Summary

Using SQL Azure as a cloud-based, relational data store is as easy as developing against the on-premises SQL Server. Using a tool, such as the Entity Framework, can drastically reduce the amount of code required to retrieve and create the data within the database. WCF is smart enough to automatically create data contracts for entities defined in the EDM and serialize them to the client.

These basics of interacting with SQL Azure can be taken further in your own applications with multi-relational tables.

The Entity Framework model that was created here can be used to expose the data to clients through RIA Services or OData. These topics will be covered in Chapter 8, RIA Services and SQL Azure and Chapter 9,Exposing OData to Silverlight Applications.

The next chapter will continue to use SQL Azure and Entity Framework, but this time it will use RIA Services to share data rather than a standard WCF Service.