Evert now and then a new version of the Windows Azure tools for Visual Studio is released. With the arrival of the version of Visual Studio that would be a great update moment. This time not just a refresh of the tools, but there a great jewels of additions. Which are also available for Visual Studio 2012.
This time the process to manage your Windows Azure subscriptions in Visual Studio is redesigned and changed. In previous versions you did need to download a .publishsettings xml file (on https://windows.azure.com/download/publishprofile.aspx). This file contained all the information about your subscriptions.
By importing this file in your Visual Studio the Server explorer was filled with the subscriptions etc. This downloading was really better than the way before that. But the file contained security information and we often forgot to throw it away after using.
With this version of the tools (2.2) this process is definitely better.
In the Server explorer you choose from the right mouse menu for “connect to Windows Azure” on the Windows Azure node.
You will be transferred to a login windows and you can login with the username/password combination of the Windows Azure subscription you want to use.
After this you get a overview of your subscriptions assigned to this ID.
Visual Studio will download the data and the Windows Azure resources belonging to the subscriptions will be shown.
Super handy and really user friendly.
Have fun met Windows Azure!