Windows Azure and ISV`s

This blog post is aiming at the ISV`s out there, who are considering (hopefully, or at least, they should be considering) the pure blue cloud – called Windows Azure. An ISV is an Independent Software Vendor. By using Windows Azure as their cloud, they have the potential to decrease operational costs and increase revenues.

We all know that internet applications are the future. Think of it, how many apps on your devices are you actually downloading and installing today? You can access almost everything through well-known standards through the power of the internet.

Windows Azure is meant to be the platform where ISV`s can create their Software as a Service applications. This means that Windows Azure is Platform as a Service.

With a background as a CIO in an ISV company, I`ve seen an increasing interest of having applications available as a SaaS – even Line of Business Applications.

When you`re reading this, you might think that I`m actually saying that you should put all your effort in moving your applications to the cloud. But relax a bit.

Cloud computing in general is not an all-or-nothing proposition. You start by creating small achievable goals and prioritize the applications that are best suited.

This leads us to a hybrid solution that is combining the best from both worlds. With Windows Azure you can store your data in the cloud and run the applications on-premise and vice versa.

To-do list:

1.       Understand your organization

2.       Understand your very own software – what are we making, and to whom?

3.       Understand Windows Azure (PaaS)

4.       Bookmark this blog to get a better understanding of Windows Azure during this month J

I`ll cover the architecture in a technical way later in December, but I want to share some ideas regarding Windows Azure in your environment. Call it a post-decision.

When we started with Windows Azure, I wish I knew more about the architecture and the administration part. But I`ll share some thoughts right here.

Money Money Money

When you decide to take a closer look at Windows Azure, you should start by navigate  to this site: https://mocp.microsoftonline.com/site/default.aspx

Windows Azure is using a pay-as-you-go model. This mean that you`ll need access to a valid credit card and sign up for the required components using a Live ID. You will be billed monthly and that might not be supported by your organization. There are some options here and you can sign up for a larger amount and get onto the Enterprise Agreement. However, you`re more likely to start with a credit card if this is the first project/first time you are touching Windows Azure.

Administration

You sign up and you sign in with your Live ID. To access Windows Azure, you have to logon to the Windows Azure portal: http://windows.azure.com . Windows Azure is not using a role-based model for administration, so if you decide to give another human being access to your subscriptions, you`ll need to think carefully who this person is. The reason is that if you want to add a new user to your subscriptions, it will be a Co-Admin. Yup, full access. Full access means permissions to add, delete, and modify services. This includes Compute, SQL Azure and also Storage.

Stay tuned and I`ll cover the rest of Azure later this month.