M50466

Windows Azure Solutions with Microsoft Visual Studio 2010

Microsoft Certified Professional Developer

(MCPD): Windows Azure Developer 4

M50466 70-583

Course Title: Windows Azure Solutions with Microsoft

Visual Studio 2010

Course Code: M50466
Version: A
Level: 200
Duration: 3 Days

Course Overview

The Windows Azure Solutions with Microsoft Visual Studio 2010 M50466 instructor-led training course has been designed to introduce candidates to cloud computing and specifically Microsoft`s public cloud offering in Windows Azure. Windows Azure has been described by Microsoft as an operating system for "the cloud". In this class, candidates will explore this new cloud operating system and learn how to write, deploy and monitor .NET applications in Azure.

Target Audience

Candidates who should consider attending the M50466 Microsoft training course are .NET developers with Web application experience that are exploring developing new applications or porting existing applications to Windows Azure.

Course Objectives

On successfully completing the M50466 course candidates will be able to:

• Understand cloud computing in its various forms and how Windows Azure fits in the cloud computing space
• Learn why organisations want to run applications in the Azure cloud
• Understand the architecture of Azure
• Explore the Azure SDK and DevFabric development environment
• See how to develop applications for Azure and how that varies from "normal" .NET application development
• Write and deploy a ASP.NET Web application (Web Role) to Azure
• Explore Azure storage capability
• Learn how to create and deploy background computational applications (Worker Role) in Azure
• Explore SQL Azure capability

Course Prerequisites

Candidates attending the M50466 Microsoft training course are required to have experience with Visual Studio 2008 or better. Knowledge and experience in a .NET language (C# or VB) and knowledge of ASP.NET is also required.

Testing and Certification

The M50466 Microsoft training course is the recommended preparation for 70-583 PRO: Designing and Developing Windows Azure Applications exam.

Course Content

Module 1: Cloud Computing

In this module candidates will learn about the what`s and why`s of cloud computing. The module also introduces Microsoft`s Windows Azure cloud computing product and addresses how the Microsoft solution compares to other cloud computing platforms and what exactly Windows Azure is.

Lessons:

• Define cloud computing
• Learn the benefits of cloud computing
• Understand the different types of cloud computing services
• Explore where computing clouds might exist
• Hear about potential concerns with cloud computing
• Learn where cloud computing can and cannot be applied
• Place Windows Azure in light of general cloud computing
• Know how Windows Azure compares to other cloud environments

Lab: Windows Azure Account Setup (Optional)

• Understand how to create a Windows Azure account
• Explore the types of Windows Azure accounts
• Learn how to access and use the Windows Azure Developer Portal
• Examine the Windows Azure Developer Portal

After completing this module, candidates will be able to:

• Understand the different types of cloud computing offerings
• Explain how Windows Azure fits into the cloud computing landscape
• Set up a Windows Azure account

Module 2: Windows Azure Architecture

In this module candidates will learn about the components that make up the Windows Azure Platform. Specifically, candidates look at the Microsoft data centres and the hardware and software that host Windows Azure applications and data. The module also looks at the development environment and what it takes to produce Windows Azure applications. Finally, the module explores the various parts of the Windows Azure platform to include Windows Azure, SQL Azure and the App Fabric.

Lessons:

• See a simple Windows Azure application
• Learn about the Microsoft data centres
• Explore the hardware, servers and virtualization (the Fabric) that host cloud applications and data
• Understand the role of the Fabric Controller in managing the Windows Azure cloud
• Know the general architecture and components of the Windows Azure Platform
• Understand the tools used to create and deploy Windows Azure services and data stores

Lab: Introduction to Windows Azure

• Candidates explore their first Windows Azure project in Visual Studio
• See how to test a cloud application in Visual Studio
• Learn how to publish a cloud application
• Examine the process of deploying an application via the Developer Portal
• Learn how to remove a service from the cloud

After completing this module, candidates will be able to:

• Understand the pieces of the Windows Azure platform
• Explore the Windows Azure Developer Portal
• Setup a cloud project in Visual Studio
• Understand the difference between the Dev Fabric/Storage and Windows Azure

Module 3: Windows Azure Web Roles

In this module candidates will learn about the details of Web roles introduced in the last module and how web roles are essentially Web sites or HTTP services running in the cloud. As part of their exploration of Web roles, candidates learn some of the Windows Azure API that can be used in roles and about how to configure roles. While Web roles run in Microsoft data centres, candidates will test and debug them in their local machine using the Dev Fabric. In this module, candidates also explore details about the Dev Fabric and how to explore what`s going on in the Dev Fabric as code is executed.

