Hands on Labs Updated

We’ve just published the latest Azure Services Training Kit to http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=413E88F8-5966-4A83-B309-53B7B77EDF78&displaylang=en. This contains updates and bug fixes to the original kit. The kit contains hands on labs for Windows Azure as well as .Net Services, SQL Services & Live Services.

The kit includes the following labs:

Building Windows Azure Services
In this lab, use the Visual Studio tools to build, package and execute a Windows Azure Service running on the local developer fabric. Also, learn about using Windows Azure configuration settings, local file storage as well as the logging API. Finally, use Visual Studio to debug your service.
Getting Started with Windows Azure Storage
In this lab, examine each of the foundation storage capabilities of Windows Azure, Blobs, Tables and Queues. Discover how to create storage accounts; upload and retrieve blobs and blob metadata; create, update and query tables; and create a simple service that uses a message queue for communication.
Using Windows Azure Tables
In this brief lab, you will perform the actions required to create, update and query tables in the Windows Azure Storage Service.

Introduction to SQL Data Services
This lab introduces the basic data storage model for SQL Data Services (SDS), called the ‘ACE’ model (Authorities, Containers, and Entities). You will learn how to perform CRUD (create, read, update, delete) operations in SDS for blobs and flexible entities using the SOAP and REST protocols as well as how to perform basic query operations.
Advanced SQL Data Services
Beyond the basics, developers will want to understand some of the more advanced features of SQL Data Services (SDS). In this lab, learn how to use the relational features, like JOIN, TOP, and OrderBy. Preview the new ADO.NET Services client interface to SDS and learn to manage concurrency with your applications.
Working with Concurrency
In this Hands-On Lab, you will learn how to use the simple optimistic concurrency available to you with SQL Data Services. You will create a solution with two console applications: One to generate CRUD operations with concurrency using the REST interface and another identical application using the SOAP interface. Additionally, you will learn how to deal with managing concurrency for large entities or blobs using the HEAD operation.

Introduction to the .NET Service Bus
This lab covers the basics of the .NET Service Bus in .NET Services. It shows how to connect clients and services via SOAP and REST over the Service Bus using the .NET Services SDK. It explores the different bindings you can use, shows how to expose a MEX endpoint, and also how to handle message security and binary data.
Introduction to the .NET Access Control Service
This introductory hands-on lab walks you through the creation of a trust relationship with a sample third party, FederatedIdentity.net (a site used for interop testing with other identity management stacks). It then demonstrates how to leverage claims transformation rules provided by the .NET Access Control Service for implementing a simple but extremely effective access control strategy, one that in a more traditional scenario would entail a significant amount of resources.
Introduction to the .NET Workflow Service
This lab demonstrates how the .NET Workflow Service can be used for service orchestration in the cloud. It covers the design of workflows using the specialized cloud-based activities and the deployment and management of workflow types and instances using both the .NET Services portal and the client-side management API.

Creating Mesh-enabled Web Applications
This introductory hands-on lab walks you through the creation of a trust relationship with a sample third party, FederatedIdentity.net (a site used for interop testing with other identity management stacks). It then demonstrates how to leverage claims transformation rules provided by the .NET Access Control Service for implementing a simple but extremely effective access control strategy, one that in a more traditional scenario would entail a significant amount of resources.

We are continuing to develop the Azure Services training Kit as the services evolve. Please post any feedback you may have to this blog.

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