What is the Windows Azure Connect?
Windows Azure Connect provides a simple and easy-to-manage mechanism to setup IP-based network connectivity between on-premises and Windows Azure resources. This capability makes it easier for an organization to migrate their existing applications to the cloud by enabling direct IP-based network connectivity with their existing on-premises infrastructure. For example, a company can deploy a Windows Azure application that connects to an on-premises SQL Server database, or domain-join Windows Azure services to their Active Directory deployment. In addition, Windows Azure Connect makes it simple for developers to setup direct connectivity to their cloud-hosted virtual machines, enabling remote administration and troubleshooting using the same tools that they use for on-premises applications.