Visual Studio 2010 RC Rocks – Getting Started with Cloud Computing – 3 Steps to the Clouds (Azure)

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I just downloaded VS 2010 RC and it is a beautiful thing – fast, clean interface – you name it. Dare I say, the best developer tool since the dawn of computing. We’ve come a long way from the days of simple editors.

Downloading and Installing

The first step is to do the install. But before you can install, you need to download it.

Purpose of Screen: To show the download file as an ISO filesnap0011How To Get This Screen: You will need to have downloaded the ISO to see this

Access your MSDN Subscription

Purpose of Screen: Download location for VS 2010 RCsnap0012How To Get This Screen: : Access your MSDN subscription

Installing

You have a couple of choices here:

  1. Burn a DVD from the ISO
  2. Use winrar (www.rarlabs.com) to extract the contents of the ISO to a folder. Then run setup.exe.
Purpose of Screen: Download link for VS 2010 RCsnap0013[3]How To Get This Screen: : Access your MSDN subscription

Time to create a new project.

Purpose of Screen: Create a new projectsnap0014How To Get This Screen: : After installation, start VS 2010 RC

Momentarily you will need to install some tooling for Azure.

Purpose of Screen: To show how to install "Enable Windows Azure Tools"snap0015How To Get This Screen: : See previous step

You will need to download “Windows Azure Tools.”

Purpose of Screen: To show how to install "Enable Windows Azure Tools"snap0016How To Get This Screen: : See previous step

The download link is on Jim’s Blog.

Purpose of Screen: To show how to install "Enable Windows Azure Tools"snap0017How To Get This Screen: : See previous step

The download link for installation.

Purpose of Screen: To show how to install "Enable Windows Azure Tools"snap0018How To Get This Screen: : See previous step

Click Finish. Prepare now to download the training kit.

Purpose of Screen: Successful installationsnap0019How To Get This Screen: : Follow previous steps

Downloading the Windows Azure Training Kit

Purpose of Screen: Where to download the training kitsnap0023How To Get This Screen: : Navigate to the web site above or just search at Bing.com

Creating a new project.

Purpose of Screen: Starting a new projectsnap0024How To Get This Screen: : Start VS 2010 RC and select the menu "File / New Project"

Starting a cloud project

Purpose of Screen: Select Windows Azure Cloud Servicesnap0025How To Get This Screen: : Start VS 2010 RC and select the menu "File / New Project"

Choosing an ASP.NET Web Role

Purpose of Screen: How to create a web rolesnap0026How To Get This Screen: : After creating a new project

Naming your web role

Purpose of Screen: How to create a web rolesnap0027How To Get This Screen: : After creating a new project

Type in some text

Purpose of Screen: A default web role, cloud project that has been createdsnap0029How To Get This Screen: : See previous steps

Running your project in the Dev Fabric.

Purpose of Screen: Running our projectsnap0030How To Get This Screen: : See previous steps

The Dev Fabric spins up. Remember, you are not in the cloud yet. You simulating the cloud on your local machine. That is a beautiful thing – no need to deploy to test.

Purpose of Screen: Note the Azure Dev Fabric Icon in the system tray (the blue icon)snap0031How To Get This Screen: : See previous steps

Pointing to my (Local) instance of SQL Server

I have two instance of SQL Server on my box:

  • SQLEXPRESS
  • (local)

I want the Azure Development storage to use my local instance, not the default SQLExpress.

Purpose of Screen: To change the instance of SQL Server used by Azure Development Storagesnap0033How To Get This Screen: : Navigate to C:\Program Files\Windows Azure SDK\v1.1\bin\devstore and type the above command. The Period (.) means the local instance of SQL Server.

Notice that we are running the command successfully.

Purpose of Screen: To change the instance of SQL Server used by Azure Development Storagesnap0034How To Get This Screen: : Successful running of DSInit

Successful running...

Purpose of Screen: To illustrate our web role running in the local development fabricsnap0035How To Get This Screen: : Goto the Visual Studio 2010 menu and select "Debug / Start Debugging"

Now you are ready to start working on some exercises. Enjoy!

Purpose of Screen: Windows Azure Platform Training Kitsnap0036How To Get This Screen: : Download and install it !