The first set of tools in our arsenal allows the .NET community to develop and consume cloud features or services. The Rackspace Cloud SDK for Microsoft.NET and Rackspace’s PowerClient help you utilize common cloud features for development. Additionally, you can use tools like these for management of production environments using Windows Server platforms running on a Rackspace hosted infrastructure. You don’t have to use the PowerClient or the SDK to make the APIs work; we just recommend it when you’re using a platform requiring API calls to the Rackspace Cloud.

The Rackspace Cloud SDK for Microsoft.NET SDK helps you build web and mobile applications that streamline your Windows cloud strategy. Meanwhile, Rackspace’s PowerClient offers a Powershell-based API client for the Rackspace public cloud and works with our next-generation Cloud Servers powered by OpenStack.

For developers who’d like to start developing for the Rackspace Cloud right away with no additional software licensing costs, you can download a free copy of Visual Web Developer Express 2012 from Microsoft. The Rackspace SDK for .NET can then be downloaded from within this development tool using the integrated NuGet extension manager

For more information about the Rackspace Cloud SDK for Microsoft.NET library, let’s take a peek under the hood.

What is the Cloud SDK for Microsoft .NET?

The Rackspace Cloud SDK for Microsoft .NET is written for the Microsoft .NET platform and designed to enable developers to work seamlessly with the many services provided by the OpenStack cloud operating system.

The Rackspace Cloud SDK for Microsoft.NET contains:

• A language API
• Getting Started Guide
• API Reference Manual
• Release Notes
• Sample code

The following features are available in Rackspace Cloud SDK for Microsoft.NET

• Cloud Identity
• Cloud Servers
• Cloud Block Storage
• Cloud Files
• Cloud Networks

For a feature matrix and available functionalities, please check out our release notes in the Major Releases section.

Before using the SDK you will need the following:

• A Rackspace Cloud account
• One of the following combinations: username/password or username/API key for authentication
• Windows 7 or higher
• Microsoft .Net Framework 4
• Visual Studio 2010 or higher

That’s all you need to get started with the Rackspace Cloud SDK for Microsoft.NET. Now you can start seamlessly and easily integrating your applications into your Windows cloud environments.

To learn more, see www.rackspace.com/cloud/servers/windows/.

• Can I transfer my licenses to a hosting provider?
• Can I transfer my licenses to the cloud? Or do I have to pay twice?
• What licenses can I transfer?

While license mobility can be a tricky subject, I wanted to give you a few pointers to help you out as you begin this process.

The First Two Questions

Before getting caught up in transferring your Microsoft licenses, there are two quick questions to ask before you proceed. First, you need to verify that you have Software Assurance associated with your Microsoft agreement. Having a Software Assurance gives you license mobility and allows you to leverage your Microsoft licensing both onsite and into a multi-tenant cloud. Without this feature you are unable to move your license.

Once you have determined that you have Software Assurance, the second question to ask is whether or not the cloud hosting provider is approved to accept your license mobility. There is a finite amount of Authorized Mobility Partners that you can transfer your license to, so you want to make sure that Microsoft has approved your hosting provider (Rackspace is one of the approved license mobility partners.).

Determining Which Licenses Are Mobile

Windows IT Pros know that there are primarily two types of licenses: one for the operating system (OS) and those applications that sit atop the OS. Unfortunately, there is no way for you to transfer the OS license to any hosting provider. The agreement makes this clear that, “The Windows Server operating system licenses remain assigned to customers’ on-premises hardware with their applicable license terms.”

You can, however, transfer licenses of the different Microsoft applications that sit on top of the OS to the Rackspace open cloud powered by OpenStack. Please note, there are some applications that perform best on dedicated hardware instead of a multi-tenant cloud. These are the following Microsoft applications can go on the Rackspace Cloud: Exchange, Lync, SharePoint, Dynamics, SQL and System Center.

Transferring Your License To The Cloud

To begin transferring your license to the cloud you simply create a Rackspace Cloud Server with a Microsoft OS and then load the different applications. Within 10 days of your deployment, you will need to complete the verification form available on the Volume Licensing website and provide it to your Microsoft representative or preferred resale partner so they can assist with submitting your form to Microsoft. After the form has been submitted, Microsoft will confirm your eligibility and communicate your verification status to you and your chosen Authorized Mobility Partner.

You are responsible for applying that license to your Cloud Server. For Windows IT Pros who are considering transferring their Microsoft SQL Server license to the Rackspace Cloud, there is something that you must consider: At Rackspace, we bake the Microsoft licensing into our hourly Cloud Server costs.

While we do offer a Microsoft Server that has an SQL database installed, if you want to transfer your MSSQL license, you should not deploy a server with MSSQL already installed on it. You must create a Cloud Server with only the Microsoft OS loaded onto it and deploy the MSSQL database onto this server yourself. Note that we are unable to credit you for your MSSQL license if you create a Cloud Server that includes MSSQL on it.

Note: If you want to apply your MSSQL license towards your Cloud Server, be sure to select one of the two base OS installs – we will be unable to credit you if you select a server with MSSQL already installed on it.

Can I Bring My Golden Image To Rackspace?

