Windows Azure Web Sites FAQ

This FAQ aims to provide answers to many of the recurring questions that developers ask on the Windows Azure MSDN forums. It will also act as a great resource for those who are learning Windows Azure and have questions about how to get started with Azure development.

As the Windows Azure technologies evolve rapidly, this article will be updated on a regular basis to keep pace with this evolution. There is a chance that some of the content may be out of date, feel free to make updates if this is the case.

Creating and Deploying Windows Azure Web Sites
Windows Azure Web Site Development
Custom Domain Names and Static IP Addresses

Creating and Deploying Windows Azure Web Sites

Why can I only create Windows Azure Websites in specific data centers?

During the trial period of Windows Azure Web Sites there are limited resources available in datacenters to host the applications. You may find that your account only allows web sites to be created in specific data centers. When Windows Azure Web Sites is fully released you will be able to create sites in all data centers.

Why am I getting “Provisioning Failed” errors when deploying Windows Azure Web Sites?

A number of users have experienced “Provisioning Failed” errors when attempting to deploy Windows Azure Websites. This is a known issue with the trial version, and there is an active discussion thread on the MSDN forums here.

It is expected that this is a temporary problem that will be fixed soon, in the meantime there are a few things you can try:

Ensure database passwords do not contain special characters like ', ", =, etc.
Try creating a website without a database, database creation may be causing the error.
Try deploying the site in a few hours, it may be a temporary problem in the data center.

Windows Azure Web Site Development

I want to upload files to my Windows Azure Web Site, what is the best way to do this?

Files uploaded to the site folder in Windows Azure Web Sites will be stored in persistent storage, and are resilient from process recycling and site reimaging. A better option for storing files is to use Blobs in Windows Azure Storage.

How can I share content across multiple Windows Azure Web Sites?

Using Blobs in Windows Azure Storage will allow files to be shared across multiple Windows Azure Web Sites.

Why is there a slow first page load time on my Windows Azure Web Site?

The Windows Azure Web Site will be provisioned when the first page request comes in. This can sometimes take longer than local website hoisting.

Custom Domain Names and Static IP Addresses

Can I configure a custom domain name for me Windows Azure Web Site?

Yes. It is possible to map your own domain name to a Windows Azure Web Site using a CNAME or an A record. Details on how to do this are provided here.

Can my Windows Azure Web Site have a static IP address?

Not at the present time. The way Azure architecture works and implements high availability, it is currently not possible to use a static IP address for a website, though it may be possible in the future.