Cloud computing overview and the first Azure Program

08/04/2012 as many people want to try Azure, ask for registration questions and update the Azure Support Section.

Introduction

Try Agile to write a blog. This article covers the following two stories. Story 1: as a reader who has never developed a cloud computing platform, I hope to read this article to learn more about cloud computing. Story 2: As a reader who has never developed Azure, I hope to create the first Azure Web Role application by reading this article.

 

Cloud computing platform Overview

With the rapid popularization of mobile Internet, cloud computing has become increasingly popular after cold processing. When I was just engaged in Cloud computing development, I felt that Cloud was a castle in the air, and the Cloud was full of fog. No one told me about Cloud computing systematically. After some time of Azure development and understanding of other Cloud platforms, I found that Cloud is really not that hard to understand, if you think that your understanding of Cloud is still in the fog, I hope this article will help you open the Cloud and see Qingtian.

 

What is cloud computing?

Cloud computing is a service, and cloud computing platform is a service.. Let's take a look at the cloud computing platform categories, such as IaaS, PaaS, and SaaS. The last S represents the Service. When we use a cloud computing platform, we purchase services. By understanding this, we understand the core of cloud computing and solve many selection problems. For example, we use a cloud computing platform or purchase hardware for maintenance, just like the differences between eating at a restaurant and cooking at home, each has its own merits.

Cloud computing Classification

As mentioned above, cloud computing platforms include IaaS, PaaS, and SaaS. What they have in common is that through services, they all eat like a restaurant, the difference is that you eat hot pot by yourself, eat Korean barbecue workers to help you bake, eat western food is prepared by a cook, are to enjoy the service, however, there is a little difference in the degree of enjoyment, and there is no absolute good or bad. Radish cabbage has its own advantages.

From left to right, you manage Fewer and fewer categories, and the flexibility is getting lower and lower. The first is not a cloud computing platform, but a traditional self-management model.

IaaS

The second type is called Infrastructure-as-a-Service (IaaS). The basic framework serves as a Service. Cloud computing providers only manage networks, physical storage, servers, and virtualization. You can select an operating system, such as Windows or Linux, middleware, and runtime such as JVM and. NET. The most popular platform for IaaS is Amazon's AWS. Because IaaS is flexible, many other PaaS and SaaS platforms are based on AWS.

PaaS

The third type is Platform-as-a-Service (PaaS). as a Service, a cloud computing Platform at this level can choose its own data layer and applications, currently, most cloud computing platforms are provided in this form, such as Microsoft's Azure, Google's GAE, HeroKu, and App Harbour. In fact, the boundaries are getting increasingly confused, for example, in addition to not selecting O/S (in fact, you can choose different Windows versions), Azure supports multiple platforms, and also supports VM mode, which is more and more like IaaS. But the official blog also said they are not IaaS.

 

Languages and platforms supported by Azure

In various PaaS cloud computing platforms, I think Azure is the most flexible. This is why I like Azure most. Flexibility and management difficulty have a good compromise.

SaaS

As a Service, Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) Software usually provides some special Software services, such as Apple's iCloud and Microsoft's SkyDrive, which are generally less customer-oriented.

 

Why Azure

AWS, Azure, and Saleforce are usually used at work, but Azure is the most used. Azure is recommended to customers each time. Why do I like Azure? It is mainly based on the following considerations:

1. and. NET seamless integration, Azure can seamlessly support.. NET development environment, such as Web project and MVC project. The developed project can be directly deployed on the Azure platform without any modifications.

2. Supports Data Storage and SQL. Azure Windows comes with Data Storage, which supports Table Storage, BLOB and Queue, which are currently very popular NoSQL. SQL Server is also supported to facilitate the storage of relational data.

3. it is better and more flexible than other PaaS. In addition to not selecting O/S, Azure can basically choose everything. Azure supports multiple languages, multiple runtime, multiple databases, and VM mode, you can install software on your own. Other PaaS are far less flexible. For example, although GAE has been improving, it is much more restrictive than Azure. Azure also supports Cache, which is not supported by many other PaaS.

