Microsoft cloud services: Training and certification

Cloud technology creates new opportunities and job roles, but it also impacts current ones. Over the next year, we will introduce new certifications on Microsoft cloud services and will update many of our current certifications to include cloud-related skills. We’ll provide training for these cloud computing offerings through Official Microsoft Learning Products, including Microsoft Press books, Microsoft Official Courses, and Official Microsoft E-Learning.

We recommend that you start by building skills that apply to both on-premise computing and cloud computing. If you already have on-premise skills, you can enhance your skill set to include cloud computing

Follow the link above for a full list of the available certifications.

Inside Visual Studio LightSwitch

Microsoft Visual Studio LightSwitch uses a model-centric architecture for defining, building, and executing a 3-tier LightSwitch application.

A model-centric architecture uses models to describe the structure and semantics of an end-to-end application. The applications that you build with LightSwitch have a traditional N-tier architecture.

In this article we discuss the LightSwitch model-centric approach and the main elements of a LightSwitch model. We’ll also look at the runtime architecture tiers (presentation, service, and data) and how they relate to the model.

If you haven't taken a look at LightSwitch yet, this could be a good starting point. I have written an admin client for an application that I am developing, following my usual datacentric approach, and I am amazed at how easy it is to implement vrey functional, 3-tier solutions.

During this session, we will take a tour of the latest and greatest features of Windows Azure, Microsoft’s cloud services platform. You will learn how to migrate your current and implement your next .NET application without having to worry about downtimes. You will find out about Windows Azure’s high-availability and on-demand scalability that allows you to run applications securely on servers that are automatically patched with the latest updates and use the most recent runtimes. Speaker: Ronnie Saurenmann

Slides: Cloud Computing. We are ready.

Watch this video on channel9.msdn.com

A couple of weeks ago, my friend Ronnie has presented a great Azure session. If you haven't got the chance to see it yet, you find it on channel9.

Big boys use wired mouse - And now big girls too ;-)

Windows Azure: Understanding Security Account Management in Windows Azure

Cloud computing relieves some of the security burden, but you still have an active role in managing access, securing communications and ensuring data protection.

Good Overview.

Let’s deploy

• Part 1: Setting Up a SQL Azure Server and Database
• Part 2: Scripting the On-Premises Database for SQL Azure
• Part 3: Executing the Scripts on the SQL Azure Database
• Part 4: Creating the Cloud Solution
• Part 5: Testing Locally 
• Part 6: Preparing the Deployment Package
• Part 7: Creating the Hosted Service
• Part 8: Promoting from Staging to Production

Some nice step-by-step work of the "Canadian Developer Connection".

The Identity Developer Training Kit contains hands-on labs, presentations and pointers to training videos.This page contains two versions of the Identity Developer Training Kit :

• Identity Developer Training Kit (February 2011) for Visual Studio 2010 RTM
• Identity Developer Training Kit (March 2010) for Visual Studio 2008 SP1

Please download the version corresponding to your primary development environment. Note that the two versions of the training kit will not work side by side. Also note: the March 2010 version is included for backward compatibility only, and it does not contain presentations or videos.

=> Download it!

The MSDN OnlineIdentity Training Course is also now available.
Both are verycloud-focused.

Free Trial Introductory Special

The easiest way to get started with Windows Azure. Includes 750 hours of an Extra Small compute instance, 25 hours of a small compute instance, 1GB Web Edition database and more. Usage in excess of the base amount is charged at normal rates. Valid through June 30th, 2011

Free Trial Introductory updated with additional 750hr / month of an XS instance (this means that you can have 1 xs instance running all month).
Try it now, it's free!