How Windows Azure Platform scales instances and balances workload?

Question

The Windows Azure Platform allows an application to be deployed to one or more instances. The fabric controller then balances your application's workload across those instances.

• Can the number of instances be scaled up/down based on demand or are the number of instances static? If instances can be dynamically started how much control do I have over how this happens?

• How does Azure balance workload amongst my application instances and do I have any control over how this happens?

Answer 1

I know this is an old question, but I just thought that I'd highlight the free Windows Autoscaling Application Block, which was released since the question was first asked.

Answer 2

This question has lots of good information, including a 3rd party tool (AzureWatch) that I use that can scale up/down based on load.

Azure platform: scalling instances up and down

Answer 3

I just want to add that by commercial launch (November), we'll have an API that lets you programmatically modify the number of instances. (So you can scale based on whatever logic you want.)

Answer 4

The number of instances for Azure roles is specified in an xml configuration file. Currently, you must manually change the instance count in this config file. When you do so, the fabric controller will automatically adjust the number of running instances for you.

For web roles, incoming TCP connections are balanced across your instances. For worker roles, the load is generally distributed across all instances picking up work assignments from a message queue. The fabric doesn't really get involved for worker roles.