Windows Azure Data Storage

Chapter 4

Queue Storage

IN THIS CHAPTER

• Understand the capabilities of Windows Azure Queue Storage
• Learn how to queue and dequeue messages in Queue Storage
• Gain knowledge of some of the differences between Queue Storage and Service Bus

The last of the three data storage models supported by Windows Azure is Queue Storage. It is also the only one of the three that has a functional counterpart elsewhere within the Azure family. For this reason, the chapter on Queue Storage will be approached a little differently than the ones that concentrate on the other two models. First, you’ll learn how queues can help to solve common problems with the implementation of your application. This information is applicable to both Queue Storage, as well as the Service Bus, which is covered in Chapter 5. Then you’ll learn about some of the reasons for selecting Queue Storage. Finally, after getting through all of this preliminary (albeit useful) content, you’ll walk through an example of how to utilize the features of Queue Storage in your applications and discuss some of the design issues that you might face.

WHY USE QUEUES?

Nothing like a vaguely-worded, open-ended question to start a topic. Nonetheless, it’s a question that frequently remains unanswered, for the simple reason that most developers don’t feel that their application is big enough or critical enough to warrant what appears to be added complexity in the design. To many, using queues feels not necessarily wrong, but overengineering. ...