Microsoft has launched a new set of developer tools and software development kits (SDKs) for PHP developers who want to build applications for Windows Azure.

Microsoft said that the azure services platform is an internet-scale cloud services platform hosted in its data centres, which provides an operating system and a set of developer services that can be used individually or together.

The new set of developer tools and SDKs include: Windows Azure Companion, a new tool that provides an efficient experience when installing and configuring PHP platform-elements and web-applications running on Windows Azure; and Windows Azure Tools for eclipse for PHP that provides tools to create, test and deploy web applications.

The new command-line tool Windows Azure Command Line Tools for PHP offers PHP developers a simple way to package PHP based applications for deployment in Windows Azure.

Windows Azure SDK for PHP version 2.0 enables PHP developers to extend their applications by leveraging Windows Azure services in their web applications whether they run on Windows Azure or on another cloud platform.

Microsoft Interoperability Strategy team principal architect Vijay Rajagopalan said that the new SDKs and tools are an important step towards ensuring an open cloud that in turn brings efficient flexibility to the company’s partners and customers.