Apache Hadoop on Windows Azure CTP Availability

Today Microsoft officially announce the release of Apache Hadoop Services for Windows Azure in Developer Preview mode. BigData has arrived as an elastic service on Azure and the team is thrilled by the opportunities that lie ahead for on premise and public clouds based on Microsoft and Apache Hadoop technologies. Scale invariant insight, information processing, and analytics are now available to all participants in the Microsoft ecosystem - cloud and enterprise. Best of all, these capabilities have been bridged into the vibrant domains of Office BI and Collaboration, Data Warehousing, and Visualization/Reporting.

So what is Big Data Solution?

Unlock business insights from all your structured and unstructured data, including large volumes of data not previously activated, with Microsoft’s Big Data solution. Microsoft’s end-to-end roadmap for Big Data embraces Apache Hadoop™ by distributing enterprise class Hadoop based solutions on both Windows Server and Windows Azure. Our solution is also integrated into the Microsoft BI tools such as SQL Server Analysis Services, Reporting Services and even PowerPivot and Excel. This enables you to do BI on all your data, including those in Hadoop.

Key Benefits

  • Broader access of Hadoop to end users, IT professionals and Developers, through easy installation and configuration and simplified programming with JavaScript.
  • Enterprise ready Hadoop distribution with greater security, performance, ease of management and options for Hybrid IT usage.
  • Breakthrough insights through the use of familiar tools such as Excel, PowerPivot, SQL Server Analysis Services and Reporting Services.

Please visit the official announcement

 

I would also suggest viewing following video which gives you technical and business overview about Microsoft offering of Apache Hadoop on Windows Azure:

 The Apache Hadoop on Windows Azure website is open now:

You can download the Apache Hadoop on Windows Azure, solution sheet from the link below:

The initial response to the CTP announcement has been very high and there is immense interest in Apache Hadoop on Windows Azure. This Preview will be available to a limited number of customers beginning later this week. If you are interested in trying this preview, please complete the following form with details of your Big Data scenario. Microsoft will issue an access code to select customers based on usage scenarios.