A golden image is an ISO of your entire server configuration. Because many people configure their base image with custom services and features, we are unable to create a server from your golden image. By creating a server from the options that we have available, we are better able to support you and your business. Furthermore, you are able to backup your Windows Cloud Server with Cloud Backup and create a golden image at which you can restore or build future servers in our cloud.

For more information on license mobility, be sure to check out the documentation on Microsoft’s website. You can also view information about Microsoft License Mobility on the Rackspace site where you can ask us any questions you might have.

Join me and Juan De Abreu, Vice President at Making Sense, for a webinar in which we’ll show you how to take full advantage of the Windows 8 interface and how to help your clients excel in interoperability using the Rackspace Cloud API and Microsoft .NET.

During the hour-long webinar, we’ll focus on:

• How Making Sense successfully developed a Windows 8 application to manage a Rackspace Cloud account.
• Understanding the API’s OpenStack capabilities.
• Interoperability and how to interact with the Rackspace API using Microsoft .NET.
• Taking advantage of the Windows 8 interface and learning how to make it more attractive and easy to navigate

Join us Thursday, February 28 at 1 p.m. CST. Spots are limited, so sign up now: https://www2.gotomeeting.com/register/672178714

Today, we offer you a new application that gives you the option to manage your Rackspace Cloud account directly from Microsoft’s newly-launched Windows 8 operating system.

Rackspace Cloud for Windows 8 allows you to quickly and easily control your Cloud Servers™, Cloud Files™ and Cloud Load Balancers wherever you are using Windows 8. While it is not a complete replacement for our web-based control panel, the integration with the Windows 8 UI allows you to do almost anything you’ll need to run your Rackspace Cloud on the go. The app was launched by Rackspace in partnership with Microsoft and Making Sense.

So if you’re a developer, systems administrator or IT Pro, what does this new choice mean for you? It means you can now manage your virtualized servers directly from Windows 8. You can add and delete Cloud Servers, manage your Cloud Files containers and get detailed server information from other applications. Easily you can perform a host of other cloud functions all from Windows 8.

Check out this brief video demo:

Because Windows 8 is packed with new features, Rackspace was able to deploy unique capabilities into the application to improve the customer experience with the Rackspace Cloud. For example, the Rackspace Windows 8 application lets you manage multiple accounts from the single application. You can also delete multiple servers and/or files at once, which provides a faster and more scalable option for managing large deployments.

Whether you are an individual or a small business using a Windows 8 PC to interface with your infrastructure, or you are managing a large deployment and administrating your environment using Windows 8, the free application can help you get the most out of your investment in the Rackspace Cloud.

While much of the mainstream and tech press has focused on the upcoming release of Windows 8, most of us know that Microsoft has also been hard at work on the latest release of its server operating system: Windows Server 2012. The updates available in Windows Server 2012 will make it easier for you, our customers, to deploy and use the features available in the Rackspace open cloud.

Use of Microsoft operating systems continues to grow and Windows Server 2012 and SQL Server 2012 are prime examples of how Microsoft is changing with the evolving needs of a growing customer base.

At Rackspace, we believe in making the cloud open and accessible to as many users and technology platforms as possible, and that includes a commitment to rapidly getting Windows Server 2012 into our cloud offerings, including Cloud Servers, Cloud Sites and Dedicated Servers. This will enable our cloud customers to take advantage of the significant improvements in the Windows Server 2012 platform, including:

• Powerful cloud and remote features: Windows Server 2012 makes it even easier to deploy systems and applications in the cloud, with simplified management, remote access and application stacks that help blur the lines between on premise and cloud implementations.
• Improvements for deploying and managing multiple systems: One of the promises of the open cloud is the ease of scaling your virtual infrastructure on demand. Past versions of Windows and other tools supported managing multiple systems, but with Windows Server 2012 powerful multi-server management is built right into the operating system. With features like the new Server Manager, it’s easier than ever to monitor and manage your servers, whether you have one or 100.
• New Active Directory Domain Services features: With new tools integrated into Server Manager, virtualization aware domain controllers and task wizards that can generate Windows PowerShell scripts, managing cloud or hybrid Active Directory deployments has never been easier or more scalable.

These are just a handful of the features in Windows Server 2012 that make it an excellent choice for deploying in the Rackspace open cloud. For a comprehensive breakdown of these and other new features, see the Microsoft Article “What’s new in Windows Server 2012”.

We are excited to get Windows Server 2012 into the hands our open cloud customers as soon as possible. We are in the final stages of our fanatical testing and validation process, so go to www.rackspace.com/windowsserver2012 and signup to be notified when the product is ready!

All four images are available for both Cloud Servers and Cloud Servers powered by OpenStack. Both versions enable customers to create, view, update and delete Cloud Servers, as well as create on-demand images.

The newest generation of Rackspace Cloud Servers is powered by OpenStack™ and provides the reliability and on-demand scalability customers need, while eliminating worries about vendor lock-in. Customers have access to a new, easy-to-use control panel and a powerful new API- – and of course, everything is backed by our industry leading Fanatical Support.

Rackspace is still accepting applications to a Limited Availability Program for Cloud Servers powered by OpenStack. A limited number of customers will be accepted into the program on a first-come, first-served basis. Sign up here:

http://www.rackspace.com/cloud/opencloud/apply/

To our Cloud Servers customers, thank you for entrusting Rackspace with your business. As always, we invite you to provide feedback here.