Dotmad.net

Ray Ozzie gave the PDC08 opening keynote, focusing (today) on the future backend platform from Microsoft, with tomorrow’s keynote focusing on front end (client) applications and services such as Windows Live.
Ozzie began the keynote by replying to the criticism regarding his cloud computing vision, agreeing it’s not a new concept, but that now it’s more relevant than ever before.
According to Ozzie The web is critical to a bussiness today in various issues.
Turns out that for the past two years Microsoft has been developing Windows Azure - a new infrastructure for cloud computing and service management.

The Azure™ Services Platform (Azure) is an internet-scale cloud services platform hosted in Microsoft data centers, which provides an operating system and a set of developer services that can be used individually or together. Azure’s flexible and interoperable platform can be used to build new applications to run from the cloud or enhance existing applications with cloud-based capabilities. Its open architecture gives developers the choice to build web applications, applications running on connected devices, PCs, servers, or hybrid solutions offering the best of online and on-premises.

Azure reduces the need for up-front technology purchases, and it enables developers to quickly and easily create applications running in the cloud by using their existing skills with the Microsoft Visual Studio development environment and the Microsoft .NET Framework. In addition to managed code languages supported by .NET, Azure will support more programming languages and development environments in the near future. Azure simplifies maintaining and operating applications by providing on-demand compute and storage to host, scale, and manage web and connected applications. Infrastructure management is automated with a platform that is designed for high availability and dynamic scaling to match usage needs with the option of a pay-as-you-go pricing model. Azure provides an open, standards-based and interoperable environment with support for multiple internet protocols, including HTTP, REST, SOAP, and XML.

However, Azure platform usage is not free:

The Azure™ Services Platform business model is aligned around four basic principles. With a business model based on these principles, customers will have the power of choice with the Azure Services Platform. You may choose to pay upfront for your usage, or opt to post-pay, or even decide to reserve capacity.

During the Community Technology Preview (CTP), all developers can download both the Windows Azure SDK and the Windows Azure Tools for Microsoft Visual Studio, (the links may take a while to become operational) and simulate a hosted environment on their local system. Developers will also have access to a suite of readiness resources including virtual hands-on labs, webcasts, and documentation such as white papers. Support will be provided through developer-to-developer blogs and forums.

Additional resources are available to developers either through the Azure web site, Azure Services Platform Developer Center, or the Cloud Computing Tools Team blog.