Microsoft has released Windows Azure SDK 2.1 for .NET with support for VM Image including enhancements for Visual Studio Server Explorer, virtual machines, cloud services. It also includes service bus notification hub support, improved Visual Studio tooling and new PowerShell commands for automating web sites, cloud services and VMs. In addition to Visual Studio 2010 and 2012, the latest release also provides support for Visual Studio 2013 Preview.
Microsoft has also added a new image to the Windows Azure VM Gallery that has Visual Studio Ultimate 2013 Preview, SharePoint 2013, SQL Server 2012 Express and the Windows Azure 2.1 SDK already installed on it, which enables you to build applications on the cloud with the help of the latest tools.
Visual Studio Server Explorer has been redesigned in such a way that all services are now contained under a single Windows Azure node with the ability to manage credentials and subscription file. It is also possible to filter Windows Azure services in the Server Explorer based on the subscription or region including the ability to access properties on a cloud service, deployment slot, role instance, storage accounts, virtual machines and web sites.
Windows Azure SDK 2.1 for .NET also enables you to start, shutdown, restart and delete a Virtual Machine directly within the Visual Studio Server Explorer. The shutdown operation will shut down the virtual machines and billing will be suspended when the VM is not in use. Moreover, you will be able to restart VM very easily. It provides support for paired namespaces, integrated subscription management and integration of service bus node into Windows Azure node. The release also includes new PowerShell cmdlets in the following categories
- China instance and Windows Azure Pack support
- Environment Configuration
- VMs
- Cloud Services
- Web Sites
- Storage
- SQL Azure
- Service Bus
The latest release of the Azure SDK includes a new option named Emulator Express with which you will be able to launch Visual Studio and run your cloud services locally as a normal user without being an administrator. It also provides support for Windows Azure Notification Hubs with the ability to create, update and delete hubs using code. Moreover, you will be able to manage device registrations and send push notifications to Windows Store, Windows Phone 8, iOS and Android.
Microsoft has also updated Visual Studio Team Foundation Service (TFS) to support the features included with Windows Azure SDK 2.1 that includes automated builds and tests.