Windows Azure Benefit for MSDN Subscribers:
If you are a Visual Studio Professional, Premium or Ultimate with MSDN subscriber, activate your MSDN benefit now to start development and test on Windows Azure. Build native cloud applications, test existing applications in virtual machines or create hybrid applications that span your datacenter and Windows Azure. Eliminate the cost of buying hardware for testing purposes by using the Windows Azure credits that are included with your MSDN subscription. Take advantage of instant provisioning to develop and test applications faster. Use elastic scale to test real world scenarios. The Windows Azure MSDN benefit meets your growing needs:
Flexibility with Windows Azure Credits
You get up to $0.00 credits per month with your Windows Azure MSDN subscription. The choice is now yours on how you use your Windows Azure credits. Use them on any Windows Azure service based on your needs including, Virtual Machines, Web Sites, Cloud Services, Mobile Services, Storage, SQL Database, Content Delivery Network, HDInsight, Media Services, and many more.
Virtualize with Lower Rates
Speed up your development and test using Windows Azure virtual machines. Your credits now last longer because MSDN subscribers receive discounted hourly rates.
No additional charge for MSDN software
Get access to preconfigured virtual machine images with SQL Server, BizTalk Server and other software over time that comes with your MSDN subscription. Alternatively, upload your own virtual machine with your MSDN software. Your Windows Azure credits last longer because there is no additional charge for the MSDN software that runs on top of Windows Server such as SQL Server.
Windows Azure is an open platform and you can use a variety of operating systems, languages and runtimes from Microsoft and beyond to build applications with your MSDN subscription.
Monthly Windows Azure Credits
For the first month after activation of your benefit, all MSDN subscribers receive $0.00 of Windows Azure credits. After the first month, we provide following amount of Windows Azure credits every month.
We require a credit card or debit card to authenticate you when you sign-up. Your credit card will initially NOT be charged as your new account has a $0 Spending Limit. Use up to your monthly Windows Azure credits at no charge. If you exceed your monthly credits, your service will be disabled for that month. You can choose to turn off your Spending Limit, and any usage each month in excess of the monthly credits will be charged at the rates specified in this offer. Read more about the Spending Limit feature.
Lower Rates
MSDN subscribers receive a 33% discount on Windows Virtual Machines, and 25% discounts on Cloud Services, HDInsight, and Reserved Websites. See offer details (Visual Studio Professional, Premium or Ultimate with MSDN) for the hourly rates for these services.
Using MSDN Software on Windows Azure
On your Windows Azure MSDN subscription, you can use the software covered by your MSDN subscription for development and test purposes, with the exception of Windows client which is not licensed for usage on Windows Azure. You can choose to upload your own VHD with MSDN software installed, remote install MSDN software, or select from our virtual machine image gallery. You will only be charged at the discounted Windows Server rate regardless of what MSDN software is run on top of Windows Server.
Microsoft server software that is supported by Windows Azure Virtual Machines is listed here.
Frequently Asked Questions
How does the new Windows Azure MSDN benefit compare to the previous Windows Azure MSDN benefit? In June 2013 Microsoft simplified the Windows Azure MSDN benefit to a single measure of credits and increased the flexibility by enabling the use of these credits across any combination of Windows Azure services. See below for two examples that illustrate these improvements for an example subscriber, Jim, who has Visual Studio Premium with MSDN and therefore $100 per month in Windows Azure credits:
Example 1:
Jim is building a website with one reserved instance on Windows Azure Web Sites, a 5GB SQL database and 4GB of outbound data transfer per month.
| New Windows Azure MSDN Benefit | Previous Windows Azure MSDN Benefit |
|---|
This scenario costs $0 and is covered with Jim’s monthly Windows Azure credits: - A 5GB SQL database uses $25.97 Windows Azure credits.
- A reserved instance of Web Sites running for ~400 hours a month use $24 Windows Azure credits with 25% discount.
| This scenario costs Jim $15.98 a month: - Since only 1GB of SQL database was included in the previous benefit, Jim needs to pay the rest of the SQL database at the pay-as-you-go rate.
|
Example 2:
A) Jim uploads his medium sized virtual machine which includes a custom LOB app that is built on Windows Server and SQL Enterprise. He plans to test this for 4 hours each day.
OR
B) Jim uses the Windows Azure virtual machine gallery to instantly create a new medium sized virtual machine with Windows Server and SQL server pre-installed and copies his application to that virtual machine. He plans to test this for 4 hours a day.
| New Windows Azure MSDN Benefit | Previous Windows Azure MSDN Benefit |
|---|
This scenario costs $0 and is covered with Jim’s monthly Windows Azure credits: - There is no license cost for SQL Server and Jim is only charged for Windows Server virtual machines at 33% discounted rate.
- A medium Windows Server VM for 4 hours per day uses $14.88 in Windows Azure credits.
| Scenario A is not enabled for customers without software assurance. If Jim had software assurance in Scenario A or if Jim uses Windows Azure in Scenario B, then it would cost $260.40 per month: - A medium Windows Server VM up to 375 hours is covered under the previous MSDN benefit.
- SQL Server is charged additionally in the previous benefit. Running it for 4 hours per day costs $260.40 a month.
|
See below for a more detailed comparison of the features of the new Windows Azure MSDN benefit and the previous benefit.
| Feature | New Windows Azure MSDN Benefit | Previous Windows Azure MSDN Benefit |
|---|
| Included amount | Monthly Windows Azure credits provide the flexibility to spend against any Windows Azure service. | Included quantity on 14 individual services, and when usage of 1 service reaches the included quantity, the entire subscription may be disabled. |
| Cost of MSDN software to run in Windows Server virtual machines | No additional license charge for MSDN software | Additional charge for Microsoft software provided in the VM image gallery, or
License mobility as part of SA benefits is required for uploading VHD or remote installing software |
| Use right | Development and Testing. | Development, Testing and Production. |
| Rates | Discounted rates for Windows Virtual Machines, Cloud Services, HDInsights and Reserved Web Sites. | Same rate as the Pay-as-You-Go rates |
Are there any other limitations I should be aware of for this offer? The Windows Azure MSDN benefit is for development and test purposes only and is offered at discounted usage rates. Usage within the Windows Azure MSDN subscription does not carry a financially-backed SLA. We reserve the right to suspend any instance (VM or cloud service) that runs continuously for more than 120 hours or if we determine that the instance is being used for production. We are making this capacity available to MSDN subscribers on a best efforts basis; there is no guarantee of capacity availability.
I currently have a Windows Azure MSDN subscription. Can I elect to not to be converted to this new offer? If you signed up for the Windows Azure MSDN benefit prior to June 3, 2013, you will be automatically converted into the new benefit starting August 1st, 2013. If you wish to stay on your existing offer, we give you an option to continue to use it for another 12 months. Customers who stay on the previous offer will not receive the advantages of the new offer, and so we do recommend that customers move to the new offer. If you need to stay on the previous offer for an extended period of time, sign into the account portal, and next to your Windows Azure MSDN subscription you will find the option to opt out of the conversion.