Whether you’re a student just starting out exploring IT and computing, or you’re a seasoned final-year student getting ready to find that perfect job you’re going to all be facing the same problem: The technology you encountered at the start of your course won’t be the technology you’ll have to learn to handle when you start work. The software field advances incredibly quickly, and on top of your course work, assignments and deadlines, you’ll have to take time to stay current.

One of most recent trends in software hosting and development is the concept of Cloud Computing – the ability to host and run your software at internet-scale, on remotely hosted servers.

The Windows® Azure™ Platform (Azure) from Microsoft provides an operating system and a set of developer services that can be used individually or together to build cloud-based services and applications. 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.

The Windows Azure Platform is designed to help developers easily create applications for the web and connected devices. The services platform offers the greatest flexibility, choice, and control in reaching users and customers while using existing skills.

• Easy developer on-ramp to the cloud - Millions of developers worldwide already use the .NET Framework and the Visual Studio development environment. Utilise those same skills to create cloud-enabled applications that can be written, tested, and deployed all from Visual Studio. In the near future developers will be able to deploy applications written on Ruby on Rails and Python as well.
• Enables Agile & Rapid Results - Applications can be deployed to the Windows Azure Platform with the click of a button. Changes can be made quickly and without downtime, making it an ideal platform for affordably experimenting and trying new ideas.
• Imagine and Create New User Experiences - The Windows Azure Platform enables you to create web, mobile, or hybrid-applications that use the cloud with on-premises applications. Combined with Live Services ability to reach over 400 million Live users, new opportunities exist to interact and reach users in new ways.
• Standards-Based Compatibility - The services platform supports industry-standard protocols, including HTTP, REST, SOAP, RSS, and AtomPub, for consuming, exposing, and integrating with third-party services. You can easily integrate applications built on a variety of different technologies and operating systems.

Sign up for the Dip into Windows Azure limited free Trial here.

*The Dip into Windows Azure Trial is on the CTP version of Azure. Click here to find out more.