Teach Yourself Azure in 4 Hours

Learning to use Azure:

1. Create Web Site - Check
   https://manage.windowsazure.com/?whr=live.com#Workspaces/All/dashboard
2. Create Database – Check
   https://manage.windowsazure.com/?whr=live.com#Workspaces/SqlAzureExtension/Databases
3. Upload Project to TFS – Check
   http://tfs.visualstudio.com/
4. Link TFS to Azure Web Site – Check
   http://www.windowsazure.com/en-us/develop/net/common-tasks/publishing-with-tfs/
5. Download Azure SDK for Visual Studio 2010 – Check
   http://www.microsoft.com/en-nz/download/details.aspx?id=15658
6. Download Web Site publication connection settings – Check
   http://www.asp.net/mvc/tutorials/deployment/cse-curated-view-deploy-to-waws
7. Publish Web Site to Azure – Check
   (see above)
8. Create Visual Studio VM – Check
   https://manage.windowsazure.com/?whr=live.com#Workspaces/VirtualMachineExtension/vms
9. Synchronise Local Database Schema to Azure Database - Check.
   http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/windowsazure/ee730904.aspx
10. Synchronise Local Database Data to Azure - Check.
    http://www.windowsazure.com/en-us/manage/services/sql-databases/getting-started-w-sql-data-sync/

Not easy, but worth it.
Got inspired by Scott Guthrie’s session on Azure yesterday at Tech Ed 2013, Auckland, NZ.

Lesser Known Design Patterns with Bevan Arps

Wellington Dot Net User Group Meeting

1. NULL Object Pattern - useful to declutter your code. Requires creation of a Null object in order to remove requirement to always check whether your object exists.


2. Command Pattern - Create function objects that interact with the object hierarchy.




• Effects: Localises code; Undo/Compensation; New function: New object.


• Considerations: Open-closed principle; # Classes; Likelihood of changes


3. Emancipated Objects Pattern - make objects responsibile for maintaining their own state.




• Effects: Read-only properties; Mutator methods; Validation


• Considerations: Applicability; Reusability; ORMs


4. Proposal Pattern - Complex Domain Factories. Explictly model the process that leads up to creation of the original object.


Effects: Natural Validation; Reduced Complexity; Increased Flexibility; Error Tolerant.


Considerations: Process Complexity; Process Duration.


5. State Pattern - Complex Domain Behaviour. Partially change the type of the object by swapping out behaviours based on state.
   
   
   
   • Effects: Switching removed; Grouped behaviour
   
   
   • Considerations: # Classes; Encapsulation; Complexity of Behaviour