[This article was contributed by the SQL Azure team.]

Good news - the Windows Azure Platform Introductory Special offer (which includes the SQL Azure Free Trial) has been extended through March 31, 2011! This promotional offer enables you to try a limited amount of the Windows Azure platform at no charge. The subscription includes a base level of monthly Windows Azure compute hours, storage, data transfers, AppFabric Access Control transactions, AppFabric Service Bus connections, and a SQL Azure Database, at no charge.

Included each month at no charge:

  • Windows Azure
    • 25 hours of a small compute instance
    • 500 MB of storage
    • 10,000 storage transactions
    • Windows Azure AppFabric
      • 100,000 Access Control transactions
      • 2 Service Bus connections
  • SQL Azure
    • 1GB Web Edition database (available for first 3 months only)
  • Data Transfers (per region)
    • 500 MB in
    • 500 MB out

Any monthly usage in excess of the above amounts will be charged at the standard rates. This Introductory Special offer will end on March 31, 2011 and all usage will then be charged at the standard rates.

Please visit http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/sqlazure/purchase.aspx to see additional details on the Introductory Special (aka SQL Azure Free Trial) as well as other offers currently available for the Windows Azure platform.