Cloud Tools Team

Walkthrough: Migrating an ASP.NET Web App to Windows Azure

2010-02-08T19:51:00Z

Using NerdDinner as an example, Jim walks through migrating an ASP.NET Web App to Windows Azure taking it from a single instance IIS hosted app to a scalable cloud application that runs on Windows Azure and uses SQL Azure for the data and ASP.NET providers.

http://blogs.msdn.com/jnak/archive/2010/02/08/migrating-an-existing-asp-net-app-to-run-on-windows-azure.aspx

Windows Azure Tools and SDK v1.1 February 2010 Release

2010-02-02T00:00:00Z

Today, coinciding with the general availability of Windows Azure, we have released version 1.1 of the Windows Azure Tools and SDK.

This release supports VS 2008 and the upcoming VS 2010 RC. For VS 2010 Beta 2 please use the November 2009 release.

New for version 1.1:

Windows Azure Drive: Enable a Windows Azure application to use existing NTFS APIs to access a durable drive. This allows the Windows Azure application to mount a page blob as a drive letter, such as X:, and enables easy migration of existing NTFS applications to the cloud.
OS Version Support: Allows a Windows Azure application to choose the appropriate Guest OS to run on in the cloud.
Bug Fixes
- StorageClient: Expose account key from storage credentials, expose continuation tokens for pagination, and reduce maximum buffer size for parallel uploads.
- Windows Azure Diagnostics: Fix path corruption for crash dumps, OnDemandTransfer now respects LogLevelFilter.
- VS 2010: Improved packaging performance.
- VS 2010: Support for linked files in Web projects.
- VS 2010: Support for ASP.NET web project web.config transformations.
- Certificate selection lists certificates from LocalMachine\My instead of CurrentUser\My.
- Right click on Role under Roles folder to select whether to launch the browser against HTTP, HTTPS or not at all.

Updated and additional samples are available at: http://code.msdn.microsoft.com/windowsazuresamples

Windows Azure Role Instance Process IDs

2010-01-29T20:33:00Z

Jim talks about how to correlate the Windows Azure Role instances you see in the Development Fabric to process IDs which in turn is useful for correlating that instances to an instance being debugged.

Installing Certificates into Windows Azure VMs

2010-01-29T20:27:00Z

Interested in uploading certificates in the OS of the VMs that run in the Windows Azure cloud? Jim has written a walkthrough that will explain and guide you through the process.

Windows Azure Blob Storage Walkthrough

2010-01-11T18:05:00Z

Want to learn how to get build a Windows Azure cloud service that uses blob storage? Have a look at Jim's blob storage walkthrough.

How to use: Windows Azure Table Storage

2010-01-06T18:31:00Z

Jim posted an intro walkthrough on using Windows Azure Table Storage. If you are looking to get your head around using Windows Azure Tables, definitely check this out.

Adding an HTTPS Endpoint to a Windows Azure Web Role Walkthrough

2009-12-01T20:55:00Z

Jim posted a "how to" / Walkthrough on adding an HTTPS endpoint and setting up the certificate on Windows Azure. The way to do this changed with the November 2009 release.

Windows Azure Tools and SDK v1.0 November 2009 Release

2009-11-12T23:00:00Z

Today we released several new features for Windows Azure through the Windows Azure Tools and SDK. (Use the direct link while the release propagates)

We look forward to discussing these new Windows Azure features, in detail, at PDC '09.

This release add support for Visual Studio 2010 Beta 2 and VWD Express 2010 Beta 2.

What's new for the November release:

Service Model UI: A redesigned and significantly more complete interface for manipulating Role configuration information. To access, double-click on a role node in the Solution Explorer.
Additional role templates: Support for ASP.NET MVC 2 (2010 only), F# worker roles (2010 only), and WCF Service Application web roles.
Support for dynamically creating tables: The Create Tables functionality is now performed automatically; there is no longer a need to right-click and select Create Tables… on the project after your table definitions have changed.
Full support for and installation of the November Windows Azure SDK release:

The sample storage client has been replaced by a new production quality library.
New Diagnostics library enables logging using .NET APIs and enables the collection of diagnostic information from the service.
Service Runtime library updated to support inter-role communication and notification of configuration changes .
Support for input endpoints on Worker Roles.
Higher fidelity simulation of Development Storage: supports all current cloud storage features, including dynamically creating tables.
Ability to choose the size of the VM for a role instance.
Ability to persist data in local storage even after the role is recycled.
Ability to manage certificates to install to the role VMs.

Updated and additional code samples are available online at: http://code.msdn.microsoft.com/windowsazuresamples

Tips and Tricks for using Visual Studio 2010 to develop applications for Windows Azure

2009-11-11T01:56:00Z

If you're going to PDC next week, one of the sessions you don't want to miss is Jim's session on tips and tricks for Windows Azure development.

It's a tools focussed session that should have plenty of interesting content no matter what level of experience you have with Windows Azure.

New walkthroughs for the July CTP of Windows Azure Tools

2009-07-20T23:59:00Z

Jim's put together some new walkthroughs for some of the new features in the July CTP of the Windows Azure Tools + SDK:

Working with Multiple Web and Worker Roles

Associating an ASP.NET Web Application (including MVC) as a Web Role

Have a look, some cool new stuff.

July CTP of Windows Azure Tools for Microsoft Visual Studio

2009-07-20T23:30:00Z

We've just released a July CTP of the Windows Azure Tools for Microsoft Visual Studio! (try the direct link to the download while it propogates)

What’s New for the July 2009 CTP?

Support for developing and deploying services containing multiple web and worker roles. A service may contain zero or more web roles and zero or more worker roles with a minimum of one role of either type.
New project creation dialog that supports creating Cloud Services with multiple web and worker roles.
Ability to associate any ASP.NET Web Application project in a Cloud Service solution as a Web Role
Support for building Cloud Services from TFS Build
Enhanced robustness and stability

Please see this post for more information.

Windows Azure FastCGI Project Template

2009-07-12T02:27:00Z

Jim demystifies the CG Web Role project template that is shipped with the Windows Azure Tools for Microsoft Visual Studio.

Now Available: May 2009 CTP of the Windows Azure Tools and SDK

2009-05-28T20:30:00Z

Windows Azure Tools for Microsoft Visual Studio (includes SDK). If the release is still propagating, try the Direct Link.

New for the May 2009 CTP:

Support for Visual Studio 2010 Beta 1
Update for Visual Studio 2008
Improved integration with the Development Fabric and Storage services to improve the reliability of debug and run of Cloud Services from Visual Studio
Enhanced robustness and stability

Release notes/Known issues are available here

Visual Studio 2010 compatible samples are available here

Please see this post for more information.

Adding an https endpoint to a Windows Azure Web Role

2009-05-12T23:09:00Z

Here's a helpful walkthrough on how to add an https endpoint to a Windows Azure Cloud Service.

[Fixed link]

Using the Web Platform Installer to install Pre-reqs for the Windows Azure Tools/SDK

2009-04-21T04:01:00Z

Jim walks you through using the Web Platform Installer to get your pre-reqs (like installing IIS7) for the Windows Azure Tools and SDK using the Web Platform Installer.