Initializing the configuration of Windows Azure Diagnostics

The Windows Azure Diagnostics module is imported into a role by the specification of an Import element with a moduleName attribute of Diagnostics in the Imports section of the service definition file (ServiceDefinition.csdef). This further requires the specification, in the service configuration file (ServiceConfiguration.cscfg), of a Windows Azure Storage Service account that can be used to access the instance configuration for diagnostics. This configuration is stored as an XML file in a blob, named for the instance, in a container named wad-control-container in the storage service account configured for diagnostics.

The Diagnostics Agent service is started automatically when a role instance starts provided the diagnostics module has been imported into the role. Note that in Windows Azure SDK versions prior to v1.3, this is not true in that the Diagnostics Agent must be explicitly started through the invocation of DiagnosticMonitor...