Microsoft officially releases Windows Azure Active directory Free Edition

In addition to its economic advantages, cloud computing offers greater flexibility in application development that can be transformed into a competitive advantage. We are delighted to see more than 1000 new Windows Azure subscriptions created every day, and, more exciting, half of the customers use higher-value services to build modern business applications. Today, we are pleased to announce a formal release of some services and a preview of other services to help developers better integrate applications, manage identities, and enhance load balancing.

Windows Azure Active Directory

We are very excited to announce that the free version of Windows Azure Active Directory is officially released.

As applications become more and more dependent on the cloud, IT administrators are required to implement single sign-on (SSO) for SaaS applications and ensure access security. Windows Azure Active Directory makes it easy to manage user access to hundreds of cloud SaaS applications, such as Office 365, Box, GoToMeeting, DropBox, Salesforce.com, and so on. With these free application access enhancements, you can:
• Use the new application library on Windows Azure portal, which integrates many commonly used cloud applications and seamlessly enables single sign-on
• Configure (or undeploy) your users ' identities in selected SaaS applications
• Record exception access patterns for cloud-based applications through predefined security reports
• Assign cloud-based applications to your users so they can start these applications from a single Web page (the Access panel)

All Windows Azure subscribers are free to use these features. If you are already using the application access enhancements in the preview version, you do not need to take any action. You will automatically migrate to the officially released service.

Windows Azure Active Directory Advanced Edition Products

Windows Azure Active Directory Advanced Product is now available in the public preview version. Built on a free product base of Windows Azure Active Directory, this product provides a powerful set of capabilities to support businesses that require more identity and access management.

In the first milestone, advanced products enable group based configuration and access management for SaaS applications, and provide custom access panels and detailed security reports based on computer learning. In addition, end users can perform self-service password resets for cloud applications.

The advanced edition of Windows Azure Active Directory is available free of charge during the public preview and will later add additional emphasis on cloud identity and access management capabilities.

The premium version will be charged at the end of the free preview, and the pricing details will be released at least 30 days before the end of the free trial period.

We recommend that you register now to obtain the advanced version of Windows Azure Active Directory Public Preview.

Windows Azure Biz Talk Services

Windows Azure Biz Talk Services is now officially released. Customers continue to invest in cloud-based applications, but they also need a reliable scalable solution to extend their in-house deployment applications to the cloud. This cloud-based integration service supports powerful business scenarios, such as supply chains, cloud-based Electronic Data Interchange (EDI), and Enterprise application integration (EAI), all using familiar toolset and providing enterprise-class reliability.

If you have used BizTalk services in the preview version, it will automatically migrate to the officially released service, and the new pricing will take effect on January 1, 2014.

To learn more about services and new pricing, visit the BizTalk Services Web site.

Windows Azure Traffic Manager

Windows Azure Traffic Manager service is now officially published. Now, with the load-balancing feature of this service, you can create highly responsive, high-availability production-level applications. Many customers, such as AccuWeather, are already using traffic Manager to improve the performance and availability of applications. We are also pleased to announce that traffic Manager now supports 99.99% service level agreements and is supported by the existing Windows Azure support program. We will also announce the new pricing for traffic Manager. Free promotional pricing will end on December 31, 2013.

If you are already using the traffic Manager in the preview version, you do not need to take any action. You will automatically migrate to the officially released service, and the new pricing will take effect on January 1, 2014.