MSDEV presents a series of videos on security of your application on Windows Azure. Graham Calladine, Security Architect with Microsoft Services, describes the issues, the shared responsibility, and what you need to do to secure your application.

Each video is between 15 and 45 minutes.

The Windows Azure Platform Security Essentials Series includes six free on-demand videos:

Windows Azure Platform Security Essentials: For Business Decision Makers

In this video, Graham answers the most common security concerns CxOs and other business decision-makers have regarding the security of their data in Windows Azure cloud platform.

You’ll learn about:

• The security controls that Azure has in place to help protect the customer applications and data
• A brief description of physical data storage and replication capabilities associated with Windows Azure Storage
• Security aspects of design of Azure infrastructure and how Microsoft secures its datacenters.

Windows Azure Platform Security Essentials: For Technical Decision Makers

In this video, Graham answers the most common security concerns CxOs and other technical decision-makers have regarding the security of their data in Windows Azure cloud platform.

The talk covers:

• The security controls that Azure has in place to help protect the customer applications and data
• An architecture overview of each of the Windows Azure Storage components (blobs, tables, queues and drives)
• SQL Azure and SQL Azure security (including similarities and differences to the on-premises installation of SQL Server)
• How Microsoft secures its datacenters.

Windows Azure Platform Security Essentials: Security Architecture

In this video module, Graham describes the security features of the Windows Azure platform, resources available to protect applications and data running on the Microsoft cloud and SQL Azure security and authentication options.

Windows Azure Platform Security Essentials: Identity Access Management

In this video module, Graham to describes the use of claims-based authentication to allow Active Directory and other on-premises identity providers to be used by Azure applications.

Windows Azure Platform Security Essentials: Storage Access

In this video module, Graham describes the options for controlling access to information stored in Windows Azure Storage or in SQL Azure.

Windows Azure Platform Security Essentials: Secure Development

In this video, Graham describes the best practices for designing and deployment secure applications in the Azure platform.

Other Security Resources

• Whitepaper: Security Best Practices for Developing Windows Azure Applications
• Microsoft Security Development Lifecycle
• Security Talk Series webcasts

Getting Started with Windows Azure

To get started working with Windows Azure:

1. Get the free Windows Azure developer tools.
2. See the online Windows Azure developer training course on MSDN.
3. Get the free trial subscription of Windows Azure that does not require your credit. Use Promo Code: DPWE01.
4. Free Support for your Windows Azure Project. Sign up today for free technical and marketing support for your Windows Azure project at Microsoft Platform Ready.

Bruce D. Kyle
ISV Architect Evangelist | Microsoft Corporation