Our very own Andrew McMurray has done it again. During July and August he was hard at work developing new Azure content for Microsoft Virtual Academy.

These 5 courses are now live and ready to be checked out:

• Hybrid Cloud Workloads: Storage and Backup - This course introduces you to strategies and features of both on-premises and cloud solutions in the area of storage from Microsoft, along with some hands-on experiences. 
• Hybrid Cloud Workloads: Disaster Recovery and High Availability - The course examines other features that help with disaster recovery and high availability in a hybrid cloud environment.

• Corporate Apps Anywhere, Anytime with Microsoft Azure RemoteApp a hybrid cloud environment - In this course, learn more about how to scale up or down to meet dynamic business needs without large capital expense or management complexity, how to provide access to corporate applications from anywhere, on any device, and how to centralize and protect corporate resources on the reliable Azure platform.
• Hybrid Cloud Workloads: Websites - Watch this informative training course to get the details, and learn how your businesses and applications will move to the cloud in their own unique way, at their own unique speed. See how we describe and demonstrate website deployment using a combination of Microsoft Azure and the Azure Pack for Windows Server.
• Hybrid Cloud Workloads SQL - This course examines how to deploy and manage SQL databases in a hybrid cloud environment.

You can also check out our MVA Heroes competition and unlock the capabilities of Microsoft Azure.

Enjoy!

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Another awesome MVP initiative kicks off on September 22nd. This MVP Community Camp will be run over 5 days and be broadcasted to 8 countries, in 5 different languages.

1. The promoter is Microsoft Pty Limited (ACN 002 589 460) of 1 Epping Road, North Ryde, New South Wales, 2113.

2. The MVA Hero t-shirt offer is available to any person resident in Australia who is sixteen (16) years of age or older at the time of entry and who have registered for the MVA Hero Campaign. Employees of Microsoft or its affiliates, subsidiaries, advertising or promotion agencies are not eligible, nor are members of these employees’ families (defined as parents, children, siblings, spouse and life partners) (Eligible Participant).

3. To participate in the offer (Entry), the Entrant must 

              a. Sign up to the MVA Hero Campaign, and provide their real and current name, email address and postal address;

              b. Be one of the first 200 Eligible Participants to complete all of the required MVA courses under the desired Badge title; and

              c. Email a screenshot, containing at least the “100% complete” icon, course name and username, for each completed MVA course to ausdevs@microsoft.com.

4. Only courses completed between Tuesday 2 September 2014 and 17 October 2014 are eligible (Offer Period). In exchange for completing the requirements in clause 3 above, the first 200 completed participants for each badge will receive one (1) MVA Hero figurine that corresponds to the completed badge, valued at $5, within 4-8 weeks of sending screenshots (Reward). Each Eligible Participant is only entitled to one (1) Reward per badge, for a total of six (6) rewards. There is a total of two hundred (200) MVA Hero figurines available per badge.

5. If the promoter is unable to supply the Reward, the promoter reserves the right to supply another reward of greater or equal value.

6. No responsibility is accepted for Screenshots not received by the promoter. 

7. All Screenshots are deemed to be received at the time of receipt into the promotion database and not at the time of transmission by the Eligible Participant. 

8. The promoter and its associated agencies and companies accept no responsibility for the Reward being damaged or lost in transit. 

9. This offer is non-transferable and cannot be combined with any other offer.

10. Failure by the promoter to exercise any of its rights contained within these terms and conditions at any time does not constitute a waiver of those rights.

11. Participant agree and consent to the promoter, without compensation to the participant, using the results competed course for marketing via its social media channels for promotional purposes.  The promoter however warrants that the results used for such purposes will not contain any of the Eligible Participant’s personal information, as that term is defined by the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth).   

12. These terms and conditions do not, nor do they purport to, limit, exclude or modify any non-excludable statutory  guarantees as provided under the Competition and Consumer Act 2010 (Cth), or any other warranties (whether express or implied) under any state or federal legislation which cannot be excluded.   

13. Except for any liability that cannot by law be excluded, the promoter (including its respective officers, employees and agents) excludes all liability (including negligence), for any personal injury; or any loss or damage (including loss of opportunity); whether direct, indirect, special or consequential, arising in any way out of the promotion.  

14. To the fullest extent permitted by law and without limiting any other conditions of entry, the promoter may, in its discretion, terminate, modify or suspend the promotion. All participants participating in the promotion at the point of termination, modification or suspension of the promotion will be notified by the promoter in writing. 

