1. Understand Visual Studio with MSDN licensing

Visual Studio with MSDN is a subscription-based license assigned to a named user. While active, the subscription entitles the user to:

• • Latest versions of Visual Studio
  • MSDN benefits such as downloads, Azure credits, and support
  • Installation and use on multiple devices, provided the user is the sole user

When the subscription expires:

• • Updates and MSDN benefits stop
  • The license converts to a perpetual Visual Studio Professional license
  • Usage rights remain restricted to the assigned user

Critical compliance rules:

• • One subscription equals one user
  • MSDN components cannot be split across multiple users
  • Do not assign MSDN licenses to shared, generic, or service accounts

2. Prepare before assigning licenses

Before assigning licenses in Snow License Manager:

• • Developers or testers (users) are clearly identified (role-based validation).
  • Unauthorized Visual Studio installations are reviewed and remediated where possible.

3. Assign Visual Studio with MSDN licenses manually

Navigate to License > License list in Snow License Manager.

1. 1. Confirm availability of:
      • Visual Studio Professional
      • Visual Studio Professional with MSDN
   2. Review license details:
      • Metric (User-based)
      • Quantity
      • Subscription validity
   3. Identify eligible users. SDN licenses must be assigned to named individuals.

Eligible users typically:

• • • Are developers or testers
    • Require MSDN benefits
    • Use Visual Studio on multiple devices
    • Exclude generic accounts, shared logins, and service accounts

1. 4. Assign the license:
      • Go to License Assignment
      • Select Visual Studio Professional with MSDN
      • Assign to a specific user (corporate identity)
   5. Record internally:
      • User name
      • License type
      • Assignment date

4. Assign Visual Studio Professional (non-MSDN)

For users who do not need MSDN benefits:

• • Assign Visual Studio Professional licenses per user or per device
  • Follow agreement terms

5. Validate key settings

When assigning Visual Studio with MSDN:

• • Ensure Assignment type = Users
    This confirms the license is treated as a named-user subscription and cannot be assigned to devices or generic accounts.

6. Use License Assignment Import (optional)

Use this option when you have a clean user-to-license mapping for onboarding or true-up scenarios:

• • Use the License Assignment Import feature in Snow License Manager
  • Ensure user identifiers match exactly (UPN or username)
  • Refer to the Snow License Manager User Guide for details

FAQs

Q1: Can one MSDN license cover multiple users?
No. Each user requires their own subscription.

Q2: Can a user install Visual Studio on multiple machines?
Yes, as long as the subscription is active and the user is the only person using those installations.

Q3: What happens when an MSDN subscription expires?
Updates and MSDN benefits stop, and the license becomes a perpetual Visual Studio Professional license. The user remains the only authorized user.

Q4: Can MSDN components be split between users?
No. Visual Studio and MSDN benefits are inseparable.

Q5: Should MSDN licenses ever be device-assigned?
No. MSDN licenses are strictly user-based.

Common pitfalls to avoid

• Assigning MSDN licenses to generic or shared accounts
• Assigning licenses based only on installations instead of user entitlement
• Assigning MSDN licenses to devices
• Forgetting to reclaim licenses from users who leave the organization

After following these steps, you can:

• Assign Visual Studio with MSDN licenses correctly in Snow License Manager
• Ensure compliance with Microsoft licensing terms
• Avoid common assignment mistakes

Microsoft Product Terms – Visual Studio