Microsoft Azure <3 Java

  • Article

If you ever have been wondering if Microsoft supports Java running in theirpublic cloud, Microsoft Azure, you have come to the right place.

 

This article will describe several scenarios where you can learn more:

 

  • How to try Microsoft Azure - get a Free Trial !  
  • Azure Training
  • Java Applications on Virtual Machines running Windows or Linux (IaaS)
  • Java Applications on Platform As A Service (PaaS)
  • Java Web Application in Microsoft Azure Web Sites
  • Visual Studio Online (ALM and source countrol for your Java Project)
  • Microsoft Love Startups (yes! Even if you are a Java developer)
  • Microsoft and Open Source
  • I want to know even more, what now ?

 

 

How to try Microsoft Azure - get a Free Trial !

We have a free - one month trial - where we give you $200 doller in credit to spend on whatever Azure Service you choose.

 

All you need is a "Microsoft Account" (Previously known as LiveID)

If you don't have this, its rather easy to create an account. Details here: https://windows.microsoft.com/nb-NO/windows-live/sign-up-create-account-how

 

Then head over to Azure.com and sign up for your free trial.

 

Azure Training

We have several Azure Training Courses available at Microsoft Virtual Academy, head straight to the Azure section for a list of courses.

And if you want to go really deep, head over to Channel9 and search or browse for Azure content.

 

 

Java applications on Virtual Machines running Windows or Linux (IaaS)

 

Microsoft Azure support both Windows and Linux as operating systems when creating Virtual Machines.

The different Machines sizes and pricing can be found here:  https://azure.microsoft.com/en-us/pricing/details/virtual-machines/

 

In addition to "base" images with Linux OS and Windows Server we also have preinstalled images in our gallery.

 

For Java developers, this could be of interrest to spin up from our gallery:

(The database is Oracle Database 12c)

 

 

Cloud Scenarios

  • Dev & Test for apps og database
  • Extend datacenter capacity by scaling out the Oracle WebLogic tier of apps
  • Instantly spin up VMs with Oracle software pre-installed

 

Application Scenarios

 

Dev & Test

 

Web Applications

  • NET Platform based Web Applications with Oracle as backend
  • Java Platform based Web Applications with Oracle as backend

 

N-Tier applications

  • Hybrid Application Scenarios
    • Web application in Cloud (.NET / Java) and backend in On-Premises
    • Web Application and Middle Tier in Cloud with backend in On-Premises
    • Web Application and Middle Tier in On-Premises and backend in Cloud
  • Hybrid of IaaS and PaaS

 

Other

  • Message Bus Scenarios
  • Cloud Burst scenarios for web / middle tier
  • Database driven batch processing
  • Single Sign-On for Java based applications
  • Rights Management Service integration for Java based application running in Cloud or On-Premises
  • Lift and Shift for Java and Oracle applications
  • Oracle instances in Azure for DR and Reporting workloads

 

 

Oracle support

Q:
What kind of support does Oracle provide for its offerings?

A: 
Oracle fully supports Windows Server Hyper-V and Window Azure by providing certification and support for Oracle applications, middleware, database, Java and Oracle Linux on Windows Server Hyper-V and Windows Azure.

 

Q:
Licensing Oracle Software in the Cloud Computing Environment

A:
Oracle licensing is based on the number of cores being used by its programs using the below logic. 4 or fewer virtual cores = 1 socket = 1 processor license. For instances with more than 4 virtual cores, every 4 virtual cores
used (rounded up to the closest multiple of 4) equate to a licensing requirement of 1 socket. Oracle Database Standard Edition may only be licensed up to 16 virtual cores. Oracle Standard Edition One may only be licensed up to 8 virtual cores.

 

 

Other articles / Blogs

Articles from Microsoft

 

 

Articles from Oracle

 

 

Java Applications on Platform As A Service (PaaS)

Platform as a Service (PaaS) helps  to minimize operational costs and increase productivity. With Microsoft managing your server OS and updating/patching the OS and even scaling it based on workload, you can spend more time adding value to your software.

 

Microsoft Azure support Java in PaaS when running on Windows. If your Java application wants to use one (or more ) of the Azure Services available we have an Java SDK that enables this.

 

For more information check out: https://azure.microsoft.com/en-us/develop/java/

 

Integration with your IDE

If you are developing using Eclipse, we have a plugin that improves the development and deployment experience. Check out Azure Toolkit for Eclipse: https://msdn.microsoft.com/library/azure/hh694271.aspx

 

If you are using IntelliJ (or something else) we do not have a plugin as we have for Eclipse, but you can use the command line tooling to deploy to Azure. Read more here: https://java.interoperabilitybridges.com/articles/deploying-a-java-application-to-windows-azure-with-command-line-ant

 

The easiest way to get simple Java Web Applications running in the cloud

Microsoft Azure Web Sites ( https://azure.microsoft.com/en-us/services/websites/) is what you use to deploy and scale modern web sites  and web apps in seconds.

 

Build-in support for

  • Java 7
  • Apache Tomcat 7
  • Jetty 9

Ability to upload custom Java Code, JVM

Tested with numerous applications including Jira, Magnolia, Liferay and Hudson

 

Spend 14 minutes on Azure Friday where they show how to easily run Java in Azure Websites. Awsome!!