 

What are the benefits of learning Azure?

1. paaS's cloud computing platform generally provides two roles: Web Role and Worker Role. Web Role can be understood as a website on a Web server (such as IIS, worker Role can be understood as a background task. Azure provides these two roles to develop programs for Azure and learn about the development modes of other platforms.

2. the management mode of a general cloud computing platform is similar to that of Azure. You can adjust the number of Role and the processing capability as needed, such as extra small, small, medium, large, and extra large, other platforms are easy to use.

3. Azure supports flexible data access, Table Storage, SQL, and so on. Learn about Azure and learn about the different applications of NoSQL and relational databases.

4. You can try it for free. Regular users can use it for free for three months, and MSDN subscriber users can use it for free for one year.

Free for three months.

The MSDN subscriber is free for one year. Link http://www.windowsazure.com/en-us/pricing/member-offers/msdn-benefits/

 

 

The first Azure program to register an Azure account

To develop the first Azure program, you can actually use a local simulator, which does not need to be paid, but I am talking about deploying the program to the real Azure platform.

First, register an Azure account and log on to https://www.windowsazure.com/en-us/pricing/free-trial/, renew live ID, and call and credit card.

Microsoft will send you a text message to confirm, and then fill in the credit card information. If you do not use it three months later, you can use Cancel.

 

Note: if it is only a test, select the extra small instance for each deployment, and delete the instance every time it is used up, so that it will not cost money.

 

Install the Azure SDK

The current version of Azure SDK is 1.6. For other languages, you can also choose to download.

 

Create and deploy a project

 

The following demonstrates how to create and deploy a Web Role project. Web Role supports ASP. NET and MVC projects. Here we do not describe how to create a Web project, which is no different from a common Web project.

After installing the Azure SDK, you can create a Azure project. Right-click Solution and click Create project.

You can add the corresponding Web Role or Worker Role. When a Role is deployed, you can adjust the processing capability of one or more instances.

To deploy a Web project to Azure, right-click the Azure project and select Public 

 

Select your azure account. If not, you can select Manage to add an account.

Select New in Manage to add an account.

Select or add a certificate. For the first time, select Create

This certificate can also be generated through the command line, as follows:

OpenVisual Studio Command PromptAs administrator fromStart | All Programs | Microsoft Visual Studio 2010 | Visual Studio Tools | Visual Studio Command Prompt (2010)By right-clickingVisual Studio 2010 Command PromptShortcut cut and choosingRun as administrator.

makecert -r -pe -n "CN=AzureMgmt" -a sha1 -len 2048 -ss My "AzureMgmt.cer"

 

Log on to the Azure Management Portal and find the subscription ID.

Then fill in the third column below.

After entering the information, click OK.

Click Next

Enter a name and select the region. If you are in China, you can select East Asia and host in Hong Kong. Click OK.

Click Next. to log on to the VM, select Enable Remote Desktop"

Click Publish to deploy.

The answer is to check the status of the Azure Management Portal. If the status changes to Ready, it will be done so that you can access the Azure Web Role.

Access through the DNS address.

 

The first Azure program is successfully deployed.

 

Cloud computing personnel in China

To focus on cloud computing platforms, you can focus on some people who often discuss Azure and other related things. First, I am myself:@ Old goat Sean WP talents: @ nano coffee Azure Team in the United States: @ billliu_seattle masters:@ 51Aspx Haifeng@ Azure official forum support@ Xgluxv: there are errors and omissions. Please search for # Azure #

 

Azure support

In multiple cloud computing platforms, Azure service Support is relatively good, task problems can submit a service Ticket (Support Ticket), the URL is as follows: https://www.windowsazure.com/en-us/support/contact/

For example:

If it is a registration problem, select Billing support and then select Other. If it is a running problem, you can choose Windows Azure or SQL Azure.

 

You can select email service support. If you enter the phone number, Indians usually call for service. If you send an email, it is generally replied by a person from Beijing.