Which azure service, i should choose for my node.js app?

If you are new to Windows Azure but knowledgeable a Node.js developer, you sure can use Windows Azure to write your Node.js application.

You have following choices:

1. Windows Azure Websites (Preview) –
   
   • FREE only if shared and if RESERVED there is some cost associated with it
   • Great if you are a Linux or Mac User
   • Your node.js application will run on Windows Server Farm
   • You can use git to deploy your Node.js Application

2. Windows Azure Cloud Services

   • Ideal for applications that separate logic into multiple tiers using both Web and Worker Roles
   • It is a PAID service
   • You can use PowerShell to deploy directly from a Windows Machine
   • Your Node.js application will runs on Windows Server 2008 OS
   • You will have capability to RDP your Windows Azure VM.

3. Windows Azure Virtual Machines (Preview)–

   • This way you can create run your node.js application on a Microsoft Windows or Linux (Suse, CentOS, Ubuntu) machines or upload your own Linux VM already fully installed with Node.js application
   • With Windows machine, you can RDP to your machine and install your Node.js application
   • With Linux machine you can use Putty to connect your Linux Machine on command like and then install your application and other packages
   • Currently even with Preview mode, there is some price associated with it

As you are new to Windows Azure, I would suggest you to give a try using FREE Windows Azure Websites Shared because this way you really don’t need to learn a lot about Windows Azure and you can start running your application instantly. This could be the easiest method among above 3 options and then you can jump to other by just migrating your application If needed.

IF you decide to use Cloud Service, you can use Cloud9 IDE to publish your Node.js application directly to Windows Azure Cloud Services in your subscription.

You can find a decision tree here: http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/magazine/jj991974.aspx

What are the options you're considering? I can think of two: "cloud services" or "web sites." The latter is probably the easier and cheaper option, assuming you're building a web app. The former gives you full-blown VMs backing your app, on which you can run anything (including "workers" that process data in the background or apps that communicate via web sockets or even raw TCP). It's more powerful, but it's also more difficult to use, slower to deploy, and costs more money than a shared "web site."

1. Sign up for the Windows Azure 90-day free trial https://www.windowsazure.com/en-us/pricing/free-trial/

2. Login into the Portal at: https://manage.windowsazure.com

3. Click the Virtual Machines tab then click Create a Virtual Machine to create a Windows VM.

4. On the slide-out panel, select Quick Create then specify your DNS Name, Image [Windows Server 2008 R2 SP1], Administrator Password, Size [Small (1 core, 1.75GB Memory)], Location (West US). Finish by clicking the Create Virtual Machine button.

5. Once provisioning is complete, you can connect to your VM via Remote Desktop Protocol by clicking the Connect button on the toolbar at the bottom of the screen.

6. Be sure to install a modern browser like Firefox to avoid the annoying default security settings of IE then proceed to download and install the node-js msi like you would on your desktop.

7. Happy hacking!

The fastest way to get started is to use Windows Azure Web Sites. You get a web site that is already configured to run node.js. You merely use ftp or git commands to push your code to the drop folder for your site.

You can use a Mac, PC, or Linux as your development machine. This tutorial (using a mac) shows the fastest way to get started: https://www.windowsazure.com/en-us/develop/nodejs/tutorials/create-a-website-(mac)/

Cheers!