Getting Started with Azure and/or VS Online using your MSDN benefits

During the last month we delivered some sessions around DevOps as well as software quality. One of the discussion points was around leveraging Azure and Visual Studio Online, and I received a number of queries subsequently around how to leverage this.

STEP 1 - Assign and activate your MSDN subscriptions.

Many customers (too many ) do not assign and activate these subscriptions. Besides being a really useful tool for managing VS with MSDN licences, it is required in order to leverage the many MSDN benefits.

How - Visit the Volume Licensing Admin page for details including a link to the full MSDN Admin Guide.

Also check out the excellent MSDN subscriptions video

Note – you must assign the subscriber downloads benefit

STEP 2 - activate the benefits

Azure: Check out How to Activate Video

VS Online – this should be automatic, unless you want to use organizational accounts . VS Pro users get access to basic functionality, Premium and Ultimate get access to Advanced

STEP 3 -use the benefits

Azure: Check out this video on how to spin up a VM. Some nice VM’s there including some with Visual Studio already installed.

VS Online: Visit www.visualstudio.com, and signin. In your VS Online account, click users and assign a license. From the dropdown select eligible MSDN subscriber. Add the Microsoft Account Id (or org id if you set this up). The Microsoft Account ID is generally the same one you use to log onto the MSDN site. Check out this blog post with more details

Check out the Fundamentals of Visual Studio Online series

Ahmed Salijee