Upgrades
Retail
Retail MSDN subscriptions can be upgraded by purchasing the higher-level MSDN subscription desired at its "new" price. It is also allowed to renew a subscription that was purchased in the retail channel onto a Volume Licensing agreement, then to upgrade to a higher subscription level by purchasing a Step-up License.
Volume Licensing
Step-up Licenses enable organizations to upgrade their existing MSDN subscriptions for the remainder of the term. Step-up Licenses are available in the Enterprise Agreement, Select, Select Plus, and Open Value programs in Microsoft Volume Licensing.
Step-up options include:
- Upgrading from Visual Studio Professional with MSDN to Visual Studio Premium with MSDN.
- Upgrading from Visual Studio Test Professional with MSDN to Visual Studio Premium with MSDN
- Upgrading from Visual Studio Premium with MSDN to Visual Studio Ultimate with MSDN.
The cost of a Step-up License depends on when it is acquired. For example, a Step-up License that is acquired during the second year of a three-year agreement will cost more than a Step-up License that is acquired during the third year of the agreement.
A Step-up License can be acquired at any time; however, the price is the same for any point in time within a given year of an agreement. For example, a Step-up License that is acquired four months into the second year of a three-year agreement will cost the same as a Step-up License that is acquired at the beginning of the agreement's second year. This is a function of how Microsoft Volume Licensing works rather than anything specific to MSDN subscriptions.
Note: Customers whose program does not offer Step-Up Licenses can still take advantage of Step-Up Licenses by renewing within Open Value and immediately buying Step-Up Licenses.