Microsoft retiring TechNet Subscriptions

[jamieakers]

Just received an email from Microsoft explaining that TechNet is being retired.. major bummer!

 

As IT trends and business dynamics have evolved, so has Microsoft?s set of offerings for IT professionals who are looking to learn, evaluate and deploy Microsoft technologies and services. In recent years, we have seen a usage shift from paid to free evaluation experiences and resources.  As a result, Microsoft has decided to retire the TechNet Subscriptions service and will discontinue sales on August 31, 2013.

   

Additional Information:


More background on Microsoft?s decision to retire the TechNet Subscription service and the implications for current subscribers is available on the TechNet Subscriptions Retirement FAQ page.

 

Subscribers with active accounts may continue to access program benefits until their current subscription period concludes.

We are committed to helping customers through this transition phase and will remain focused on  providing IT professionals with free access to a broad set of TechNet assets that support the needs of IT professionals around the world.

 

[sc302 Veteran]

This is not good for us that train on our own, troubleshoot without the help of others, and need an on going lab.  This is just a bad move IMO, besides I like being able to call microsoft 2 times a year, even if I rarely ever use it, for a relatively good price for everything that is included.

[Chris123NT]

you gotta be kidding me, well this sucks because i dont want to be buying copies for my lab environments.

[Dan~]

Just renewed aswell, bleeding typical.

 

Oh well, will download everything and get all keys, that'll do me for a few years :p, but may need to invest in MSDN at some point

 

Actually scrap that @ ?590 for MSDN, I might aswell get my stash elsewhere :O

[sc302 Veteran]

Unfortunately the activation expire when your sub expires.  So activate it prior to your sub expiring and you will be good to go.

[xendrome]

From the FAQ

 

 

 

Why did Microsoft make the decision to retire the TechNet Subscriptions service? 

As IT trends and business dynamics have evolved, so has Microsoft?s set of offerings for IT professionals who are looking to learn, evaluate and deploy Microsoft technologies and services. In recent years, we have seen a usage shift from paid to free evaluation experiences and resources.  As a result, Microsoft has decided to retire the TechNet Subscriptions service and will discontinue sales on August 31, 2013.

 

 

Is the TechNet Subscriptions retirement related to piracy concerns? 

As IT trends and business dynamics have evolved, so has Microsoft?s set of offerings for IT professionals who are looking to learn, evaluate and deploy Microsoft technologies and services. In recent years, we have seen a usage shift from paid to free evaluation experiences and resources. Although the TechNet Subscriptions service has experienced piracy and license misuse in the past, there was no single factor in the decision to retire the TechNet Subscriptions service.

 

Blah blah blah, they just repeat the same stuff over and over, same as in the e-mail, it's like half of the form-generic answers the Microsoft forum mods/helpers give you.

[Gio Takahashi]

Well that is a major bummer.

 

I've been a proud user of Microsoft Technet for several years. This is definitely one of the most disappointing news to read, especially considering I just renewed as well -_-. At least I got a year left on it.

 

Guess I'll have to invest in MSDN soon.

[Lowdown]

Looks like Microsoft is retiring TechNet Subscriptions, just received this email today.

 

 

 

Microsoft is retiring the TechNet Subscription service.

 

As IT trends and business dynamics have evolved, so has Microsoft?s set of offerings for IT professionals who are looking to learn, evaluate and deploy Microsoft technologies and services. In recent years, we have seen a usage shift from paid to free evaluation experiences and resources. As a result, Microsoft has decided to retire the TechNet Subscriptions service and will discontinue sales on August 31, 2013.

 

Additional Information:
More background on Microsoft?s decision to retire the TechNet Subscription service and the implications for current subscribers is available on the TechNet Subscriptions Retirement FAQ page.
 

Subscribers with active accounts may continue to access program benefits until their current subscription period concludes.

We are committed to helping customers through this transition phase and will remain focused on providing IT professionals with free access to a broad set of TechNet assets that support the needs of IT professionals around the world.

