Overview
On June 7, Microsoft announced a new set of features and lifted the platform to a new level of maturity. The following list shows a high-level description of the new features:
Windows Azure virtual machines: Windows Azure now offers a long-desired true infrastructure as a service capability by providing persistent virtual machines for Windows and Linux applications in the cloud. This is not comparable with the VM roles offered earlier, because these were non-persistent and part of the platform as a service offering.
Windows Azure virtual network: This feature allows the provisioning and management of virtual private networks on the platform. It enables the linking of role instances with on-premises applications and peripherals. The virtual network allows administrators to extend on-premises topology with cloud components and to configure IP addresses, routing tables, and different security policies.
Windows Azure websites: This feature enables developers to build and deploy websites...