What Is Windows Azure?

| Technical Documentation Librar

Page 1 of 3

What Is Windows Azure?

613 out of 1000 rated this helpful Updated: January 15, 2014 Windows Azure is an nternet!s"ale "o#putin$ and ser%i"es platfor# hosted in data "enters #ana$ed or supported &y 'i"rosoft( t in"ludes a nu#&er of separate features with "orrespondin$ de%eloper ser%i"es whi"h "an &e used indi%idually or to$ether( Use this pa$e as your portal into the li&rary of ')*+ te"hni"al do"u#entation that supports Windows Azure( ,or #ore $eneral infor#ation on Windows Azure and ea"h of these features, see the WindowsAzure("o# we& site -http:..www(#i"rosoft("o#.windowsazure/( 0he followin$ illustration shows a #appin$ of "apa&ilities to the features that "o#prise Windows Azure(

Please help us imp

'i"rosoft is "ondu"tin$ an online s understand your opinion of the Azure *e%eloper >enter( f you "hoo parti"ipate, the online sur%ey to you when you lea%e the Window *e%eloper >enter(

Would you li:e to parti"ipate in this

want to

1ou "an also %iew or download the What is Windows Azure nfo$raphi" -http:..www(windowsazure("o#.en!us.do"u#entation.info$raphi"s.windows!azure./ for a sli$htly different $raphi"al o%er%iew of Windows Azure( f you are runnin$ Windows 2 or later, try the )er%er 3osterpedia -http:..www(ser%erposterpedia("o#./ appli"ation( t pro%ides the a&ility to zoo# and intera"t with nu#erous posters on %arious 'i"rosoft produ"ts, in"ludin$ Windows Azure(

Getting started with development on Windows Azure

WindowsAzure("o# -http:..www(windowsazure("o#.en!us.do"u#entation.4f&5en!us/ pro%ides tutorials, downloads, and how!to $uides that help you $et started de%elopin$ on Windows Azure(

Windows Azure technical documentation

0he followin$ se"tions outline the ')*+ do"u#entation a%aila&le for Windows Azure(

Local development environment

0he Windows Azure )*6s for (+70, +ode(8s, Ja%a, and 393 pro%ide "o##on tools and resour"es that you use to pa":a$e, test and deploy your appli"ation( 0he Windows Azure )*6 for (+70 in"ludes the Windows Azure 0ools for 'i"rosoft ;isual )tudio, whi"h e<tends ;isual )tudio to ena&le the "reation, &uildin$, pa":a$in$, runnin$, and de&u$$in$ of s"ala&le we& appli"ations and ser%i"es on Windows Azure( 0he followin$ learnin$ resour"es are a%aila&le: = Windows Azure )*6 0ools -http:..#sdn(#i"rosoft("o#.en!us.li&rary.windowsazure.$$433055(asp</ = Windows Azure 0ools for ;isual )tudio -http:..#sdn(#i"rosoft("o#.en!us.li&rary.windowsazure.ee405424(asp</

Management Portal

htt&'!!msdn(microsoft(com!en)us!librar !windowsazure!dd1*3+,*(as&-

3!"!#$1%

What Is Windows Azure? | Technical Documentation Librar

Page # of 3

0he Windows Azure 'ana$e#ent 3ortal -http:..#ana$e(windowsazure("o#/ pro%ides a""ess to >loud )er%i"e -hosted ser%i"e/ deploy#ent and #ana$e#ent tas:s as well as at!a!$lan"e status infor#ation that lets you :now the o%erall health of your deploy#ents and a""ounts( 0he 'ana$e#ent 3ortal or$anizes the "o#ponents of your Windows Azure deploy#ents with "onstantly refreshed infor#ation that is easy to dis"o%er and understand( 0here are two portals a%aila&le at this ti#e( 0he +ew 3ortal -https:..#ana$e(windowsazure("o#./ and the older )il%erli$ht!&ased 3ortal -https:..windows(azure("o#./( ,un"tions in the older portal are &ein$ #o%ed to the new one o%er ti#e( 0he old portal does not support new features, su"h as ;irtual 'a"hines(

Compute
1ou "an run appli"ations on Windows Azure usin$ Windows Azure We& )ites, >loud )er%i"es -for#erly hosted ser%i"es/, ;irtual 'a"hines -whi"h support aa)/, and 'o&ile )er%i"es( ,or #ore infor#ation, see the followin$ lo"ations(