Lessons:

• Explore the purpose of Windows Azure Web roles
• Understand how to create Web roles in a cloud service project
• See how to configure a Web role
• Learn how to test Web roles run in the Dev Fabric
• Start exploring the Windows Azure API

Lab: Building a Web Role

• Create a Cloud Application using Windows Azure Tools for Visual Studio
• Explore the Web role project
• Configure a Web role project
• See a multi-instance role running in Dev Fabric
• Modify the application to use a custom configuration setting
• Optionally, see a Web role cloud project deployed to Windows Azure

After completing this module, candidates will be able to:

• Explore migrating ASP.NET applications to Windows Azure
• Build a simple Windows Azure cloud application
• Dynamically configure a Windows Azure cloud application through the Developer Portal
• Determine the costs of running an application in Windows Azure

Module 4: Local Storage

In this module candidates will learn about the limitations of using local storage as well as the good and bad uses of local storage. Additionally, candidates will learn about alternatives to local storage; most notably a product called Windows Azure Drive.

Lessons:

• Examine Windows Azure local storage
• See how local storage differs from normal server file systems
• Learn how to configure local storage
• Understand the limitations of local storage and where/when to use it
• Explore the API to access local storage
• Learn about Windows Azure Drive (formerly X-Drive)

Lab: Using Local Storage

• Configure a Web Role to have local storage
• Alter the Web role code to read and write to local storage
• Explore the relationship of local storage to roles and role instances
• Explore how to clean local storage on role instance recycling
• Optionally, deploy the local storage using cloud project to the Windows Azure cloud

After completing this module, candidates will be able to:

• Create local storage for use by a Windows Azure application
• See Windows Azure scalability through multiple role instances
• Design applications use of the file system using local storage or Azure Drive

Module 5: Windows Azure Storage and Queues

In this module candidates will about what Windows Azure Storage is, why it should be used, and how to access it. Once candidates have a general understanding of Windows Azure Storage, the module then explores the first of three types of Windows Azure Storage in detail; namely queue storage. The module explains how queues provide interoperable message communication between services and are not unlike what might be seen if MSMQ or IBM`s MQ Series is used.

Lessons:

• Understand the purpose of Windows Azure Storage
• Learn how to create a Windows Azure Storage account
• Explore Windows Azure Storage costs
• Understand Dev Storage, how to use it, and how it is different from Windows Azure Storage
• See how to access Windows Azure Storage using both the REST API and the Storage Client Library
• Examine Windows Azure Storage Queues
• Learn how to get messages in and out of Windows Azure Queues

Lab: Learning Windows Azure Storage and Queues

• Use a Web role to create a queue and add messages to the queue
• Learn how to add another Web role to a cloud service project
• Use a Web role to read and display messages in the queue
• Observe the difference between getting and peeking at messages in a queue
• Optionally, see how to create a Storage Account service
• Optionally, examine how to create an Affinity Group
• Optionally, learn where to find storage account URLs and access keys
• Optionally, deploy the cloud service project to the Windows Azure cloud
• Explore Windows Azure Storage with external utilities

After completing this module, candidates will be able to:

• Setup Windows Azure message queue
• Create a Windows Azure Storage Account
• Use the Windows Azure Client library to access Windows Azure storage
• Deploy applications to Windows Azure that use Windows Azure Storage
• Understand the difference between Dev Storage and Windows Azure Storage
• Explore Windows Azure Storage with external tools

Module 6: Blob Storage

In this module candidates will learn about the second of three Windows Azure Storage data storage facilities called blob storage and how it provides a place to store any type of data (MP3 file, PDF document, flat text, etc). The module also covers all instances of the application share this common storage and how it can even be accessed by applications outside of the cloud.

