Windows Azure role stuck in Initializing/Busy/Stopping

Recently I see a lot of questions with that description around Windows Azure Forums. There is one particular reason that appears to be causing this behaviour in most of the cases. I want to describe it with respect to Web Role and Worker Role

Web Role

If you have a web role prepared for Windows Azure deployment be sure that you double check that you have set “Copy Local” attribute to TRUE for any third party assemblies that you reference in your project. These are all assemblies that are not part of Microsoft .NET Framework 3.5 SP1. Such as Microsoft ReportViewer, Microsoft MVC, Microsoft WCF RIA Services, Unity, nHibernate, SandCastle. Any.

Worker Role

While requirements for referenced assemblies in Worker roles are same as requirements for these in Web Roles, there is another important point to observe. And this is that your Run() method should never end. If it ends, than Windows Azure Fabric thinks there is something wrong are recycles your role. That’s why you initial Run method will look like this:

    1         public override void Run()

    2         {

    3             // This is a sample worker implementation. Replace with your logic.

    4             Trace.WriteLine("WorkerRole2 entry point called", "Information");

    5 

    6             while (true)

    7             {

    8                 Thread.Sleep(10000);

    9                 Trace.WriteLine("Working", "Information");

   10             }

   11         }

It is important to not remove the while (true) cycle as it it the “lifecycle” of our worker role. If we remove it,our worker role will enter an endless loop of:

[runtime] Role entrypoint . COMPLETED OnStart()
[runtime] Role entrypoint . CALLING   Run()
Information: Worker Process entry point called
[runtime] Role entrypoint . COMPLETED Run() ==> ROLE RECYCLING INITIATED
[runtime] Role instance recycling is starting
Information: ...
Information: ...
[fabric] Role state Recycle
[fabric] Role state Stopping
[fabric] Role state Stopped
[fabric] Role state Stopping
[fabric] Role state Stopped
[fabric] Role state Suspended
[fabric] Role state Aborted
[fabric] Role state Teardown
[fabric] Role state Destroyed
[fabric] Role state Created
[fabric] Role state Suspended

Why is it so is well described by Steve Marx as answer to my question on MSDN Forums:

The model is that you're expected to never return from Run().  (If you do, we think something went wrong and restart you.)
If you have other threads doing work, you can just go into an infinite sleep at the bottom of Run().  (Thread.Sleep(Timeout.Infinite))

http://social.msdn.microsoft.com/Forums/en-US/windowsazure/thread/2ce85358-b7e2-4b2b-bfbd-952b65e31fa2

I really hope that this post will save you lot of time and frustration using Windows Azure.