Which azure service, i should choose for my node.js app?

If you are new to Windows Azure but knowledgeable a Node.js developer, you sure can use Windows Azure to write your Node.js application.

You have following choices:

1. Windows Azure Websites (Preview) –
   
   • FREE only if shared and if RESERVED there is some cost associated with it
   • Great if you are a Linux or Mac User
   • Your node.js application will run on Windows Server Farm
   • You can use git to deploy your Node.js Application

2. Windows Azure Cloud Services

   • Ideal for applications that separate logic into multiple tiers using both Web and Worker Roles
   • It is a PAID service
   • You can use PowerShell to deploy directly from a Windows Machine
   • Your Node.js application will runs on Windows Server 2008 OS
   • You will have capability to RDP your Windows Azure VM.

3. Windows Azure Virtual Machines (Preview)–

   • This way you can create run your node.js application on a Microsoft Windows or Linux (Suse, CentOS, Ubuntu) machines or upload your own Linux VM already fully installed with Node.js application
   • With Windows machine, you can RDP to your machine and install your Node.js application
   • With Linux machine you can use Putty to connect your Linux Machine on command like and then install your application and other packages
   • Currently even with Preview mode, there is some price associated with it

As you are new to Windows Azure, I would suggest you to give a try using FREE Windows Azure Websites Shared because this way you really don’t need to learn a lot about Windows Azure and you can start running your application instantly. This could be the easiest method among above 3 options and then you can jump to other by just migrating your application If needed.

IF you decide to use Cloud Service, you can use Cloud9 IDE to publish your Node.js application directly to Windows Azure Cloud Services in your subscription.

You can find a decision tree here: http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/magazine/jj991974.aspx

What are the options you're considering? I can think of two: "cloud services" or "web sites." The latter is probably the easier and cheaper option, assuming you're building a web app. The former gives you full-blown VMs backing your app, on which you can run anything (including "workers" that process data in the background or apps that communicate via web sockets or even raw TCP). It's more powerful, but it's also more difficult to use, slower to deploy, and costs more money than a shared "web site."