#Azure Action – Weekly Newsletter – 13th December 2011

Local Overview :

• Local Australian Cloud Software Vendor (CSV) ibCOM release developer productivity tools on Azure at https://mydigitalstructure.com/
•             
• Two new Windows Azure Virtual Technical Speicalists in Australia
  • Conor Brady and Andy Hitchman (CONGRATS!)

Readiness & Resources:

Windows Azure:

• PackAndDeploy - packaging a Windows Azure app that just runs an executable
• Fixes blogged for SDK 1.6 and Automated build with TeamCity located here
• Create the service model for a Windows Azure virtual machine

SQL Azure:

• SQL Azure Delivery Guide
• SQL Azure Labs

AppFabric:

• Access control to Windows Azure services

Marketplace:

• New Self-Service Publishing Wizard Eases Distribution of New Datasets on the Windows Azure Marketplace

Watch:

• Cloud Cover Episode 67 - Episode 67 - Technical Computing with Windows Azure and Wenming Ye
• 'Node.js - a Windows Azure Introduction

Case Study:

• Organizations Solving the World’s Toughest Problems Turn to Windows Azure

Tools:

• Windows Azure Toolkit for Social Games Version 1.2.0 (beta) Released

Guidance:

Walkthrough:

• Working With Web Data in Microsoft Codename "Data Explorer"
• Tutorial: Running the Mongoose Web Server in Windows Azure
• Tutorial: Running a Python Web Application in Windows Azure
• Running PHPUnit in Windows Azure

Architecture:

• Automated Build and Deployment with Windows #Azure SDK 1.6

In the news:

General:

• How Has Cloud Computing Changed Business- [INFOGRAPHIC]
• The Year of Cloud Acceleration
• Companies Shifting to Cloud Computing Save Energy & Cut Waste
• Move to cloud makes DevOps even more important

Microsoft:

• Team Foundation Service gets first major update
• Lync 2010 client is available in the WP7 marketplace
• Microsoft Discloses BizTalk Server 2010 R2 Plans --

Windows Azure:

• Platform:
  • Improved Developer Experience, Interoperability, and Scalability on Windows Azure
• • The SQL Azure Team Unveils a New Server Management UI
  • Microsoft Azure Embraces Open Source Technologies
    • Windows Azure Updated To Support Hadoop and Node.js
  • Windows Azure Training Kit - December Update
• Partner
  • 9 Huge Opportunities for Microsoft Partners in 2012
• Other
  • Windows Azure Access Control Service is now called Windows Azure Active Directory
  • MICROSOFT: Azure "Hits A Sweet Spot" With More And More Customers

Events:

Local:

Australia

• Windows Azure BizSpark Startup Camp – Brisbane
• Microsoft Australia hiring a Product Marketing Manager to lead the charge in Private Cloud
• Architect training in January (details to follow)

Global

•  Learn Windows #Azure! - Register today

Webinar:

• Leveraging Windows Azure for the Windows Phone Developer

January 4th, 2012, 10 am PDT

• Unit Testing for Windows Phone

December 14th 2011 10am PDT

Six Weeks of Windows Azure will start on … Monday 23rd January 2012

Training

• Free Visual Studio LightSwitch Training

Community:

Social:

Keep up to date by:

• Becoming a Facebook fan
• Adding yourself to the Azure Australia Twitter list
• Watch our regular CloudCast (service now on Windows Azure thanks to Scaffolding kit for PHP)
• Joining the Mailing list for OzAzure

Suggest new ideas by using the Windows Azure Feature Voting

Attend a User Group:

• Sydney (Conor Brady)
• Melbourne (Mahesh Krishnan and Chris Padgett)
• Brisbane (register your interest #baug“ thanks to Steve Nagy)
• Auckland (Ryan Crawcour)
• Perth (details to follow)

Other - Regional:

• If you want to keep up with IT Pro news in NZ follow @technetnz and follow @msdnnz
• Singapore Azure User Group (official website)

Questions

Windows Azure:

• Windows Azure Table Storage- Partition or Row key length is limited to 256 characters in Storage Emulator

• How to upload image in Windows Azure platform: best approach