Gold & Silver Competencies Explained Multiple Microsoft Technologies Applied Architecture Patterns on the Microsoft Platform Reviewed Windows Azure Updates!...(read more)

Ignition Showcase 12-27-2010

Bill Zack MS — Tue, 28 Dec 2010 16:26:17 GMT

Events Mix11 News Update CRM Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2011 Release Candidate (RC) Latest Links Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2011 Top 10 in 10 xRM Cloud Acceleration Lab Video: Permuta Technologies Cloud/Windows Azure Updates! Drive Demand and Close Sales...(read more)

Visual Studio LightSwitch – New .NET Development Paradigm

Bill Zack MS — Thu, 23 Dec 2010 22:33:32 GMT

This post will be covering a new tool from Microsoft, Visual Studio LightSwitch, currently in Beta. [UPDATE: Added links to The Anatomy of a LightSwitch Application post series at the end of this post] We will be talking specifically about: What it is...(read more)

Hyper-V Survival Guide

Bill Zack MS — Thu, 23 Dec 2010 02:21:55 GMT

This is for the ISV who wants to know more about Hyper-V, the basis for Microsoft’s Private Cloud offering, Hyper-V Cloud . Here is a list of Hyper-V references that is probably much more than you need to know about the subject , but it is very...(read more)

Ignition Showcase 12.20.2010

Bill Zack MS — Thu, 23 Dec 2010 02:17:56 GMT

Events Save $500 + One Night Hotel at MIX11 Silverlight PDC 2010 & Silverlight 5 Firestarter Analysis on Connected Show 39 Windows Azure Updates! Windows Azure Training Kit December 2010 Update Windows Azure Platform Learning & Readiness Windows...(read more)

Weekly Azure Updates from OakLeaf Systems

Bill Zack MS — Thu, 23 Dec 2010 02:14:59 GMT

The folks at OakLeaf Systems publish a blog listing interesting Windows Azure posts and update it on a daily basis. In the current post: Azure Blob, Drive, Table and Queue Services SQL Azure Database and Reporting Marketplace DataMarket and OData Windows...(read more)

The Windows Azure Platform Appliance for Everyone? Not!

Bill Zack MS — Thu, 23 Dec 2010 02:11:59 GMT

In the world of Windows Azure there is a major misconception that the Windows Azure Platform Appliance announced at Microsoft's Worldwide Partner Conference (WWPC) in July is Microsoft’s answer to having your own Private Cloud. This is not correct. The...(read more)

Journey to the Cloud

Bill Zack MS — Tue, 21 Dec 2010 21:31:30 GMT

As you can see from the diagram below no company other than Microsoft has so many cloud solutions that you can apply to solving your business needs. What this means for Independent Software Vendors and Partners is that we have truly entered a new generation...(read more)

Windows Azure Training Kit - December 2010 Update

Bill Zack MS — Wed, 15 Dec 2010 23:27:33 GMT

The Windows Azure Platform Training Kit includes a comprehensive set of technical content including hands-on labs, presentations, and demos that are designed to help you learn how to use the Windows Azure platform including: Windows Azure, SQL Azure and...(read more)

Ignition Showcase 12.15.10

Bill Zack MS — Tue, 14 Dec 2010 14:58:50 GMT

Imagine Cup IT Challenge Quiz #6 is December 14! Imagine Cup – Students Solving the Worlds Toughest Problems with Technology Windows Azure Updates! Lost finding information about Windows Azure? Free Windows Azure Training David Pallmann on What's New...(read more)

High Performance Computing – On-Premise and In the Windows Azure Cloud

Bill Zack MS — Mon, 13 Dec 2010 19:58:38 GMT

If you are an ISV with a product or service for industries such as financial services, pharmaceuticals, and others you may be able to make cost-effective use of the technology discussed in this post. Back in June I posted about an Azure High Scale...(read more)

Free Windows Azure Training

Bill Zack MS — Sat, 11 Dec 2010 02:40:53 GMT

Here is an excellent opportunity to get free Windows Azure training. If you are exploring the possibilities with cloud-based applications and Windows Azure then you don’t want to miss this free live training course. “ Developing Cloud Applications...(read more)

Get Windows Essential Business Server Migration Kit (for free) before December 31st!

