How to get Redis running on Azure?

Question

I have seen several references to people running Redis on Azure, but no implementation or any sort of 'howto' on it. Has anyone seen such an example?

Solution 1

1. Download Redis for Windows - see the section 'Redis Service builds for Windows' on https://github.com/ServiceStack/ServiceStack.Redis. I ended up using the win64 version from dmajkic https://github.com/dmajkic/redis/downloads
2. Create an Azure worker role, delete the default class (you don't need c# code at all). Add the file redis-server.exe from the downloaded redis source (the exe can be found in redis/src).

3. In the service definition file add the following config

   <WorkerRole name="my.Worker" vmsize="Small">
     <Runtime executionContext="limited">
       <EntryPoint>
         <ProgramEntryPoint commandLine="redis-server.exe" setReadyOnProcessStart="true" />
       </EntryPoint>
     </Runtime>
     <Imports>
       <Import moduleName="Diagnostics" />
       <Import moduleName="RemoteAccess" />
       <Import moduleName="RemoteForwarder" />
     </Imports>
     <Endpoints>
       <InternalEndpoint name="Redis" protocol="tcp" port="6379" />
     </Endpoints>
   </WorkerRole>
   

4. You can refer to the redis server from your web role using the following

   var ipEndpoint = RoleEnvironment.Roles["my.Worker"].Instances[0].InstanceEndpoints["Redis"].IPEndpoint;
   host = string.Format("{0}:{1}", ipEndpoint.Address, ipEndpoint.Port);
   

Hope that helps.

Solution 2

FYI, the above-mentioned Redis on Windows project from MS Open Tech now has an Azure installer available, which makes it easy to get Redis up and running on a PaaS worker role. Here's a detailed tutorial: http://ossonazure.interoperabilitybridges.com/articles/how-to-deploy-redis-to-windows-azure-using-the-command-line-tool (Full disclosure: I'm on the MS Open Tech team.)

Solution 3

There is MS Open Tech: Redis on Windows project. Redis on Windows is available on GitHub (https://github.com/MSOpenTech/redis) however still not labelled as ready for production yet.

Another post is an example of application using Redis:"SignalR with Redis Running on a Windows Azure Virtual Machine"

Comments

[FNMT8L9IN82]

Awesome! Thank you very, very much!

[JP Hellemons]

It would be nice to have a small GUI (WPF application) for RedisInstWA.exe to make it more accessible to people to run Redis on Azure. I have used the linux virtual machine method because of my limited knowledge about the azure config files. But still curious what performs better, PaaS worker role or centOs virtual machine.

[Doug Mahugh]

Hi JP, just saw your comment. Great idea about a GUI front end -- would you be willing to log it as a request on the Guthub repo? (github.com/MSOpenTech/redis/issues) I'll follow up to try to make it happen. As for perf comparisons between PaaS and IaaS, we'll be looking into that but don't have results yet.

[JP Hellemons]

Sure, will do! github.com/MSOpenTech/redis/issues/50 p.s. i didn't got it to work with the tutorial so I ended up using a virtual linux machine with this tutorial: blogs.msdn.com/b/tconte/archive/2012/06/08/…