AppFabric BETA 2: The Platform for the Cloud Era

If you are still asking yourself, what is the AppFabric, take a look on these few key features described below. After almost two years the Microsoft’s new product is getting to be released soon (Q3 2010). For now we are announcing the publicly available BETA 2 version, which is build on top of .NET 4.0. If you already have installed BETA 1 version please take a look on this post.

Simplified Composite Apps (Built on top of .NET 4.0)

Developers can simplify the development of composite applications with the pre-built application services in Windows Server AppFabric, used in conjunction with Visual Studio tools and .NET Framework capabilities (ASP.NET, WCF and WF). IT Pros can also simplify the deployment, monitoring, and management of composite applications with configuration and monitoring capabilities that are integrated with familiar tools (PowerShell, IIS Manager, and System Center).

Faster Web Apps Made Easy (Known as Velocity)

Windows Server AppFabric helps developers improve the speed and availability of web applications through distributed in-memory caching and replication technology that works with current ASP.NET applications.

Enterprise Performance and Availability (Known as Dublin)

An enterprise’s most important and demanding applications can achieve elastic scale, performance, availability, and reliability (benefits often associated with the cloud) with the help of Windows Server AppFabric. These and countless other benefits from an unparalleled partner ecosystem utilize familiar skills from the .NET Framework and Windows Server.

Additional Resources:

Gartner Research Report: Microsoft AppFabric: A Platform for the Cloud Era is Under Construction

http://www.gartner.com/technology/media-products/reprints/microsoft/vol13/article6/article6.html

Microsoft News Center feature story on Windows Server & Windows Azure platform AppFabric:

http://www.microsoft.com/presspass/features/2009/nov09/11-17pdcappfabric.mspx

Beta2 Blog Post on Windows Server Blog:

http://blogs.technet.com/windowsserver/

Additional information on Windows Server AppFabric:

http://www.microsoft.com/windowsserver2008/en/us/app-main.aspx

Information (including download link) for Windows Azure AppFabric:

http://www.microsoft.com/windowsazure/appfabric/