= We& )ites -http:..www(windowsazure("o#.en!us.ho#e.features.we&!sites./ ! ?et started for free and s"ale as you $o( Use any tool or operatin$ syste# to &uild a we& site with A)3(+70, 393 or +ode(8s and deploy in se"onds( = >loud )er%i"es -http:..#sdn(#i"rosoft("o#.en!us.li&rary.windowsazure.88155@@5(asp</ ! With >loud )er%i"es, you "an Aui":ly deploy and #ana$e #ulti!tier appli"ations where Windows Azure handles the details: pro%isionin$, load &alan"in$, and health #onitorin$ for "ontinuous a%aila&ility( = ;irtual 'a"hines -http:..#sdn(#i"rosoft("o#.en!us.li&rary.windowsazure.88156003(asp</ ! With ;irtual 'a"hines, you $et full "ontrol o%er a ser%er in the "loud, and #aintain it as your &usiness reAuires( >hoose fro# a $allery of Windows )er%er or Binu< i#a$es with %arious preinstalled additional appli"ations( = 'o&ile )er%i"es -http:..#sdn(#i"rosoft("o#.en!us.li&rary.windowsazure.88554222/ ! 'o&ile )er%i"es is desi$ned to #a:e it easy to "reate hi$hly!fun"tional #o&ile apps usin$ Windows Azure(

Data Services
*ata )er%i"es pro%ide the a&ility to store, #odify and report on data in Windows Azure( Cenefits in"lude #ana$ea&ility, hi$h a%aila&ility, hi$h s"ala&ility, and a fa#iliar de%elop#ent #odel( 0he followin$ learnin$ resour"es are a%aila&le:

= Clo&s -http:..#sdn(#i"rosoft("o#.en!us.li&rary.windowsazure.$$433040/"an store unstru"tured te<t or &inary data -%ideo, audio and i#a$es/( = 0a&les -http:..#sdn(#i"rosoft("o#.en!us.li&rary.windowsazure.$$433040/ "an store lar$e a#ounts of unstru"tured non!relational -+o)DB/ data( = )DB *ata&ase -http:..#sdn(#i"rosoft("o#.en!us.li&rary.windowsazure.ee3362E@/ "an store lar$e a#ounts of relational data( = )DB *ata )yn" -http:..#sdn(#i"rosoft("o#.en!us.li&rary.windowsazure.hh4563E1(asp</ ena&les "reatin$ and s"hedulin$ re$ular syn"hronizations &etween )DB *ata&ase and either on!pre#ises )DB )er%er-s/ or other instan"es of )DB *ata&ase( = )DB Feportin$ -http:..#sdn(#i"rosoft("o#.en!us.li&rary.windowsazure.$$430130(asp</ is a "loud!&ased reportin$ ser%i"e &uilt on )DB )er%er Feportin$ )er%i"es te"hnolo$ies( t allows you to &uild reportin$ "apa&ilities into Windows Azure appli"ations( Feports "an render on the des:top and re#o%e the need to #aintain your own reportin$ infrastru"ture( +G07: )DB Feportin$ is &ein$ depre"ated in fa%or of runnin$ )DB reportin$ ser%i"es on a Windows Azure ;irtual 'a"hine( 0he do"u#entation here is pro%ided to support e<istin$ users only( = 9* nsi$ht -http:..www(windowsazure("o#.en!us.ser%i"es.hdinsi$ht./ is &ased on Apa"he 9adoop( t si#plifies wor:in$ with &i$ data throu$h inte$ration with tools li:e 'i"rosoft Gffi"e and )yste# >enter( Additional infor#ation is a%aila&le at Ci$ *ata -http:..www(windowsazure("o#.en!us.solutions.&i$!data./

etwor!ing
+etwor:in$ ser%i"es pro%ide $eneral "onne"ti%ity and routin$ at the 0>3. 3 and *+) le%el(

= Windows Azure ;irtual +etwor: -http:..#sdn(#i"rosoft("o#.en!us.li&rary.windowsazure.8815600E(asp</ ena&les you to pro%ision and #ana$e site!to!site and point!to!site %irtual pri%ate networ:s -;3+s/ in Windows Azure and to se"urely lin: these with on!pre#ises 0 infrastru"ture( t allows you to use Windows Azure as you would a &ran"h offi"e, or as a prote"ted pri%ate %irtual networ: in the "loud( = 0raffi" 'ana$er -http:..#sdn(#i"rosoft("o#.en!us.li&rary.windowsazure.hhE45E50/ load!&alan"es in"o#in$ traffi" a"ross #ultiple nternet a""essi&le ser%i"es usin$ *+)!&ased poli"ies(