15. The promoter assumes no responsibility, and the participant releases the promoter from responsibility, for any failure to receive an entry or for inaccurate information or for any loss, claim, damage or injury to person or property (including computer systems and servers) as a result of the participant’s participation in this promotion or the conduct of the promotion generally or as a direct or indirect result of an participant’s error, any technical problem (including communications or network failure, unauthorised access to, transferral of, or theft of, data), whether caused by the participant, or associated with the equipment or programming used in the conduct of this promotion.  If, because of any such problem, this promotion is not able to be conducted as planned and/or the promotion’s administration, security, fairness or integrity are compromised or affected, the promoter may cancel, terminate, modify or suspend the promotion and/or disqualify any participant involved in interfering or tampering with the conduct of this promotion in any way.

16. Details from all offer submissions will be collected and used for the purposes of conducting this offer (which may include disclosure to third parties for the purpose of processing and conducting the promotion) and for publicity purposes surrounding this promotion.  By participating, participants consent to the use of their information as described.  Participants may access and/or change their data by following the procedures in the promoter’s privacy policy which is available at www.microsoft.com/privacystatement.  The promoter will only use your personal details for marketing purposes outside those described above.

1. The promoter is Microsoft Pty Limited (ACN 002 589 460) of 1 Epping Road, North Ryde, New South Wales, 2113.

2. The MVA Hero t-shirt offer is available to any person resident in Australia who is sixteen (16) years of age or older at the time of entry and who have registered for the MVA Hero Campaign (Entrant). Employees of Microsoft or its affiliates, subsidiaries, advertising or promotion agencies are not eligible, nor are members of these employees’ families (defined as parents, children, siblings, spouse and life partners).

3. To participate in the offer, the Entrant must be one of the first 2000 Entrants to sign up to the MVA Hero Campaign, and provide their real and current name, email address and postal address (Entry).

4. The first 2000 participants to complete the requirements in clause 3 above will 1 x MVA Hero T-Shirt, valued at $8.35, within 4-6 weeks (Reward). Each Eligible Participant is only entitled to one (1) Reward. 

5. If the promoter is unable to supply the Reward, the promoter reserves the right to supply another reward of greater or equal value.

6. Each person who chooses to accept this t-shirt offer and has completed all required fields in the above registration form will be sent a t-shirt by mail to the address you specify in the form above, while stocks last. Please allow 4-6 weeks to receive the t-shirt.

7. The promoter and its associated agencies and companies accept no responsibility for the Reward being damaged or lost in transit. 

8. This offer is non-transferable and cannot be combined with any other offer.

9. Failure by the promoter to exercise any of its rights contained within these terms and conditions at any time does not constitute a waiver of those rights.

10. Participant agree and consent to the promoter, without compensation to the participant, using the results competed course for marketing via its social media channels for promotional purposes.  The promoter however warrants that the results used for such purposes will not contain any of the Eligible Participant’s personal information, as that term is defined by the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth).   

MVA Heroes Invite Five Friends Terms and Conditions 

1. The promoter is Microsoft Pty Limited (ACN 002 589 460) of 1 Epping Road, North Ryde, New South Wales, 2113 (Promoter).

2. This competition is only open to Australian residents aged sixteen (16) years and older. Employees of Microsoft or its affiliates, subsidiaries, advertising or promotion agencies are not eligible, nor are members of these employees’ families (defined as parents, children, siblings, spouse and life partners). (Eligible Participants).  Eligible Participants who are under eighteen (18) years of age must have parental or guardian approval to enter and the parent or guardian of the Eligible Participant must have read and consented to all terms and conditions.

3. The competition commences at 9.00 am AEST on 01/09/2014 and closes at 5.00 pm AEST on 17/10/2014 (Competition Period).

4. To enter, Eligible Participants must, during the Competition Period:

a. Register for free for the MVA Heroes Campaign on: http://technet.microsoft.com/en-au/dn771775 (Registration Page);

b. Fully complete all course requirements of at least one (1) Hero Badge.  All Hero Badges and their requirements can be found after registration at: http://technet.microsoft.com/en-au/dn771776;

c. Invite five (5) friends who satisfy the eligibility requirements in clause 2 above to register for the MVA Heroes Campaign on the Registration Page, and signify their consent to entry into this competition (Registered Friends); and

d. Once each friend has registered and completed at least one (1) course from any Hero Badge, email the full registered names of all five (5) friends to ausdevs@microsoft.com for verification.

5. The Promoter reserves the right to verify the validity of entries and to disqualify any entrant whom the Promoter believes either has tampered with the entry process or has submitted an entry otherwise than in accordance with these conditions of entry.

6. Failure by the Promoter to exercise any of its rights contained within these terms and conditions at any time does not constitute a waiver of those rights.

7. Any costs associated with participating in this offer are the responsibility of the Eligible Participant and the Registered Friends.

8. Incomplete, indecipherable or illegible entries will be deemed invalid. Any incorrect details submitted by the Eligible Participant or any of the Registered Friends may render the corresponding entry invalid. 

9. Only one entry is permitted per Eligible Participant. One Eligible Participant, inclusive of their five (5) Registered Friends will constitute one single entry. Registered Friends may enter the competition as a separate Eligible Participant, provided the requirements of clause 4 are met and that their selected five (5) Registered Friends are not already Registered Friends in a different entry.

