Best practice to install Windows service on Windows Azure

Question

After searching over the Internet I found 2 ways to install an existing Windows service project on Windows Azure.

1. Create setup and add it startup task of web/worker role and spin up that role so it would install window service
2. Migrate logic of window service to worker role and spin up

My purpose is to get a Windows service on cloud as I have already application on windows azure websites (WAWS) so what should be best way to put window service on cloud from above.

and what would happened when I'll scale from 1 to more instance for above cases.

Thanks in advance for any help.

/Arun.

Answer 1

I would suggest that migrating to a worker role is the better approach as it is better aligned to the platform's design goals. for example - this will make it easier to integrate interaction with platform events such as starting and stopping, easier to use logging, etc.

The Scaling out story will be more or less the same with both options - you will end up with multiple instances of your code running, on multiple machines and so you must have a design that supports, and ideally benefits, from that.

What that means really depends on your exact scenario, but normally some co-ordination of which instance does what, handling incomplete operations by failed instances, etc...