Microsoft’s cloud platform Windows Azure is a very powerful platform for developers to learn on and experiment with. Until recently, however, their pricing structure was not very competitive. This year, Microsoft changed Windows Azure’s pricing to compete with Amazon Web Services.
Save Up To 32% By Pre-Paying For A Twelve-Month Commitment
You can opt for the free 30 day trial, which gives you an additional $200 in credit: ; once you’ve decided to commit to purchasing a Windows Azure account, you can get the biggest discounts by pre-paying for six to twelve month periods. If you pay for the six-month plan on a monthly basis, you can expect to save up to 27%; if you pre-pay for the twelve-month plan, you’ll save up to 32% on your account.
You Can Only Get A Windows Azure Pass Promo Code At Microsoft-Supported Events
If you have a valid promo code, you can sign onto Windows Azure Pass and try out Windows Azure free for a limited time period. However, any promo codes you currently find on the Internet will be invalid. (Trust us, we looked everywhere.) If you attend a Microsoft-supported or sponsored community event (usually at a university or code camp), you may be able to obtain a promo code from a Microsoft sponsor.
Faculty Can Apply For Educator Grants To Share Windows Azure For Free With Students
If you are a teacher or professor who want to use Windows Azure in their curricula, you can apply for an educator grant that provides full access to Windows Azure with certain quotas to share with their students for five months for free. If your students need access for longer than 150 days, then extended access can be granted on an as-needed basis. Students cannot apply for the same pass.
Get Free Access To Windows Azure & Discounted Hourly Rates With MSDN Subscriptions & BizSpark Accounts
If you are a Visual Studio Professional, Premium or Ultimate with MSDN subscriber, you can get free access to Windows Azure, up to $150 in Windows Azure credits every month, and 33% discount on Windows Virtual Machines, and 25% discounts on Cloud Services, HDInsight, and Reserved Websites.
Although you can purchase MSDN subscriptions directly from Microsoft, discounts are rare. To get better deals, purchase the subscriptions via third-party retailers such as Software Int'l or Student Discounts, which provides students with hefty discounts on all sorts of academic resources.
If you have a startup business or are an entrepreneur, and are focused on growing it, you can sign up for BizSpark for free, and get free access to Windows Azure, along with $150 in credits every month. You’ll also get discounted rates of up to 33% when you use Windows Azure virtual machines.
