The excellent Windows Azure Training Kit has just been updated for December.  I always recommend this as a good starting point when I’m talking to customers and partners about getting their hands dirty with all the major aspects of the Windows Azure Platform for the first time.

December update brings back and refreshes all the demos and labs to include the new features announced at PDC 2009, including developer information about Microsoft Codename “Dallas”.

Here’s the full overview of what’s included in the kit:

Hands On Labs

• Introduction to Windows Azure
• Exploring Windows Azure Storage
• Deploying and Monitoring Applications in Windows Azure
• Windows Azure: Worker Role Communication
• Federated Authentication in a Windows Azure Web Role Application
• Building ASP.NET Web Form Applications with Windows Azure
• Introduction to SQL Azure
• Migrating Databases to SQL Azure
• SQL Azure: Tips and Tricks
• Intro to Dallas
• Introduction to the .NET Service Bus
• Introduction to the .NET Access Control Service
• Service Remoting with Service Bus
• Eventing with the Service Bus

• Windows Azure Platform Overview (C9 - VIDEO)
• What is Windows Azure? (C9 - VIDEO)
• Windows Azure Storage Overview (C9 - VIDEO)
• Deploying Applications on Windows Azure (C9 - VIDEO)
• Windows Azure Compute (C9 - VIDEO)
• Introduction to Windows Azure (PPTX)
• Building Services with Windows Azure (PPTX)
• What is SQL Azure? (C9 - VIDEO)
• Introduction to SQL Azure (PPTX)
• Building Applications using SQL Azure (PPTX)
• Scaling out with SQL Azure
• What is Microsoft Codename "Dallas"? (C9 - VIDEO)
• Introduction to Microsoft Codename "Dallas" (PPTX)
• What is the Access Control Service (C9 - VIDEO)
• Introduction to the Service Bus (C9 - VIDEO)

• Deploying Windows Azure Services
• Hello Windows Azure
• Windows Azure Guestbook Demo
• Windows Azure Logging and Configuration Demo
• Windows Azure using Blobs Demo
• Windows Azure Worker Role Demo
• Windows Azure Using Queues Demo
• Windows Azure Using Tables Demo
• Preparing your SQL Azure Account
• Connecting to SQL Azure
• Managing Logins and Security in SQL Azure
• Creating Objects in SQL Azure
• Migrating a Database Schema to SQL Azure
• Moving Data Into and Out Of SQL Azure using SSIS
• Building a Simple SQL Azure App
• Scaling Out SQL Azure with Database Sharding
• AppFabric Service Bus Direct Connection Demo
• AppFabric Service Bus webHttpRelayBinding
• AppFabric Service Bus Publish and Subscribe
• AppFabric Service Bus Service Registry
• AppFabric Service Bus NetOneWayRelayBinding

• Windows Azure MMC
• Windows Azure Service Management CmdLets
• PhluffyFotos

You can download the latest kit here.