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It was pointed out to me recently that my critical position on SQL Data Services and support for Azure in general are inconsistent, so I thought that a bit of clarification is required. SQL Server is my database of choice and have been using it since version 4.21, which was long before it became mainstream and I even spent a couple of years on ...

In the battle of the public vs private clouds, the lines have been drawn between those that offer infrastructure for use in existing data centres and those that offer platforms and services in their own data centres.  The discussions, while technically based, are philosophical, passionate, opinionated and about the market laggards trying to ...

This week Google announced immediate support for Java on AppEngine. While not surprising it does thrown down the gauntlet for PaaS (Platform as a Service) competitors such as Microosft’s Azure.  Technical details aside, there is a lot of Java code out there, a lot of Java developers and a whole new market to persue. A big part of Microsoft’s ...

The majority of .NET developers are web developers and web development definitely has complexity in terms the required breadth of technologies that a developer needs to master - html, css, javascript, database, and a whole host of other technical jiggery-pokery that needs to be dealt with.  However, even though there usually at least three ...

I don't want to wish my life away, but I cannot wait for 2019 if this is what we are going to be working, playing and living with.   Predicting the future is tough - we still don't have flying cars, my jet pack is yet to materialise and summer holidays aren't on the moon... but some of Microsoft's Business Division have come up with ...

There is no doubt that SQL Data Services (SDS) looks, feels and smells very different to the SQL Server that we have grown accustomed to over the years.  The model is obviously different but there is little formal and clear description by Microsoft on what that model is – the pros and cons and the reasons for the change within the context of ...

As I mentioned in my previous post, I spent 3 days last week on a Windows Azure Training Course, unfortunately this meant that I missed out on all the fun that was had on #comday. One of the most common questions I heard at PDC 08 after Windows Azure was unveiled was around the overlap of functionality between Windows Azure Storage and SQL Data ...

Last week I attended a Windows Azure Services Platform Training Workshop, held by QA in London. Our trainer, the excellent Mr Adrian Jakeman, took myself and 12 other Microsoft Partners on a journey through the Azure Service Platform and its constituent parts: I was fortunate enough to be sat next to Rob Blackwell, from AWS for the duration ...

It seems that amongst the interest in Azure there are a set of questions that are being asked where the response is ”Don’t Know”.  As it is early days in the Azure CTP, expecting definitive answers to these questions is unrealistic and we can only assume that Microsoft is listening and will use our input to come up with the right ...

I am returning from the Windows Azure Platform & Cloud Computing Technical Briefing held at Microsoft in Reading.  The ‘softies in action were David Gristwood, Neil Kidd and Simon Davies – giving an overview of the Azure platform.  There weren’t any titbits of information that are not readily available on the web, but it is ...