Improved Free Offerings for IT Professionals Include:

• TechNet Evaluation Center: Free evaluation software with no feature limits, available for 30-180 days. Includes rich evaluation resources and TechNet Virtual Labs, which enable you to evaluate software without the need to install bits locally.
• Microsoft Virtual Academy: Free online learning site, with over 200 expert-led technical training courses across more than 15 Microsoft technologies with more added weekly.
• TechNet Forums: Free online forums where IT professionals can ask technical questions and receive rapid responses from members of the community.

Please note, MSDN Subscriptions provide a paid set of offerings that are also available for those who require access to evaluation software beyond what the above free offerings provide.

Thank you for your understanding as we increase focus on growing and investing in our free offerings to better meet the needs of the IT professional community.

Do not reply to this e-mail. This message was sent to you using an automated system. This e-mail alias is not monitored for replies.

- TechNet Subscription Team

Microsoft respects your privacy. Review our online Privacy Statement.

Microsoft Corporation
One Microsoft Way
Redmond, WA, USA 98052

 

[RichardK]

This is the result of all the people who bought this for personal gain.  Selling Product Keys, etc.  Another valuable resource ruined.  Got the same email.  Renewing for one more year.

[Travelar]

Renewed yesterday... For the benefits of getting testing access to Server 2012 R2. At this point, I'm not convinced that we'll get access to any new products going forward. 

[Graimer]

Noooooooo :-(  Technet is/was a software bargain. Good price for all the licenses I need for my home lab.... :-(

[Roger H. Veteran]

Topics Merged

Sux to see it go, was happy to pay for it and recently renewed so I got a bit more to go. Sux though, might have to go jumping on MSDN.
 
:(

[McKay]

I only renewed a few days ago. Damn

[PGHammer]

Looks like Microsoft is retiring TechNet Subscriptions, just received this email today.

 

 

 

Microsoft is retiring the TechNet Subscription service.

 

As IT trends and business dynamics have evolved, so has Microsoft?s set of offerings for IT professionals who are looking to learn, evaluate and deploy Microsoft technologies and services. In recent years, we have seen a usage shift from paid to free evaluation experiences and resources. As a result, Microsoft has decided to retire the TechNet Subscriptions service and will discontinue sales on August 31, 2013.

 

Additional Information:

More background on Microsoft?s decision to retire the TechNet Subscription service and the implications for current subscribers is available on the TechNet Subscriptions Retirement FAQ page.

 

Subscribers with active accounts may continue to access program benefits until their current subscription period concludes.

We are committed to helping customers through this transition phase and will remain focused on providing IT professionals with free access to a broad set of TechNet assets that support the needs of IT professionals around the world.

Improved Free Offerings for IT Professionals Include:

• TechNet Evaluation Center: Free evaluation software with no feature limits, available for 30-180 days. Includes rich evaluation resources and TechNet Virtual Labs, which enable you to evaluate software without the need to install bits locally.
• Microsoft Virtual Academy: Free online learning site, with over 200 expert-led technical training courses across more than 15 Microsoft technologies with more added weekly.
• TechNet Forums: Free online forums where IT professionals can ask technical questions and receive rapid responses from members of the community.

Please note, MSDN Subscriptions provide a paid set of offerings that are also available for those who require access to evaluation software beyond what the above free offerings provide.

Thank you for your understanding as we increase focus on growing and investing in our free offerings to better meet the needs of the IT professional community.

Do not reply to this e-mail. This message was sent to you using an automated system. This e-mail alias is not monitored for replies.

- TechNet Subscription Team

Microsoft respects your privacy. Review our online Privacy Statement.

Microsoft Corporation

One Microsoft Way

Redmond, WA, USA 98052

UNsurprising - there was WAY too much crossover as it was between TechNet and MSDN.  (Website Spark was retired earlier this year for the same reason - and software subscriptions that haven't expired are now managed by MSDN - not the TechNet portal.)

 

Further, because of the way Microsoft Accounts work, moving the subscription side to MSDN makes sense from a management (of services) point of view.

 

And no - I am NOT saying that IT administration is less important than software development.  First off, it's not true.  The more critical point I (and I believe Microsoft) am making is that there is a crapton of crossover between the two - how much of IT administration (people, that is) started off as code-writers or software developers? (In larger companies, and especially enterprises, how many times will people cross from one to the other over their careers?)

