Finding the time to learn about the Cloud and how to extend your skills to build solutions for the Cloud can be a challenge when your schedule is defined by application build, test, and deployment milestones. With this type of schedule, chances are you find learning new concepts in one condensed sprint much easier than trying to squeeze some learning into an hour here and an hour, between your other tasks. If that’s the case for you, you’ll want to check out AzureFest, a hands-on educational event designed by Canada’s own MVPs Cory Fowler (@SyntaxC4) and Barry Gervin (@bgervin) from ObjectSharp. At AzureFest, you’ll see how developing and deploying applications to Windows Azure is fast and easy, leveraging the skills you already have (.NET, Java, PHP, or Ruby) and the tools you already know (Visual Studio, Eclipse, etc.). AzureFest sessions are delivered with examples using .NET and Visual Studio, but the concepts are the same regardless of the language and tools. You’ll learn everything to you need to know to get up and running with Windows Azure quickly including:

• Overview of Cloud Computing and Windows Azure
• Setting up the Windows Azure SDK and Windows Azure Tools for Visual Studio
• Setting up your Windows Azure account
• Migrating a traditional on-premise ASP.NET MVC application to the Cloud
• Deploying solutions to Windows Azure

AzureFest is a hands-on event. This means that you’ll be following along in your own development environment and actually deploying your solution during the event. In order to get the most out of the experience, you’ll need to bring a laptop with you that is running Windows Vista SP1 or Windows 7 and has the Windows Azure Tools for Visual Studio installed. You’ll also need to bring a credit card. Windows Azure activations require a credit card even for the trial period, but don’t worry, nothing will be charged to your credit card as the last part of the event shows you how to take down all of your Windows Azure instances.

Speaker Info

Cory Fowler refers to himself as a ‘Developer as a Service’. He is a Technology Community Leader, Mentor and Speaker that enjoys sharing his passion for Software Development with others. Cory has been awarded with a Microsoft MVP award for his Focus on Windows Azure (Microsoft’s Cloud Computing Platform). Even with his head in the Clouds, Cory finds himself developing a wide range of Solutions including but not limited to Websites (with ASP.NET MVC & Silverlight), Windows Phone 7 Applications (with Silverlight & XNA) and other solutions using the C# Programming Language. Even though Cory works primarily on the Microsoft Stack, he has worked with Open Source Languages in the Past and supports a number of Open Source Software Projects.