How do I install ionCube on an Azure Web Site?

Question

I am trying to follow the instructions under Using Custom PHP Extensions in Windows Azure Web Sites to enable the ionCube extension for PHP running within an Azure Web Site. Here's what I did:

1. Downloaded the Windows VC9 (Non-TS) (x86) loader from the ionCube loader download page.
2. Created a directory at /site/wwwroot/bin
3. FTP'd ioncube_loader_win_5.3.dll to that directory.
4. Under "app settings" in the Azure portal for the web site I added PHP_EXTENSIONS with value bin/ioncube_loader_win_5.3.dll.
5. I loaded http://my.azure.website/info.php and verified that the Environment table included PHP_EXTENSIONS = bin/ioncube_loader_win_5.3.dll. It also contains APPSETTING_PHP_EXTENSIONS = bin/ioncube_loader_win_5.3.dll.
6. When I try to load the site I get the message "The page cannot be displayed because an internal server error has occurred" and no additional information.

Is there something I forgot or is ioncube not supported on Azure? Did I set up the directory properly?

I also tried the Zend Guard Loader extension (ZendLoader.dll) in the same manner. I don't get an error message, but the extension doesn't show up in phpinfo() either.

Answer 1

I posted an article explaining How to configure ZendGuard on Windows Azure Web Sites