Microsoft launches Visual Studio 2010

Programming development package improves Azure Services integration

Developers hoping for better Azure integration with Visual Studio 2010

Microsoft has announced that BMI Airlines, Trader Media Group and the Imperial War Museum are to be early adopters of the new version of its integrated development environment (IDE) Visual Studio (VS) 2010, which was released today.

VS 2010 will drive take up of the giant's cloud computing platform Azure as it benefits from advanced integration with the platform and a bundled price for cloud services.

There are four versions in the family – Premium, Professional, Test Professional, and Ultimate.

The three early adopters have announced their plans for the platform: Airline BMI’s internal programming team will use VS2010 to develop its new website; specialist media publisher Trader Media Group’s internal IT team will use VS 2010 to develop a commercial vehicle sector search engine; and the Imperial War Museum has contracted web design specialist Armadillo to implement applications for its exhibits using VS2010.

Users purchasing the Premium, Professional and Ultimate VS2010 versions will be eligible to get Azure Benefits that vary depending on which version they buy.

Ultimate users will get 250 compute hours, 7.5GB of storage, 3GB of SQL Server database capacity and are allowed one million .NET messages per month.

Premium and Professional users get proportionately less compute, storage, SQL Server storage and .NET messages.

Bundled into each version is a copy of Team Foundation Server, Microsoft’s programming collaboration platform which is aimed at automating software delivery and management from start to finish.

The Team Foundation Server is accessed through Microsoft’s client access licences (CALs). Each copy of Visual Studio will come with one CAL, and project managers will need one CAL per every member of staff with access to the Team Foundation Server.

Alongside the VS 2010 launch, Microsoft has launched Microsoft's .NET Framework 4 and its web application framework SilverLight 4.

The .NET Framework messaging platform allows collaboration between different elements of the cloud service, for example between applications and database.

Visual Studio 2010 client versions will run on Vista, Windows 7, and Windows XP with the minimum service pack required being SP2.

Microsoft also specifies Internet Explorer 8 as a support requirement, moving users to a more secure browser.

Support for developers seeking to integrate their applications with Microsoft’s Office productivity suite will include Office 2007 and eventually Office 2010, when the package launches in June.

Team Foundation Server supports server operating systems Windows Server 2003 and 2008, and both R2 versions of those systems.

Team Foundation Server will also support integration with SQL Server 2008.

Microsoft said that owing to the UK model of selling to resellers, prices will vary depending on the particular reseller.

However, US pricing can be used as a guideline. Pricing starts at $11,899 (£7,712) for Ultimate, $5,469 for Premium, $799 for Professional without MSDN , and $2,169 for Test Professional.