Learning resource: Windows Azure Platform Training Kit and Course, January 2011 Update

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Today we have released a January 2010 update to the Windows Azure Platform Training Kit & Training Course.

The Windows Azure Platform Training Kit & Course includes a comprehensive set of technical content including hands-on labs, presentations, and demos that are designed to help you learn how to use the Windows Azure platform, including: Windows Azure, SQL Azure and the Windows Azure AppFabric:

 

The January update provides new and updated demo scripts and a new Windows Phone 7 hands-on labs for the Windows Azure Platform.  These new demo scripts demonstrate how to use Windows Azure Connect, Web and Worker Role Enhancements, Windows Azure Virtual Machine Roles, and the "Rafiki" application (a keynote demo at PDC10).  Additionally, this kit includes an improved mechanism for installing Visual Studio code snippets.

Some of the specific changes with the January update of the training kit includes:

  • [New demo script] Windows Azure Connect
  • [New demo script] Web and Worker Role Enhancements
  • [New demo script] Windows Azure Virtual Machine Roles
  • [New demo script] “Rafiki” Application
  • [New lab] Windows Phone 7 and The Cloud
  • [New lab] Use Access Control Service to Federate with Multiple Business Identity Providers
  • [Updated] All Identity HOLs have been refreshed
  • [Improved] Visual Studio code snippets installation
  • [Fixes] Several bug fixes in demos and labs

Once you learned everything about Windows Azure, you can start building your application on it in 3 simple and easy to do steps:

1. Download the Tools:

Get Visual Studio Express and the Windows Azure Tools for Visual Studio to start building and debugging applications for the Windows Azure Platform https://tinyurl.com/learnaboutazure . If you have already Visual Studio installed you can download the tools directly from https://tinyurl.com/toolsforazure .

2. Setup an Account:

Set up an account and obtain a free subscription for accessing the online portals for Windows Azure, SQL Azure and Windows Azure AppFabric. You can learn more about the accounts https://tinyurl.com/getazureaccount or you can sign up directly https://tinyurl.com/signupazureaccount .

3. Create your First application and Deploy it on the Windows Azure Platform:

First learn how to create a simple ASP.NET application in Visual Studio for Windows Azure on your local machine https://tinyurl.com/localazureapplication . Once successfully created, learn how to deploy this application on the Windows Azure Platform https://tinyurl.com/deployazureapplication .

When all steps are executed successfully you should have running your first application on the Windows Azure Platform!