Getting Started with Microsoft Cloud Computing Tools

Getting Started with Windows Azure

Windows Azure is the development, hosting, and management environment of the Azure Services Platform, which enables you to run applications at Internet scale while leveraging the skills and tools you use today.

Windows Azure Tools for Microsoft Visual Studio extend Visual Studio to enable the creation, building, debugging, running, and packaging of scalable services on Windows Azure.

1. Get Visual Studio

• Free Download: Visual Studio Express Editions
• Visual Studio 2008 Trial Versions

2. Get the SDK and Tools

• Windows Azure SDK
• Windows Azure Tools for Microsoft Visual Studio

3. Learn About the Tools

• Try the Walkthroughs
• Known Issues and Constraints

4. Learn About the SDK

• Windows Azure SDK Technology Page

Getting Started with the Live Framework

The Live Framework is the uniform way for programming Live Services from a variety of platforms, programming languages, applications and devices. With the Live Framework, you can easily build and deploy applications in the cloud that sync across multiple devices.

1. Request access to the Live Framework CTP Access to the Live Framework Community Technical Preview (CTP) is by invitation only. Space is limited but you can request access through the Microsoft Connect site.

2. Download the latest Tools and SDK (requires Live Framework CTP invitation) The Live Framework Tools extend Visual Studio to simplify the end to end development experience of creating Mesh-enabled Web Applications by making it trivial to create, build, run, debug and package these applications for the Live Desktop.

3. Get started using the Live Framework Tools This step-by-step walkthrough will guide you through using the Live Framework Tools to create, build, deploy and debug a simple DHTML and Silverlight Mesh-enabled Web Application.

4. Learn about the Live Framework Learn more and understand the benefits of programming Live Services with the Live Framework.