December was a big month for Windows Azure. Lots of new technology announcements as detailed at the  Learn Windows Azure event (available for viewing on Channel 9):

• Node.js support
• Updates to Windows Azure Plugin for Eclipse with Java
• Increased size for SQL Azure Databases - up to 150GB now
• Release of SQL Azure Federation
• Out-going bandwidth and CDN price reductions:
• From $0.15 down to $0.12 per GB in North America and Europe
• From $0.20 down to $0.19 per GB for the rest of the world

Most significantly for many was the new Windows Azure site and sign-up experience and the new Windows Azure Trial accounts and MSDN Accounts which are now completely risk-free given the institution of “spending limits”.

See Jim O'Neil's Blog for more details.

Terry Clancy