App Services " Identit#

Windows Azure A"ti%e *ire"tory -http:..#sdn(#i"rosoft("o#.li&rary.windowsazure.886E3460(asp</ pro%ides #ultiple ser%i"es for "ontrollin$ and usin$ identity in a "loud appli"ation(

App Services " Per$ormance

= Windows Azure >a"hin$ -http:..#sdn(#i"rosoft("o#.en!us.li&rary.windowsazure.$$2E2356(asp</ ena&les you to easily pro%ision a "a"he in the "loud to &e used fro# any appli"ations or ser%i"es that "ould &enefit fro# "a"hin$( 0his in"ludes a %ery "o##on s"enario of session state and output "a"hin$ in A)3(+70( >a"hin$ in"reases perfor#an"e &y te#porarily storin$ infor#ation fro# other &a":end sour"es( = 0he >ontent *eli%ery +etwor: -http:..#sdn(#i"rosoft("o#.en!us.li&rary.windowsazure.ff@1@E03(asp</ "a"hes Windows Azure &lo&s and the stati" "ontent output of "o#pute instan"es at strate$i"ally pla"ed lo"ations to pro%ide #a<i#u# &andwidth for deli%erin$ "ontent to users(

htt&'!!msdn(microsoft(com!en)us!librar !windowsazure!dd1*3+,*(as&-

3!"!#$1%

What Is Windows Azure? | Technical Documentation Librar

Page 3 of 3

App Services " Messaging

= )tora$e Dueues -http:..#sdn(#i"rosoft("o#.en!us.li&rary.$$433040/ pro%ide relia&le, persistent #essa$in$ &etween appli"ation tiers runnin$ in Windows Azure( 0hey are part of Windows Azure )tora$e, whi"h also pro%ides the Clo& and 0a&le )tora$e )er%i"es( = )er%i"e Cus -http:..#sdn(#i"rosoft("o#.en!us.li&rary.windowsazure.eeE3253E(asp</ pro%ides a hosted, se"ure, and widely a%aila&le infrastru"ture for widespread "o##uni"ation, lar$e!s"ale e%ent distri&ution, na#in$, and ser%i"e pu&lishin$( )er%i"e Cus pro%ides "onne"ti%ity options for Windows >o##uni"ation ,oundation -W>,/ and other ser%i"e endpoints, whi"h in"ludes F7)0 endpoints( 0o learn #ore a&out inte$ratin$ )er%i"e Cus into appli"ations, re%iew the 7A and 7* la&s -http:..#sdn(#i"rosoft("o#.en!us.li&rary.windowsazure.hh62@264(asp</( 0hese la&s show "o##on inte$ration "apa&ilities -e($( &rid$es, transfor#s, C2C #essa$in$/ usin$ Windows Azure )er%i"e Cus( = Windows Azure )tora$e Dueues and )er%i"e Cus Dueues pro%ide different &enefits( After readin$ the o%er%iew #aterial for ea"h feature, see Windows Azure Dueues and Windows Azure )er%i"e Cus Dueues ! >o#pared and >ontrasted -http:..#sdn(#i"rosoft("o#.en!us.li&rary.windowsazure.hhE6E22E(asp</ for additional infor#ation(

App Services " Media Services

'edia )er%i"es -http:..#sdn(#i"rosoft("o#.en!us.li&rary.windowsazure.hh@E362@/ for# an e<tensi&le "loud!&ased platfor# that ena&les de%elopers to &uild s"ala&le #edia #ana$e#ent and deli%ery appli"ations(

Commerce
Coth )tore -http:..www(windowsazure("o#.en!us.store.o%er%iew./ and 'ar:etpla"e -http:..#sdn(#i"rosoft("o#.en!us.li&rary.windowsazure.$$31553@(asp</ pro%ide a pla"e to &uy or sell Windows Azure appli"ations and data su&s"riptions( 0he Windows Azure )tore is inte$rated into the Windows Azure 'ana$e#ent 3ortal, while 'ar:etpla"e is not(

See Also

Other Resources
Windows Azure 3ri"in$ >al"ulator -http:..www(windowsazure("o#.en!us.pri"in$."al"ulator./ 'i"rosoft 3atterns and 3ra"ti"es: >loud *e%elop#ent -http:..#sdn(#i"rosoft("o#.en!us.li&rary.ff2@2430(asp</ Windows Azure 0rainin$ 6it -http:..$o(#i"rosoft("o#.fwlin:.4Bin: *5130354/

*id you find this helpful4

1es

+o

H 2014 'i"rosoft( All ri$hts reser%ed(

htt&'!!msdn(microsoft(com!en)us!librar !windowsazure!dd1*3+,*(as&-

3!"!#$1%