 

See whats new in Azure Web Sites from the  BUILD 2014 video here: https://channel9.msdn.com/Events/Build/2014/3-625

 

Visual Studio Online (hosted Team Foundation Server)

Did you know that the Team Foundation Server works great with Java? As far as TFS is concerned - all code is created equal. Did you also know that we have a hosted version, and it's free to use for the first 5 users ? Read more about this service here: https://www.visualstudio.com/products/what-is-visual-studio-online-vs

 

(If you are a startup (see below), you will get more features for free from your Visual Studio w/MSDN benefit.)

 

With Visual Studio Online you have a great solution for the Application Lifecycle Management, from creating backlog entries, planning your sprints to checking in code and building your solution to creating and running test scenarios.

 

With a plugin for Eclipse you have an very tight integration with TFS. Read more here: https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/hh301122.aspx This provides full source control, work item tracking, build, sharepoint, reports access etc into TFS from Eclipse based IDE's. It's written in 100% Java and talks directly to the web services exposed by TFS.

 

In addition we also provide a cross-platform command line client for TFS so that you can talk to TFS from the command line on your operating system of choice (Mac, Linux, Solaris, HP-UX, Aix etc all fully supported).

 

The Build server in Visual Studio Online supports Ant and Maven for building your projects. The latest version of Oracle Java JDK, Apache Ant and Apache Maven libraries are now available on the hosted build controller to speed up build time. Check out the documentation over here: https://www.visualstudio.com/get-started/build-your-eclipse-projects-vs

 

If you have tools written in Java that want to talk to TFS then they can make use of the TFS SDK for Java which is the full API that we used to create the Eclipse integration and cross-platform command line client but packaged up with samples and snippets and ready for you to redistribute with your applications.

 

We also have a REST based API in Preview to support all kinds of integrations with TFS, including callbacks for certain activities in TFS (like creating a new backlog entry). Check out Visual Studio | Integrate

 

To import history from SVN, that's the same as importing history from any SCM tool into TFS (or TFS into any SCM tool). You have a couple of options. You can take a snapshot and cut over at a particular point (such as a release) or you can migrate history. To Migrate history from SVN there are some partner solutions available including one from Timely Migration that we have seen a lot of customers have success with.

 

 

Microsoft love Startups

If you are a startup you are entitled to a Microsoft BizSpark membership if you qualify.

 

The qualifications are

  • Developing software or apps
  • Less than 5 years old and privately held
  • Making less than US$1M annually

 

For more information check https://www.microsoft.com/bizspark/

 

BizSpark gives you a lot of Microsoft licenses, including Visual Studio. You might wonder why we are telling you this, since Visual Studio doesn't compile Java code.  It could be that you need some of the other licenses you get, and it could be a great opportunity to try another IDE - but you also get Microsoft Azure Credits through the MSDN benefits connected to the Visual Studio License. This gives you $100 in credit to spend each month for 3 years, and if you spend more than the credit we offer discounts on the extra spend. For more information on BizSpark benefits in Azure, check out the benefits page.

 

 

Microsoft and Open Source

Azure supports a large and growing number of open-source applications, frameworks, and languages, as a result of Microsoft’s collaboration with the open source community. We understand that developers want to use the tools that best fit their experience, skills, and application requirements, and our goal is to enable that choice.

 

Developers working in .NET, Java, PHP, Node.js, and Python can use the freely available SDKs for those languages to get started quickly and take full advantage of Azure services. Developers working in any language can use Azure services through established standards such as REST and HTTP as well as emerging standards such as AMQP and OData.

 

The open-source community also provides many technologies that developers can use to build on Azure.

 

Read more here: https://azure.microsoft.com/en-us/community/open-source-software/

 

Microsoft Open Technologies

To further advance the company’s long-standing investments in openness including interoperability, open standards and open source, Microsoft launched a wholly-owned subsidiary Microsoft Open Technologies, Inc. (MS Open Tech) in early 2012.

 

We are motivated by the core belief that open technology is a powerful enabler – and this concept underscores all of the work we do to create technical bridges between Microsoft and non-Microsoft technologies.

 

Microsoft Open Technologies are an organization of engineers, standards professionals and technical evangelists who are both experienced in and passionate about working with an equally diverse set of technologies.  In addition, they leverage our ability to marshal engineering talent from Microsoft on a project basis through the MS Open Tech Hub engineering program to help facilitate the exchange and evolution of open source engineering best practices.

 

Code talks within MS Open Tech. Many of our primary activities encompass building open source code and promoting the development and adoption of open technical standards specifications to deliver a more seamless experience across hardware, software and devices. Please visit the Projects page (https://msopentech.com/projects/) for more details about our community contributions in these areas.

 

For more information about Microsoft Open Technologies check out https://msopentech.com/

  

I want to know even more, what now ?

Ok, I am hooked - but I want some more information. What do I do ?

Please contact the Developer Experience (DX) Team in Norway at mailto:dxn@microsoft.com and we will be more then happy to talk to you.