Coderbits status site on Azure

Introduction 

Utilizing Windows Azure, this article will describe in detail the process of making a status site for monitoring the coderbits website and integrated services.

The Plan 

The project will consist of the following components:

Website 

The main website will be responsible for displaying the status of the coderbits website and integrated services. It will be deployed using Azure Web Sites making use of C#, .NET 4.5, ASP.NET MVC 4, Entity Framework, SQL Database, SignalR, and a client MVVM such as Angular, Knockout, or Ember. 

API

The API will be responsible for providing a RESTful interface for programmatic access to the status information available on the website. It too will be deployed using Azure Web Sites making use of C#, .NET 4.5, Web API, Entity Framework, and SQL Database. 

Monitor Service 

The monitor service will be a Windows service running within an Azure Virtual Machine. It will be built using C#, .NET 4.5, Entity Framework, and SQL Database. The monitor service will be responsible for pinging the coderbits website, making HTTPS requests to the website, and pulling down information on the current status of integrated services. All of this information will be made available to the Website and API by storing it in the SQL Database. 

Mobile Friendly 

The Website will be designed to be responsive and provide a positive experience to those using mobile devices. 

Why use Azure 

The beauty of Windows Azure is knowing I do not have to worry about infrastructure and hardware or its reliability and scalability. I get to focus on the core of my business which is developing the software and solutions because Azure handles the rest.