Windows Azure is Microsoft’s platform, which offers Public Cloud. It provides the infrastructure to host or run the user’s application and offers a platform to build and manage the applications. The user can store the data in Microsoft’s data center using the Azure Public Cloud. In addition, the user can also create virtual machines and make scalable web applications.

Windows Azure has various offerings such as for Execution (Virtual Machines, Web Sites and Cloud), Data management (SQL DB, Tables, Blobs), Networking (Virtual Network, Connect and Traffic manager), Business Analytics (SQL Reporting, Hadoop) as well as Caching, Identity, High Performance Computing, Media and Marketplace. Azure provides SDKs in java, .Net, PHP, python and node.js for the development of applications.

The present MS Azure cloud how-to guide demonstrates how to create a free trial account with Windows Azure.

Get an overview of each component or offering to get started with Azure.

Windows Azure provides various pricing offers to optimize the cost. The basic fundamental is the pay as you go model, whereby it will charge only for the resources consumed or used by the user. The user can optimize the cost by choosing different costing plans based on the usage.

To kick start or learn Windows Azure, a free trial of three months is provided where some of the Azure resources are free. In the free trial period of 90 days, Azure enables the spending limit for the user. The spending limit is set as $0 during the trial period. This will help to protect from any accidental usage. If the monthly usage exceeds the amount specified in the offer, Azure will disable the account for that month.

To start with Azure, the user is required:

a. Microsoft account (If not available, then create)

b. A credit card for registration (Azure will not charge the credit card until the user uses the resources)

c. A phone where Azure can call or SMS automatically to send a verification call

1. Visit the Windows Azure home page. Click on the “free trial” option or the “try it free” option.

2. Azure will need a Microsoft account to login. If the user does not have an MS account, then an account should be created.

3. In the “Create Account” dialog, the user should select the country and click on “”to navigate to the next page.

4. Provide the phone number and select the option to receive the verification code. The verification code is a must to register the user’s phone and enable the account. If the user has selected the “send text message” option, click on the “Send text message” button to receive the verification code.

5. Windows Azure will send a verification code to the number specified in step#4. Enter the above mentioned verification code and click on “Verify Code”.

6. Click on “=>”after the code has been verified.

7. Windows Azure needs a credit card to charge the user for any usage above the free trial. Provide valid credit card details in the page shown below. Click on “Next” to continue.