Windows Azure offers SharePoint developers the opportunity to apply their existing skills in the cloud. The integration between Windows Azure and SharePoint is based on:

• Data integration and content delivery.
• Leveraging Windows Azure Blob storage and the capability to build compelling BI dashboards.
• Servicing multiple customers through common cloud applications and extending on-premises code.

For more information, see Steve Fox’s blog post SharePoint and Windows Azure: Why They’re Better Together.

How to Extend SharePoint into the Cloud

Get started now by extending your existing SharePoint business to the Windows Azure cloud.

	Compute Use Windows Azure’s internet-scale hosting to extend service-based scenarios into SharePoint’s powerful collaboration platform.
	Storage Use Windows Azure’s internet-scale hosting to extend service-based scenarios into SharePoint’s powerful collaboration platform.
	Front End Use Windows Azure to create customer-facing interfaces that easily integrate with SharePoint’s platform architecture.

How to Get Started

To get started, see the SharePoint and Windows Azure Developer Primer. This dev training kits shows how to integrate using:

• ASP.NET and IFrame
• Hosted Date within SharePoint
• Custom Services including BCS connections
• Integration of WCF on Windows Azure and SharePoint

SharePoint and Azure Overview Deck on Academy Live.

Also note the great developer resources for both SharePoint and Windows Azure development on C9/MSDN:

• SharePoint Developer Training Kit: http://channel9.msdn.com/Learn/Courses/SharePoint2010Developer
• Windows Azure Developer Training Kit: http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/wazplatformtrainingcourse.aspx

Bruce D. Kyle
ISV Architect Evangelist | Microsoft Corporation