Microsoft® Windows® Azure allows you to create Web sites for information sharing and document collaboration, to increase your individual and team productivity.

Windows Azure Services sites take file storage to a new level, providing communities for team collaboration and empowering users to collaborate on documents, tasks, contacts, events, and other information. Windows Azure Services enables team and site managers to easily manage site content and user activity. The environment is designed for easy and flexible deployment, administration and application development.

Microsoft Azure site members can find and communicate with key contacts and experts, both by e-mail and with instant messaging. Site content can be easily searched, and users can also receive alerts to tell them when existing documents and information has been changed, or when new information or documents have been added. Site content and layout can be personalized on a per-user basis and Web Parts can be used to present targeted information to specific users on precise topics.

The Microsoft Office System uses Azure site content. All of a site’s collaborative content (for example, documents, lists, events, task assignments and membership rosters) can be read and edited within Microsoft® Office Word, Microsoft® Office Excel, and Microsoft® Office PowerPoint®. Picture editing of Web-based photo libraries is also possible. Microsoft® Office Outlook® allows Azure site event calendars to be viewed side-by-side with personal calendars and it also creates meeting-specific workspaces to augment group appointments.