What is an Azure Pass?
An Azure Pass is a pass to for developers in the U.S. to try Windows Azure at no cost for 30 days. No credit card is needed. One week before the US event that you are registered for you will receive an email with instructions on how to register for your Azure Pass. You will need this Azure Pass during class.
1. Why a 30-day Azure Pass?
Enables Microsoft to offer a low-friction, low-risk way for developers to try out Windows Azure.
2. Who is the pass for?
Developers – this can mean startups, development teams within end customers, students (colleges and MCPs) learning Azure, ISVs, Web VAPs.
3. What account information is required to sign up for a 30-day Azure pass?
A Windows Live account is required because the 30-day Azure pass is associated with this account.
4. Why would I want a 30-day Azure pass?
A 30-day pass allows you to try out Windows Azure for 30 days at no cost. This allows you to find out if Windows Azure would be an asset to you or your organization at low risk.
5. How long does it take a developer to receive their pass?
It takes 2-4 business days
6. Can the no-cost Azure account be converted or transferred to a paying Azure account?
Not at this time. This is something Microsoft is looking in to for possibly end of 2011.
7. Does the no-cost offer include VM Role and Admin mode capabilities?
You can login and opt-in to the beta. Beta requests are activated about once a week.
8. The Windows Azure platform 30 day pass includes the following resources:
Windows Azure: o 3 small compute instances o 3GB of storage o 250,000 storage transactions
SQL Azure: o Two 1GB Web Edition database
AppFabric: o 100,000 Access Control transactions o 2 Service Bus connections
Data Transfers (per region): o 3 GB in o 3 GB out
9. Important: At the end of the 30 days all data will be erased. Please ensure you move your application and data to another Windows Azure Platform offer.
Please visit http://www.microsoft.com/windowsazure/offers/ to learn more.
10. Get no-cost technical support with Microsoft Platform Ready
Visit http://www.microsoftplatformready.com/us/dashboard.aspx and just click on Windows Azure Platform under Technologies.