Sunday, May 9, 2010

‘Back to basics’ - Presentation

 

Recently in my current organization, we planned to retake training session for refreshing.

As part of this “Back to basics” series, I have started with ‘.NET framework basics’. Slide show which I presented in session is shared here.

(CLR via C# – book lovers can say as which is the main source I used, soon after seeing the slides).

Planed for some more presentations, let see how they will go.

Tuesday, October 27, 2009

Create certificate for - Windows Azure Service Management API - Authentication

I was tried to access my Azure Hosted service”, using Windows Azure Service Management API. This just released (september 2009) API, currently doing authentication using

From MSDN,

Any valid X.509 v3 certificate can be used for authentication. You can use a self-signed certificate or one signed by a certificate authority.

To access our “Azure Hosted service” using “Azure Service Management API”, we need to upload our Certificate certificate file (*.cer) to the Azure Portal. [this kind of authentication may be changed by Microsoft, since this API is now in earlier version]

Some Useful links about “creating Certificate file”:

  • Using MakeCert.exe : from msdn link
  • Using IIS to generate a X509 certificate : from Eric Nelson’s msdn blog link

- -

Azure Hosted Service Manger Tool

Currently Cerebrata company, is in process of creating WPF based tool which uses this API. Once screenshot of this tool for view.

AzureAPImanager_cerebrata

I will update about this application in later post.

..

Thursday, September 17, 2009

Azure Platform New contest (for INDIA alone)

 

Microsoft's Azure new contest (for INDIA alone)

http://www.thecloudapp.com

- ASP.NET & PHP apps

- Context for professionals (as well as) Students

- Time line: 19-Aug (to) 16-Oct

Update: Last date for registration is extended to Oct-30

Earlier, first Microsoft conducted the international contest for Azure applications. Me and my friends participated with application called Jaiho. That time haven’t selected. I will participate in this India Contest also. (had to think about good, simple application)

Sunday, September 13, 2009

Links – September 2009


Last updated Date: 13-Sep-2009

General:

  • Web Form Validation: Best Practices and Tutorials: Details about implementing data  validation for the web applications  here , (know from igorshare)
  • ..

 

.. ..

Tuesday, August 4, 2009

Azure Contest – Jaiho application

Around one and half month back, I came to know about in NewCloudApp() developer challenge. It was a contest for creating Windows Azure based web application (or) service. I participated in that same [In 'international category'] with hearty support from my friend Ashok. Created a application called "Jaiho" and hosted here.

Now the contest is completed, congrats to the winners. My application is not selected, however thanks to all who tried the Jaiho application and voted for this.

About application "Jaiho" application:

Initially we planned to implement  many functionalities for this website as like “big social networking website” like Facebook, Orkut.

Due to time limit, and laziness only few functions were implemented while hosted for contest.

Currently following functionalities are in this application,

  • User can create an account newly  (by new username, password)  (OR)
  • User can also create account by other web 2.0 website’s username password (OpenID / OAuth based User Authentication)
  • Anyone can do “Search operation” by “myBing” section [it is using Bing search engine’s API]
  • After creating account, user can store any files into this website (internally storing the data in Azure Blob storage)
  • Currently all uploaded files accessible to public (will be changed, based on user choice)

 

I missed to post the details about “Jaiho” in this blog. Here below the excerpt of the mail which I sent to friends to promote this app for voting. Please Note: this below image is also hosted in cloud (by my account in Jaiho application). (i.e) image URL is:

http://jaihostorage.blob.core.windows.net/iammuruga-pics/Jaiho-newCloudApp-Contest-Promote-mail.jpg

 

More information about Azure Platform can be viewed here

.. ..

Update (05-Nov-2009):


Recently got notice from Microsoft, as I have to shift all my application/storage data to anther “region”, and previous data will get deleted. Excerpt of that notice is as follows:

“You are receiving this mail because you have an application or storage account in Windows Azure in the “USA - Northwest” region.  Windows Azure production applications and storage will no longer be supported in the ‘USA-Northwest’ region.  We will be deleting all Windows Azure applications and storage accounts in the “USA - Northwest” region on November 3rd.”

So, currently this basic application is down

..

