Windows Azure Tools for Microsoft Visual Studio (November 2009 Update)

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Just in case anyone missed this. A new set of tools for Windows Azure has been made available and can be downloaded at: https://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=6967ff37-813e-47c7-b987-889124b43abd&displaylang=en

Overview

Windows Azure Tools for Microsoft Visual Studio extend Visual Studio 2008 and Visual Studio 2010 Beta 2 to enable the creation, configuration, building, debugging, running and packaging of scalable web applications and services on Windows Azure.
New for the November 2009 release:

  • Service Model UI: A redesigned and significantly more complete interface for manipulating Role configuration information. To access, double-click on a role node in the Solution Explorer.
  • Additional role templates: Support for ASP.NET MVC 2 (2010 only), F# worker roles (2010 only), and WCF Service Application web roles.
  • VS2010 Beta2 Support: Support for Visual Studio 2010 Beta 2 and VWD Express 2010 Beta 2.
  • Support for dynamically creating tables: The Create Tables functionality is now performed automatically; there is no longer a need to right-click and select Create Tables… on the project after your table definitions have changed.
  • Full support for and installation of the November Windows Azure SDK release:
    • The sample storage client has been replaced by a new production quality library.
    • New Diagnostics library enables logging using .NET APIs and enables the collection of diagnostic information from the service.
    • Service Runtime library updated to support inter-role communication and notification of configuration changes .
    • Support for input endpoints on Worker Roles.
    • Higher fidelity simulation of Development Storage: supports all current cloud storage features, including dynamically creating tables.
    • Ability to choose the size of the VM for a role instance.
    • Ability to persist data in local storage even after the role is recycled.
    • Ability to manage certificates to install to the role VMs.

Windows Azure Tools for Microsoft Visual Studio includes:

  • C# and VB Project creation support for creating a Windows Azure Cloud Service solution with multiple roles.
  • Tools to add and remove roles from the Cloud Service.
  • Tools to configure each Role.
  • Integrated local development via the Development Fabric and Development Storage services.
  • Running and Debugging a Cloud Service in the Development Fabric.
  • Building and packaging of Cloud Service Packages.
  • Browsing to the Windows Azure Developer Portal.