Bill Zack MS — Fri, 10 Dec 2010 15:19:23 GMT

If you are an Independent Software Vendor currently taking advantage of Microsoft’s Windows Essential Business Server (EBS) you need to be aware that e arlier this year we announced the discontinued future development of EBS. To help partners and customers...(read more)

BizTalk–The Road Ahead

Bill Zack MS — Wed, 08 Dec 2010 17:01:10 GMT

If you are an ISV concerned with the long-term future of BizTalk you should be aware of the BizTalk Roadmap which charts the future of the product. The future for BizTalk holds plans for achieving more On-Premise Server and Cloud Service Symmetry . ...(read more)

Ignition Showcase 12.07.10

Bill Zack MS — Wed, 08 Dec 2010 03:50:32 GMT

Imagine Cup – Students Solving the Worlds Toughest Problems with Technology Silverlight Updates! The Future of Microsoft Silverlight - Silverlight 5 Announced Windows Azure Updates! The Future of Windows Azure AppFabric Windows Azure SDK 1.3 Released...(read more)

Lost finding information about Windows Azure?

Bill Zack MS — Mon, 06 Dec 2010 23:04:01 GMT

If you are an ISV overwhelmed with the tremendous amount of information available about Windows Azure here is an outstanding index to the information on Windows Azure Platform in the MSDN library. This index guides you to the best information on...(read more)

Imagine Cup – Students Solving the Worlds Toughest Problems with Technology

Bill Zack MS — Mon, 06 Dec 2010 17:41:18 GMT

Imagine Cup is the world’s premier student technology competition, sponsored by Microsoft. This annual competition inspires students to create innovative solutions that can help solve some of the world’s toughest problems. In addition, it gives universities...(read more)

David Pallmann on What's New from PDC10, Part 1 - Windows Azure

Bill Zack MS — Mon, 06 Dec 2010 17:29:30 GMT

If you are an ISV thinking about moving your hosted or customer premises based application to the cloud many of the new features announced at PDC10 can help you accomplish your goals. This is another post and video about the Windows Azure announcements...(read more)

Upcoming Azure Boot Camp Webcasts

Bill Zack MS — Fri, 03 Dec 2010 22:23:10 GMT

All over the world Microsoft ISVs, partners and customers have been meeting for an in-depth training program: The Windows Azure Boot Camp. If you could not make it to one of these events then here is your chance to benefit from the material that...(read more)

Sending Email from Azure

Bill Zack MS — Wed, 01 Dec 2010 15:44:49 GMT

On-premise applications often have a need to send email. For instance an order entry system might have to send an email request to an external vendor to drop-ship all or part of an order. An event registration system might have to send email confirmations...(read more)

Windows Azure New Feature–The VM Role

Bill Zack MS — Tue, 30 Nov 2010 19:16:38 GMT

Windows Azure Virtual Machine (VM) Roles allow you to run a customized instance of Windows Server 2008 R2 in Windows Azure, making it easier to move applications to the cloud. A VM Role differs from a Web Role and a Worker Role, because with these roles...(read more)

Windows Azure Platform Training Kit – November Update

Bill Zack MS — Tue, 30 Nov 2010 18:51:49 GMT

There is a newly updated version of the Windows Azure Platform Training Kit that matches the November 2010 SDK 1.3 release. This release of the training kit includes several new hands-on labs for the new Windows Azure features and the new/updated...(read more)

Windows Azure New Features Webcast

Bill Zack MS — Tue, 30 Nov 2010 18:37:00 GMT

On Wednesday December 30 th there will be an an Academy Live webcast to inform developers of the new November 2010 Windows Azure SDK 1.3 release. Getting Started with the Windows Azure November 2010 Release Just a few...(read more)