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Our 5 developer MSDN license is about to expire. We are using TFS 2012. Do we really need to renew the license so that we keep using the TFS 2012 server?

I always thought the MSDN licenses were perpetual licenses. Meaning you keep using whatever software you have downloaded and installed after the MSDN license has expired. Recently, I tried searching for the word perpetual in the license agreement but it seems that Microsoft has removed the word.

I have talked to the resellers and they are saying that I need to buy the MSDN subscription but to be honest salespeople are always trying to sell you stuff even if you don't need it.

Can anyone shed more light on the subject please?

Oxon
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    I'm voting to close this question as off-topic because it is about licensing and legal issues, not programming or software development. [See here](http://meta.stackoverflow.com/a/274964/1402846) for details, and the [help/on-topic] for more. – Pang Jun 13 '15 at 01:57

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MSDN licenses are as far as I know limited to the term of the license. Think of them as a rental of software for the duration of the license. When it expires, they want their software back, just like a rental car agency.

If you are trying to keep your costs down, you may want to look at the following options to stay in compliance:

Microsoft Visual Studio Online, formerly TFS Online (https://www.visualstudio.com/en-us/products/visual-studio-online-pricing-vs.aspx)

  • 5 free users
  • VS Community Edition for free
  • VS Professional available for $45/month per user

Microsoft Action Pack Subscription (https://mspartner.microsoft.com/en/us/Pages/Membership/action-pack.aspx)

So while I can understand the sticker shock of renewals (I feel them every year myself), using a few of Microsoft's programs for small businesses (if you qualify) sure makes it easier on the bank account.

Martin Noreke
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From this link:

Microsoft licenses TFS under the Server/Client Access License (CAL) licensing model. You must have a license for each running instance of TFS and, with certain exceptions, a TFS CAL for each user or device that accesses it.

So you definitely need a subscription for a running TFS instance, however 5 MSDN accounts may not be needed. You do however get TFS with your MSDN subscription:

Eligible MSDN subscribers receive TFS and a TFS CAL as part of their subscription benefits.

In any case, read more about CAL here. And contact MS directly to get a license that best fits your needs.

Thomas Bouman
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