How does Windows Azure Mobile Services differ from Azure Cloud Services?

Question

I need to connect to a middle tier (think Azure) between both my Windows store app and WP8 app. Windows Azure Mobile Services has been proffered as a/the solution.

But am I reading too much into the name "...MOBILES Services" (as one of the pieces is not a mobile app, but runs on desktops, laptops AND tablets)?

In my case, am I better off with Azure Cloud Services as opposed to Windows Azure Mobile Services?

Answer 1

Windows Azure Mobile Services is a fast, easy way to get a back-end in the cloud for your mobile apps and Windows 8 apps (it's fine if your Windows 8 apps aren't necessarily targeting mobile devices). It includes the things most commonly needed in a back-end, such as authentication, database storage, and push notifications. There's no server-side development needed here, you just request the back-end and moments later it's ready to use; however, if you do want server-side logic you can add it in the form of JavaScript scripts.

Alternatively, you could build your own back end in the cloud using a combination of Windows Azure Cloud Services such as the Compute, Storage, and SQL Database services. You have access to more features at this level, but you also are doing your own development. You can write server-side logic in C#, VB.NET, PHP, Java, Python, etc. as you prefer.

Which should you use?

If Windows Azure Mobile Services meets your needs, and you'd rather focus on your mobile app than learning anything cloud-specific, that's likely the best path for you.

If you're conversant with the Windows Azure platform, and need features different from what WAMS provides, that suggests creating your own back end with Cloud Services.

If you're not sure which way to go, I suggest experimenting first with WAMS since it is quick and painless to get started.

Answer 2

Azure mobile services is designed to get you up and going with storing data, push notifications and authentication whichever of those components you might need.

It abstracts the need of creating a data access layer and a web/wcf service to access it from your applications; it's simply there to boilerplate as much functionality off the bat.

This however does not mean that it is only for mobile applications, behind it all is a normal SQL Azure database and an API that you can use from any .NET based application.

I would reason that if you need more than basic CRUD operations and won't be using authentication and push notifications, I would roll my own set of APIs and DAL and use cloud services instead.

If you need a flexible schema, boilerplate data access and want to use some of the other mobile services, it would suit you quite well.

Here is a link to getting going with mobile services from a non Windows8 or WP - ASP application : link