Lessons:

• Understand the rationale for using blob storage
• Explore how to access blob storage with both the Storage Client and REST API
• Examine blob storage containers and how they are used to organise and control access to blobs
• Learn about the different types of blobs: block and page blobs

Lab: Using Blob Storage

• Use a Web role to create a blob container and set permissions on the container
• Learn how to upload blobs into a container
• Use a Web role to retrieve a blob by its name (reference)
• Work with blob metadata
• Explore the REST API used to access blob storage

After completing this module, candidates will be able to:

• Access blob data from Windows Azure or on-premise applications
• Use the Windows Azure Client library or REST to access blob storage

Module 7: Table Storage

In this module candidates will learn how to use Windows Azure table storage. Candidates also learn how it differs from SQL Azure and how to use table storage to implement sessions used by multiple roles.

Lessons:

• Explore Windows Azure Storage`s structural data service
• Understand the reason for table storage
• Examine the differences between table storage and traditional relational databases (as exhibited by SQL Azure)
• Learn how to access table storage with both the Storage Client and REST API
• Understand entities as they relate to table storage
• Examine how to save and retrieve entities in table storage
• See how to use table storage for session management in Windows Azure Web applications

Lab: Using Table Storage

• Define an entity class
• Build a TableServiceContext object to negotiate data in and out of table storage
• Learn how to save entity data to table storage
• Explore queries to fetch entity data from table storage

After completing this module, candidates will be able to:

• Design applications that need structured tabular data
• Create and use tables in Windows Azure
• Design entities that are stored in table storage

Module 8: Worker Roles

In this module candidates will learn about worker roles: their purpose, how to create and configure them, and how to communicate with them.

Lessons:

• Explore the purpose of Windows Azure worker roles
• Understand how to create worker roles in a cloud service project
• See how to configure a worker role
• Learn how to test worker roles run in the Dev Fabric
• Learn how to use Windows Azure Storage queues and messages to communicate with worker roles
• Explore how to setup worker role endpoints
• Learn how to communicate with worker role internal and input endpoints

Lab: Building a Worker Role

• Create a worker role and add it to a cloud project
• Explore the contents of a worker role project
• Configure a worker role to monitor a queue for messages
• Re-explore the use of queue storage in role-to-role communications
• Re-explore table storage

After completing this module, candidates will be able to:

• Build backend processors in Windows Azure
• Design and build complete end-to-end applications for Windows Azure
• Better use queue and table storage
• Create role to role communications in Windows Azure

Module 9: SQL Azure

In this module candidates will learn about SQL Azure and how it is a relational database in the cloud. The module also covers how SQL Azure can be used to support applications in the cloud or on-premise and used as a backup storage facility. In addition the module addresses how SQL Azure can be used as a quick and easy provisioned database for prototyping, rapid development, and testing. Finally, the module covers how SQL Azure is a highly scalable, available relational database maintained and operated by Microsoft yet familiar to SQL Server users.

Lessons:

• Learn what SQL Azure is and why it should be used
• Understand SQL Azure in comparison to SQL Server and Windows Azure table storage
• Learn how to provision a SQL Azure server and databases
• Examine costs associated with SQL Azure
• See how to use familiar tools and APIs to work in SQL Azure
• Explore how to create and manage database objects in SQL Azure
• Know how to limit SQL Azure access
• Understand options for performing database backups
• See how to migrate data to SQL Azure

After completing this module, candidates will be able to:

• Make design decisions between table storage and SQL Azure
• Determine the cost of storing data in Windows Azure
• Setup SQL Azure databases through the Developer Portal
• Migrate data from on-premise SQL Server databases to SQL Azure

Module 10: Diagnostics and Logging

In this module candidates will learn about the Windows Azure Diagnostic Service and how the API provided through this service grants access to collect all the log data that would normally be desired from a Windows system. The module also covers the diagnostic service that provides the means to move that data to Windows Azure Storage so it may be externally accessed.

Lessons:

• Learn how to accomplish debugging and logging in Windows Azure
• Examine Windows Azure Diagnostic Service
• Understand the role of the MonAgentHost process in the diagnostic service
• Learn how to configure the diagnostic service
• See how to transfer diagnostic data to Windows Azure Storage

Lab: Using Table Storage

• See how Visual Studio cloud templates provide default diagnostic monitoring setup
• Add trace statements to cloud code
• Learn how to schedule diagnostic data to be transferred to Windows Azure Storage
• Learn how to perform an on-demand transfer of diagnostic data to storage

After completing this module, candidates will be able to:

• Design and build logging and debugging needs into their applications
• Use Windows Azure Diagnostic Services to capture log/diagnostic data
• Transfer data from Windows Azure to specified storage

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