Question

I’m toying with Windows Azure creating an ASP.NET MVC project, I’ve checked the WAPTK (Windows Azure Platform Training Kit), Google, and here for answers to my question, but I couldn’t find the answer. In an ASP.NET MVC project, in what file do I create containers for cloud storage? (In the WAPTK, there’s a hands-on lab that uses webforms and puts storage containers in the _Default partial class.)

Answer 1

In an ASP.NET MVC project, in what file do I create containers for cloud storage? (In the WAPTK, there’s a hands-on lab that uses webforms and puts storage containers in the _Default partial class.)

Generally I’d recommend you set up the container access (including the create) in some nicely encapsulated class – preferably hiding behind an interface for easy testability.

I’d recommend:

• put this class and it’s interface in a class library (not in your ASP.Net project)
• put the config details in the csdef/cscfg files
• if you only plan to use a fixed list of containers, then either:
  • create these ahead of installing your app – e.g. from a simple command line app
  • or create these from a call in the init of Global.asax
• if you plan to dynamically create containers (e.g. for different users or actions) then create these from Controller/Service code as is required – e.g. when a user signs up or when an action is first performed.
• if actions might occur several times and you really don’t know if the container will be there or not, then find some way (e.g. an in-memory hashtable or in-sql persistent table) to help ensure that you don’t need to continually call CreateIfNotExist – remember that each call to CreateIfNotExist will slow your app down and cost you money.
• for “normal” access operations like read/write/delete, these will typically be from Controller code – or from Service code sitting behind a Controller

If in doubt, think of it a bit like “how would I partition up my logic if I was creating folders on a local disk – or on a shared network drive”

Hope that helps a bit.

Stuart