On 17th October Microsoft released new version of Windows Azure SDK for .NET (both for Visual Studio 2012 and 2013). What is WASDK? It’a spesial package which can help developers for using Windows Azure Services, such as Windows Azure Storage, Service Bus, Caching, Web Sites, Cloud Services and more. What’s new with this version? Full information You can find on site, but here is “the snapshot” from this site:
The Windows Azure SDK for .NET version number (2.2) is determined by the core Windows Azure service runtime assembly using semantic versioning. Other client libraries packaged inside the Windows Azure SDK for .NET, along with their respective NuGet packages, follow independent versioning based on the semantic versioning scheme. The Windows Azure SDK for .NET 2.2 includes Windows Azure Storage 2.1.0.2, Windows Azure Service Bus 2.1.3, Windows Azure Caching 2.1.0, and Windows Azure Configuration Manager 2.0.1 libraries. You can also download these libraries from their respective NuGet packages.
You can use the tools in the Windows Azure SDK to run, test, debug, and fine-tune your application before you deploy it as a cloud service to Windows Azure. The Windows Azure SDK includes the following tools:
-
Windows Azure compute emulator – A tool that locally emulates the environment in which cloud services run.
-
Windows Azure storage emulator – A tool that locally emulates the services of Windows Azure storage.
-
CSPack – A tool that creates an application package that can be deployed to Windows Azure.
-
CSUpload – A tool that is used to upload VHD files and service certificates to Windows Azure.
-
CSEncrypt – A tool that is used to encrypt the password for remote desktop connections.
-
CSRun – A tool that is used to start the compute emulator with the appropriate application package.
-
DSinit – initializes Windows Azure storage emulator in the local environment.
How You can install it? In few simple steps:
Firstly You should go to Windows Azure SDK Download site {http://www.windowsazure.com/en-us/downloads/}, next download and run Microsoft Web Platform Installer file for VS2012 or VC2013.

Pic. 01 | Executing Microsoft Web Platform Installer.

Pic. 02 | If You using different location than English, should be prepared for messages located in Your language {on my systems in Spanish)

Pic. 03 | Here are basic information about this release with links for more information

Pic. 04 | Basic configuration, at this moment we can leave this with default settings, but we should stop at sixth line, where we can choose default language for installed software, even in this case Spanish (Español) is not good choice. Always English wis better in dev environment…

Pic. 05 | Especialmente, oops sorry. Especially that next screens are in “location language” and we can be surprise – and always we can say ‘challenge accepted’. First part of summary what we wil install: package for SQL Server 2012, Web Deploy 3.5, Authoring Tools and Tools for Visual Studio 2012, and Azure Emulator.

Pic. 06 | Installation begin

Pic. 07 | Installed Database for WASDK for Visual Studio 2012 is… SQL Server 2012 SP 1

Pic. 08 | Finito, that means final screen for this part, now after click on Continuar {Continue}…

Pic.09 | … we jump to Windows Azure site for easy way to create account (if You don’t have one)

Pic. 10 | But it’s not the end. Behing the web site, instalator giving us full summery of oftallation, and another button Finalizar {Finish}.

Pic. 11 | After click we jump to anothe menu where we canchoose axtre tools for WASDK, such as cross-platform Command Line Tool, PowerShell Tools, and libraries for PHP, Node.js and Ruby.

Pic. 12 | I choose two of five for installation

Pic. 13 | Pre-Installation summary – with license links and size of files.

Pic. 14 | Installation process

Pic. 15 | And final of final summary.
A little more information about this edition (again just in snapshot):
New Features in the SDK
- Visual Studio 2013 is supported in SDK Version 2.2
- Sign in to connect to Windows Azure
- Windows Azure Web Sites support in Visual Studio
- Remote debugging for Windows Azure Cloud Services (preview)
- TopologyBlast
- Windows Azure Service Bus
Known Issues
- Remote debugging may fail to attach to an existing Cloud Service
- Side-by-Side Cloud Service Debugging works with projects built with 1.7 and later versions of the SDK
- CSRun requires an elevated command prompt
- Integrated Sign In to Windows Azure Using the Windows Azure Tools for Visual Studio 2.2
- No Windows Azure Subscriptions were added
- Databases and Mobile Services not listed in Server Explorer
- Unable to view multiple accounts in Multi-account sign in
- Duplicate web sites listed in Server Explorer
- Unable to sign out after signing in with a federated account
- Account-based access subject to expiration
For more information go HERE and HERE. End ENJOY!!