Enable .NET 3.5 Features in Azure Cloud Service

Question

I have an application built using .NET Framework 4.5 deployed in Azure Cloud Service. So I use Windows Server 2012 OS Family (supports .NET 4.0 and higher). My application is referencing a tool that can only be run with .NET 3.5 features enabled. So I login into the remote desktop and enable .NET 3.5 features.

I read this article Windows Azure Execution Models stating that "a Cloud Services application shouldn't maintain state in the file system of its own VMs. Unlike VMs created with Windows Azure Virtual Machines, writes made to Cloud Services VMs aren't persistent;"

Do you think my changes in the server (enabling .NET 3.5 features) is not ideal? If yes, can you suggest of a way on how can I deploy a .NET 4.5 web application with .NET 3.5 feature dependency.

Answer 1

Do you think my changes in the server (enabling .NET 3.5 features) is not ideal?

Yes if you're doing it manually via RDPing into the server. Because if for some reason your VM goes bad and Microsoft replaces that VM with another VM, your changes will be lost.

can you suggest of a way on how can I deploy a .NET 4.5 web application with .NET 3.5 feature dependency.

Do take a look at Startup Tasks to install additional dependencies. They get executed when your role starts so you could enable the features (or do any software installs before the role starts). I haven't tried enabling the features personally (so I may be wrong) but take a look at this blog post which talks about installing these features through PowerShell or Command Line: http://blogs.msdn.com/b/sql_shep/archive/2012/08/01/windows-2012-and-net-3-5-feature-install.aspx