How to power your mobile app using Windows Azure Mobile Service

February 28, 2014

Windows Azure Mobile Services (WAMS) is a key component of the Windows Azure platform and it is the back end for cross-platform modern app and web development. Regardless of the platform you have chosen to publish your app, WAMS will be your best choice when it comes to mobile apps API development. This blog looks into the ways you can use WAMS to power your mobile app.

It isn't unusual for apps to use more than one of the Windows Azure services. There are many different options for you to use to manage data and power your app. Here are some of the services offered:

WAMS: Back-end services and resources for fast app building.

SQL Azure: SQL Server in the cloud with straightforward Web admin interface.

Tablet storage: This is a non-SQL way of working with tabular data.

Websites and Cloud Services: Windows Azure websites can run ASP.NET and ASP.NET Web APIs in addition to website hosting. This is great if you don't want to do integrate with your web applications and do much more complex architectural work.

Each app will have its own architectural requirements and will be able to take advantage of one of the features above. [AR1] WAMS is a straightforward and easy solution for apps that just read and write textual data. If you need a DBA to administer the data you might opt for the SQL Azure option.

For most, WAMS is great because it has not only a full offering of back-end services ideal for common app infrastructure scenarios such as push notifications, it also has a simple data storage available.

What are the core WAMS services?

The core services available with WAMS are data, messaging and authentication. Here are some more details on each:

Data: WAMS supports the housing and manipulation of data.

Messaging: Messaging is going to become more and more important as apps develop for the purposes of marketing and keeping users up-to-date on information. WAMS offers an easy-to-use push messaging and real-time communication feature that can be integrated into any IT infrastructure.

Authentication: WAMS allows you to authenticate with the following identity providers: Microsoft, Facebook, Twitter and Google. You can trust that you have secure data, especially secure user data.

If you want to get started using WAMS click here. Whether you are building an app for Android, iOS, Windows Store or a Windows Phone app, there are SDKs available for all major platforms. Once you have the WAMS set up and configured, writing the code to access objects and data in a mobile service is easy.

Written by
Alexander Rauser
Alexander Rauser

CEO

Alexander Rauser is the author of Boardroom Guide to Digital Accountability and Digital Strategy: A Guide to Digital Business Transformation, and creator of the DSX Program, a digital strategy and transformation program for Enterprises.

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