Thread: Windows Azure, SSDS and Live Mesh

Microsoft recently announced the availability of a new set of services under the name of Windows Azure. This is for al¬most all practical purposes a online version of Windows that allows developers to use the hosted Windows platform to create and host their own applications. The SQL Server Data Services (SSDS) provides well knows SQL Server 2008 based database storage engines and Live Mesh allows for data and application synchronization between desktops and even mobile devices.

The future

There are many other companies in this playing field as well - IBM, HP, SalesForce -to name just a few, who are heavily investing in this model of computing. Since Cloud computing reduces the infrastructure requirements and budgets that an enterprise needs to host their applications or data, this model seems to be getting more popular. One doesn't need to worry about purchasing and provisioning hardware and software, integrating it into the network and other headaches. Simply request the service or upgrade you want and it gets done for you transparently.



Cloud computing can help you cut or at least manage your infrastructure costs better and allow availability of your application and data over the Internet. However, one must be able to ensure that data is available anytime one needs it and having a good software and a seamless connectivity to the service is essential in this regard.