 

Those TechNet subscribers that also have MSDN subscriptions will likely notice few, if any, changes - it will be those individuals and companies that were mostly, if not wholly, on the TechNet side subscription=wise that will see the major changes.  (For some reason, I don't expect much of that - because of all that overlap.)

[PGHammer]

Topics Merged

Sux to see it go, was happy to pay for it and recently renewed so I got a bit more to go. Sux though, might have to go jumping on MSDN.

 

:(

ShoTTA - a lot of it will migrate to MSDN; I'm expecting unexpired software subscriptions to migrate there, as they have for previously sunsetted programs that were part of TechNet (Website Spark was a TechNet - not MSDN - program, despite the subscriptions for software being on the MSDN portal).  The TechNet Forums can be reached via the MSDN Forums portal - as has been the case for years. (That goes back to Office - as is the case with the rest of TechNet, there is substantial overlap between it and MSDN.)

 

This is very much looking like a merger between the two programs.

[Graimer]

Isn't TechNet the only subscription with Office? MSDN only have software required by devs, so I huess they have SharePoint etc., but not the Office client(Professional plus) as far as I know.

 

And it's what, 90%(?) cheaper then MSDN just because it lacks VS. That's a huge change in price for IT Professionals.

[PGHammer]

Noooooooo :-(  Technet is/was a software bargain. Good price for all the licenses I need for my home lab.... :-(

 

MSDN will likely take over management of your subscriptions - with NO price increase. (When the Website Spark program was sunsetted, my complimentary software subscription didn't - it's now at the MSDN portal.  This will almost certainly be the case with all the TechNet programs.)

Isn't TechNet the only subscription with Office? MSDN only have software required by devs, so I huess they have SharePoint etc., but not the Office client(Professional plus) as far as I know.

No - there are MSDN subscriptions with Office, due to Office-based developers, MED-V, and APP-V - not JUST SharePoint.

 

However, that just goes to show how MUCH overlap there has been historically between TechNet and MSDN.

[OilersFan]

MSDN will likely take over management of your subscriptions - with NO price increase. (When the Website Spark program was sunsetted, my complimentary software subscription didn't - it's now at the MSDN portal.  This will almost certainly be the case with all the TechNet programs.)

No - there are MSDN subscriptions with Office, due to Office-based developers, MED-V, and APP-V - not JUST SharePoint.

 

However, that just goes to show how MUCH overlap there has been historically between TechNet and MSDN.

 

 

I sure hope so, I am not going to pay $500+ a year to test Microsoft stuff in a test lab.

[Graimer]

PGHammer: sry, I'll rephrase it: There's no MSDN Subscription BELOW $6000 (2600 renew). It's cheaper to buy the stuff retail one by one.

[+John Teacake MVC]

Damn! I just got my renewal sub for next year.

[OilersFan]

PGHammer: sry, I'll rephrase it: There's no MSDN Subscription BELOW $6000 (2600 renew). It's cheaper to buy the stuff retail one by one.

 

http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-ca/subscriptions/buy.aspx

 

"MSDN Operating Systems"  costs $700, $500 to renew.  Not worth it for me.

[+jamwheat Subscriber²]

Hhmmm...  well, I wonder if getting the Windows 8 Enterprise eval will also allow making and using the "Windows to Go" feature beyond the eval period?  That would be interesting.

[Roger H. Veteran]

Question, never looked it up since I always have had and planned on having TechNet forever but does the stuff you already have activated deactivate when your subscription expires?

I know we are supposed to remove them once we are done but never was a plan for me since I've been using it for a few years. My testing involves scenarios where I need to learn the new software, test it with or current setup. Test migration paths and then ultimately we'll buy the software. I'm going to start testing Exchange 2013 eventually (probably later this year) so would my lap then go belly up when once my sub expires before my testing is complete (which generally takes a few months)??

[_neutrino Veteran]

you gotta be kidding me, well this sucks because i dont want to be buying copies for my lab environments.

I fully agree, for people like us that maintain a lab this will crush us or force us to piracy unless they give another option.

[Graimer]

OilersFan, I was talking about a subscription with Office included. That's Premium and Ultimate at 6000 +++

 

I'm pretty sure the Licenses are never going to expire. Just retrieve all Your keys before the service is discontinued/expired. At least that's how MSDN AA works.