This document summarizes a presentation about building elastic and autoscalable solutions with Windows Azure. It discusses Microsoft's Autoscaling Application Block, which allows applications to automatically scale resources in response to varying load levels. The block collects monitoring data from an Azure application and initiates scaling actions based on defined rules. It helps minimize costs by reducing manual scaling work and paying for exactly the resources needed. The presentation demonstrates how to define monitoring resources and scaling rules, configure the application block, and address common mistakes like lacking limits on resource scaling.

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Building Elastic, Autoscalable
Solutions with Windows Azure
Mihai Tătăran
General Manager, Avaelgo
Microsoft MVP | Windows Azure
Mihai.tataran@avaelgo.ro
www.itcamp.ro
@mihai_tataran

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About me
Mihai Tătăran
• Microsoft MVP, Windows Azure Insider
• General Manager, Avaelgo
◦ Custom software development
◦ Consulting / training
◦ Microsoft Cloud SME of the Month in Europe
◦ Case study about a solution on Azure - Microsoft .com website
• www.itcamp.ro , www.codecamp.ro

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• Understand elasticity
– Azure Scalability
– How to achieve elasticity
• Autoscaling Application Block
– Definitions
– Usage scenarios
– Handling varying load levels
– Implementing your AAB application
Agenda

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• Windows Azure is a
scalable platform
• Which allows you to add
and remove resources
• With flexible pricing
Understand elasticity

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• Scaling is manual, based
on your decisions
Understand elasticity

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• You can automate scaling:
– Service Management API
– PowerShell
– Writing your own code
• 3rd party tools
• Or use Autoscaling Application Block
Understand elasticity

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AUTOSCALING APPLICATION BLOCK

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• Part of Enterprise Library Integration Pack for
Windows Azure
– Same configuration and usage with the other EL
blocks
• A block designed for elasticity / autoscaling
Azure applications
• From the Microsoft Patterns and Practices
team
Autoscaling Application Block

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• Business reason:
• Minimize operational costs:
– Reduce manual work
– Reduce the risk of introducing mistakes when
scaling
– Pay exactly what you need
Autoscaling Application Block

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• Usage scenarios:
• Predictable load patterns. E.g.: business
hours, days of week, etc.
• React to specific resource usage variations
Autoscaling Application Block

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• Reactions to usage variations:
• Instance scaling. Add or remove instances
(virtual machines actually running your app)
• Throttling. Limit or disable application
features
Autoscaling Application Block

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• AAB collects
monitored data from
your Windows Azure
application
• Based on your rules,
initiates scaling actions
• AAB is part of a
custom application
(that you build), hosted
on premises or in
Windows Azure
Autoscaling Application Block

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• Resources involved:
– 1 “monitor” application which you develop,
based on AAB
• Hosted in Azure or on Premises
– Rules XML file
– Diagnostics enabled in the Azure application
– Azure Table Storage which stores logs
Autoscaling Application Block

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DEMO 1: INTRO AAB

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• Define the operands and the rules (XML file)
– Resources to be monitored (e.g. CPU load, queue
length)
– Constraint and reactive rules
– Actions: scale or throttle
• Define the service information (XML file)
– Which Windows Azure application to monitor
– Where to look for monitoring data
• Configure the AAB application (app.config)
– Using EntLib configuration console
Autoscaling Application Block

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• Autoscaling (automatically) while performing
an update
• Lack of limits (min and max instance count)
• No “opposite” rule.
– i.e.: scale up for a certain condition -> make sure
you scale down for the opposite condition
• Host the monitoring / autoscaling app on
premises
• No stabilizer
Common mistakes

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DEMO 2: ADVANCED SETTINGS

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• Understand elasticity
– Azure Scalability
– How to achieve elasticity
• Autoscaling Application Block
– Definitions
– Usage scenarios
– Handling varying load levels
– Implementing your AAB application
Summary

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AUTOSCALE
- PAY EXACTLY WHAT YOU NEED

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• Enterprise Library
– http://entlib.codeplex.com/
• Patterns and Practices – Autoscaling Application
Block
– http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-
us/library/hh680892(v=pandp.50).aspx
• HOLs - EntLib Integration Pack for
Windows Azure
– http://www.microsoft.com/en-
us/download/details.aspx?id=28785
Resources

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Q & A