Wade Wegner

Today we published the Windows Azure Platform Training Kit – October Release. The Windows Azure Platform Training Kit includes hands-on labs, presentations, and samples to help you understand how to build applications that utilize Windows Azure, SQL Azure, and the Windows Azure AppFabric.

• Download Now: You can download the full training kit including the hands-on labs, demo scripts, and presentations from the Microsoft download center here: http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkID=130354.
• Browse the hands-on labs: Alternatively, you can browse through the individual hands-on labs on the MSDN site here: http://bit.ly/WAPCourse

The October 2011 update of the training kit includes the following updates:

• [New Hands-On Lab] SQL Azure Data-tier Applications
• [New Hands-On Lab] SQL Azure Data Sync
• [New Hands-On Lab] SQL Azure Federations
• [New Demo] Provisioning Logical Servers using Cmdlets Demo
• [New Demo] Parallel Computing on Azure – Travelling Salesman Demo
• [Updated] SQL Azure Labs and Demos with the new portal and tooling experience
• Applied several minor fixes in content

As with the September release, we have shipped an (updated) preview of our web installer. The training kit web installer is a very small application weighing in at 2MB. The web installer enables you to select and download just the hands-on labs, demos, and presentations that you want instead of downloading the entire training kit. As new or updated hands-on labs, presentations, and demos are available they will automatically show up in the web installer – so you won’t have to download it again.

You can now download the training kit web installer preview release from here.

We really try to make these training resources valuable to you, so please be sure to provide feedback if you find a bug, mistake, or feel as if we should including something else in the kit.

The February 2011 update of the Windows Azure Platform Training Kit includes several updates and bug fixes for the hands-on labs.   Most of the updates were focused on supporting the new Windows Azure AppFabric February CTP and the new portal experience for AppFabric Caching, Access Control, and the Service Bus.  The specific content that was updated in this release includes:

• Hands-on Lab – Building Windows Azure Apps with the Caching service
• Hands-on Lab – Using the Access Control Service to Federate with Multiple Business Identity Providers
• Hands-on Lab – Introduction to the AppFabric Access Control Service V2
• Hands-on Lab – Introduction to the Windows Azure AppFabric Service Bus Futures
• Hands-on Lab – Advanced Web and Worker Roles – fixed PHP installer script
• Demo Script – Rafiki PDC Keynote Demo

The setup scripts for all hands-on labs and demo scripts have also been updated so that the content can easily be used on a machine running Windows 7 SP1.

You can download the February update of the Windows Azure Platform Training kit.  We’re also continuing to publish the hands-on labs directly to MSDN to make it easier for developers to review and use the content without having to download an entire training kit package.  You can also view the HOLs in the online kit.

Finally, if you’re using the training kit or if you have feedback on the content, we would love to hear from you.   Please drop us an email at azcfeed@microsoft.com.

I am thrilled to announce that we have released a January 2011 update to the Windows Azure Platform Training Kit & Training Course.

The Windows Azure Platform Training Kit & Training 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.

Download the Windows Azure Platform Training Kit.

Visit the Windows Azure Platform Training Course on MSDN.

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

Release: January 2011 Update
Version: 2.3