10. In exchange for completing the requirements in clause 4 above, and once the names of all Registered Friends have been verified by the Promoter, Eligible Participants and all five Registered Friends will be entered into the draw (Draw), constituting one single entry.

11. The first entry randomly drawn from all valid entries received will win a prize pack consisting of two (2) Xbox One console (individual RRP $469), two (2) Nokia Lumia 1020 mobile phone (individual RRP $588), two (2) Dell Venue 8 Pro (individual RRP $399) and six (6) wireless computer mice (individual RRP $29.95)(Prize). Total Prize value is $3091.70. Prizes are not transferable or exchangeable and are not redeemable for cash.

12. The Prize will be drawn at 10a.m. on 20 October 2014 at Microsoft, 1 Epping Road, North Ryde, New South Wales, 2113.

13. If the Promoter is unable to supply the Prize, the Promoter reserves the right to supply another reward of greater or equal value.

14. Subject to the unclaimed prize draw clause, if for any reason whatsoever a Prize winner does not claim their Prize or an element of their Prize by 1 January 2015, then the Prize or that element of the Prize will be forfeited by the winner and neither cash nor any other Prize will be awarded in lieu of that Prize or that element of the Prize.

15. The stated Prize value is the recommended retail value (including GST) in Australia as provided by the supplier and is correct at the time of printing. The Promoter accepts no responsibility for any variation in the value of the Prize. The Promoter and its associated agencies and companies accept no responsibility for Prizes damaged or lost in transit.

16. Each valid entry has an equal probability of winning.

17. Winners will be notified in writing within two days of the draw.

18. If any winner is under the age of 18 years, the Prize will be awarded to the winner’s nominated parent or guardian on their behalf.

19. If necessary, a second draw will be conducted to distribute any unclaimed Prize at 1 Epping Rd, North Ryde, NSW, 2113 on 12 February 2015, subject to any directions given by any relevant authority.

20. Any costs associated with entering the competition and accessing the website are the responsibility of the entrant.

21. Any taxes, including fringe benefit taxes, arising from, or in connection with acceptance of the Reward are the participants’ (and not the Promoter’s) responsibility. 

22. The Promoter assumes no responsibility for, and the entrants release the Promoter from responsibility for, any failure to receive an entry  or for inaccurate information or for any loss, claim, damage or injury to person or property (including computer systems and servers) as a result of the entrants’ participation in this competition or the conduct of the competition generally or as a direct or indirect result of an entrant’s error, any technical problem of any kind including communications or network failure, unauthorised access to, transferring or theft of data, whether caused by the entrants or associated with the equipment or programming used in the conduct of this competition. If, because of any such problem, this competition is not able to be conducted as planned and/or the competition’s administration, security, fairness or integrity are compromised or affected, the Promoter may (where necessary with the approval of the relevant Department) cancel, terminate, modify or suspend the competition and/or disqualify any entrant involved in interfering or tampering with the conduct of this competition in any way.

23. Eligible Participants agree and consent to the Promoter, without compensation to the Eligible Participant, using the results of completed course for marketing via its social media channels for promotional purposes.  The Promoter warrants that the results used for such purposes will not contain any of the Eligible Participant’s personal information, as that term is defined by the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth).   

24. These terms and conditions do not, nor do they purport to, limit, exclude or modify any non-excludable statutory  guarantees as provided under the Competition and Consumer Act 2010 (Cth), or any other warranties (whether express or implied) under any state or federal legislation which cannot be excluded.   

25. Except for any liability that cannot by law be excluded, the Promoter (including its respective officers, employees and agents) excludes all liability (including negligence), for any personal injury; or any loss or damage (including loss of opportunity); whether direct, indirect, special or consequential, arising in any way out of the competition.  

26. To the fullest extent permitted by law and without limiting any other conditions of entry, the Promoter may, in its discretion, terminate, modify or suspend the competition. All participants participating in the competition at the point of termination, modification or suspension of the competition will be notified by the Promoter in writing. 

27. This competition is in no way sponsored, endorsed or administered by, or associated with, Facebook. The entrant releases Facebook from all liability in relation to the competition. The entrant is providing information to the Promoter and not to Facebook

28. Details from all offer submissions will be collected and used for the purposes of conducting this offer (which may include disclosure to third parties for the purpose of processing and conducting the competition) and for publicity purposes surrounding this competition.  By participating, participants consent to the use of their information as described.  Participants may access and/or change their data by following the procedures in the Promoter’s privacy policy which is available at www.microsoft.com/privacystatement.  The Promoter will only use your personal details for marketing purposes outside those described above.

29. Permit Numbers: [NSW PERMIT NO. LTPS/14/06760] [ACT PERMIT NO. TP 14/02946]