Links – August 2009

I would like ScottGu’s Link series posts. Based on that inspiration, Here I am starting Link posts, for some new Links I came across as useful. Note: I will update this post, within this month
Last updated Date: 04-Aug-2009

Azure Platform:

  • Azure Pricing Model: Pricing Model for Microsoft Azure is released. Details can be viewed in Windows Azure blog (or) in Azure Platform website

  • GZip Compression for Azure Blob storage: Windows Azure currently doesn't compressing uncompressed data on the fly. Here is how to do manually.



Silverlight:

  • WCF authentication in Silverlight: Mike Taulty's interesting post about “Silverlight could do WCF authentication using TransportWithMessageCredential security” is here

  • .NET RIA Services White paper [July 2009]: Microsoft .NET RIA Services July 2009 Preview can be downloaded from here.  


  • Out of Browser Feature: Silverlight’s new feature Links: Link1, Link2 (and) Link3  


 

 

.. ..

Tuesday, July 14, 2009

Few bits about Cloud Computing & Microsoft Azure Platform

Cloud Computing  &  few bits about Microsoft Azure Platform,


Cloud Computing

[From wikipedia, (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cloud_computing )]

Cloud computing is a style of computing in which dynamically scalable and often virtualized resources are provided as a service over the Internet.

Leading companies offering Cloud Computing services, including:

  • Amazon
  • Google
  • Microsoft

Amazon

Google

Google App Engine  - http://code.google.com/appengine/docs/whatisgoogleappengine.html

Allows to host application written in  Python  & Java

Microsoft

Azure services platform. Windows Azure - http://www.microsoft.com/azure/windowsazure.mspx

Allows to host application written in ASP.NET  & PHP

Java applications can also utilize “.NET services” by separate SDK

We can create, test and debug the applications using Visual Studio

 

Windows Azure Service Platform

Windows Azure is the cloud services operating system that provides various functionality for Cloud Computing. It serves as the development, service hosting, and service management environment for the Azure Services Platform. Windows Azure provides on-demand compute & storage services on the Internet in Microsoft data centers.

It provides various services including,

  • .NET Services
  • Azure Storage Services
  • Live Services
  • SQL Data Services.

Azure Storage Services

  • Windows Azure Tables
  • Windows Azure Blob
  • Windows Azure Queue

Windows Azure "Tables"
- Used for "DBMS like" functionality. provides scalable, durable structured storage in the form of tables. The tables contain entities, and the entities contain properties.  support ACID transactions. It can be accessed as "REST programming approach" via "ADO.NET Data Services".


Windows Azure "Blob"
- Used for "storing Binary data" (ex, Photos, Videos any any type of files). 

Windows Azure "Queue"
- provides reliable storage and delivery of messages for an application.

 

 

Microsoft .NET Services

- set of developer-oriented services that provide key building blocks "for communication among applications".

[Much like the .NET Framework, for the Cloud computing].

  • Access Control Service
  • Service Bus

Access Control Service
- The Access Control Service is a cloud-based "Security Token Service (STS)". It provides way for standards-based identity checking.


Service Bus
- provides the familiar Enterprise Service Bus application pattern.

 

 

Live Services

- is a set of building blocks for handling "user data and application resources". Live Services includes Mesh technologies for synchronizing user data and extending Web applications across multiple devices.

 

… … … … … … … …

… … … … … … … …

(more will be in later post)

Tuesday, June 16, 2009

Article Published – ADO.NET Data Services

 

Few months before, I was checking about ADO.NET data services. Same I pointed out in my old post. I had put some initial notes in document for further view, and just forwarded that as a article to publish in ‘Chirp’ [in-house magazine in current employer] before 3 months.

This month publication, having that article.

I shared that here (in SkyDrive) for download, or you may view & download from below ‘docstoc’ upload.

If you find any flaw, please let me know in comments.


ADO.NET Data Services (aka Astoria) - Intro - Get more Business Documents

Monday, June 1, 2009

Google wave, excellent

 

I viewed day-2 keynote, 'Google Wave' session presented on "Google I/O conference ". 

"Google Wave" excellent..  http://wave.google.com/

Google Wave is a new online communication and collaboration tool

wavelogo 

Just signed up for Google Wave. And requested for Sand box access.

mmm.. waiting for their response.

Thursday, May 28, 2009

Microsoft New Search Engine : Bing

 

www.bing.combing

Microsoft just announced it’s new search engine ‘Bing’

Press pass can be viewed here