Azure Resources

 Microsoft is putting enormous efforts into building out Azure, its cloud platform for business. Both the amount and the pace of updates to Azure are astonishing. It's not easy to keep up with all the developments, especially if you are just getting started with Azure. Microsoft provides guidance and information on its cloud platform in a few places online.

Here are just a few of the key ones:

1. Azure Service Updates: This page is the home of all service updates to Azure. There are new posting several times each week, and you can also subscribe by RSS feed.
2. Cloud Platform Roadmap: The roadmap page provides a snapshot of what Microsoft is working on in the Cloud Platform business. It includes an overview of what's become available recently, public previews, projects in development, and canceled projects.
3. Microsoft Azure Blog: The official blog combines posts from many different members of the Azure team; it's a good place to start before digging into some of the other resources on TechNet and MSDN
4. Azure on Twitter: If you are using Twitter, the Azure account is a great way of following the latest and greatest from the Azure team.
5. Azure on Facebook: For those who prefer Facebook, the Azure team posts its updates here too.
6. Azure tag on MSDN Blogs: If you are looking at Azure from the dev/test side, there are almost daily posts about Azure here
7. TechNet - In the Cloud Blog: Brad Anderson, Microsoft's corporate vice president of Enterprise Client & Mobility blogs about Cloud here. While his focus is more on mobility, he does mention Azure frequently.
8. TechNet - Building Clouds Blog: This TechNet blog focuses on "...building hybrid clouds that can support any device from anywhere". It features a great overview of topics by track at the top of the blog, which makes it easy to dive into anything from Application Management to Disaster Recovery or VM Migration.
9. TechNet - Server & Cloud Blog: This blog aggregates posts from Microsoft's Server & Cloud Platform team.
10. Microsoft Cloud Platform on Facebook: In addition to the Azure page on Facebook, the Server & Cloud Platform team has a presence too.
11. TechNet - Azure Forum: There are several Azure topic threads in the TechNet Forums. Just click on the dropdown menu in the left sidebar and select one of the topics.
12. Microsoft Azure eBooks: Microsoft offers a number of eBooks about Azure on the Virtual Academy website.