How to use Java-related technologies in Windows Azure

We have just released a new tutorial and sample code to illustrate how to use Java-related technologies in Windows Azure. In this guide, we provide a step-by-step tutorial on how to migrate the Java Spring Framework application (petclinic sample application) to the Windows Azure cloud. The code that comes with this document is also published in GitHub. We encourage Java developers to download and explore this new sample and tutorial.

Windows Azure is an open cloud platform that supports a variety of programming languages and frameworks, including Microsoft. NET, Java, Node.js, PHP, Python, and Ruby. This guide is written specifically for Java developers to demonstrate how to migrate a typical Java application to a Windows Azure cloud. This tutorial focuses on a sample application built on the common Spring Framework (Java petclinic) and introduces you to the Azure Java SDK for Eclipse, Windows Azure cache using memcached, Windows Azure Cloud Services, Windows Azure SQL database, and various other technologies for many other types of Java applications.

Windows Azure Cloud Service (PaaS) or Windows Azure virtual machine (IaaS)?

Fundamentally, there are two different ways to run an application layer on Windows Azure, such as a Web site. The first approach is through a platform that is based on Azure Cloud Services (PaaS). The second way is through the infrastructure of the Windows Azure virtual machine (VM), the Service (IaaS). Either way, developers can host their applications from multiple global data centers (four in the United States, two in Europe, two in Asia).
• With Windows Azure cloud services, developers only need to focus on the application, and the platform automatically configures and maintains the instance (under the surface of the Windows Yhyperhy Hyper-V VM) based on the running application layer. Instances can scale up to hundreds of clones horizontally and load-balance automatically. You can modify the instance size (with different virtual cores and memory), but the instance itself (including all patching and security updates for the operating system layer) is essentially managed by Windows Azure itself. This guide focuses on running the Java Pet Clinic sample application on Windows Azure cloud services.
• Through Windows Azure virtual machines, developers can create their own VM images and are responsible for installing and managing this VM (including any software installed on the VM). We provide Java developers with a variety of pre-built VM images available, including Windows and a variety of Linux versions. This is also a good way for developers to run Java applications in Windows Azure cloud when they have low-level control over operating systems and VMS, and can install other software (such as MySQL) directly on multiple VMs to build complete applications from the application layer to the data tier. Most Java applications can migrate easily by changing small amounts of code or without changing the code. You can also set load balancing to balance the load of multiple VMS (which may run the tomcat/jsp layer) through a round robin mechanism. However, unlike Azure cloud services, virtual machines are similar to running VMS locally, and developers must manage all of the VMS, including any security patches. This new tutorial focuses on running Java in Windows Azure cloud services, but we encourage developers to simultaneously try Windows Azure virtual machines that use Windows or Linux VMS.

The Spring Framework on Windows Azure platform

The new guide contains the recently updated Petclinic sample of the spring Framework because it is suitable for demonstrating a variety of enterprise technologies that are widely used to create scalable Java EE applications, such as Spring Data JPA, MVC, AOP, JMX, EhCache, and Logback, and it is familiar to everyone. We will add transient fault handling and Memcached to the Azure cache via AOP to extend the petclinic.

For Java developers who are familiar with Eclipse and STS, Microsoft offers Windows Azure toolkit for Java-specific eclipse. This toolkit provides the following resources for Java development in Windows Azure using eclipse:
• Windows Azure plug-in for Java Eclipse
• Microsoft JDBC 4.0 drivers for SQL Server and Windows Azure SQL databases
• Apache qpid Client library packages for JMS
• Windows Azure Library package for Java
Windows Azure Access Control Service filter
Windows Azure Common Plug-ins

In this guide, we will use the Windows Azure plug-in for Java Eclipse and the Microsoft JDBC 4.0 driver for SQL Server. Eclipse's plug-ins provide a Java wrapper for Windows Azure Services and a Windows Azure emulator.

Conclusion

Windows Azure is an open cloud platform that supports a variety of programming languages and frameworks. We encourage Java developers to explore new Windows Azure Java Tutorials and sample code to learn about the Windows Azure Java-related technologies that are being used.