Do you need a Visual Studio subscription if you only need access to Windows test/dev systems licensed under a Visual Studio Open Value subscription to perform administrative tasks?

Thank you for your response. Unfortunately the link you provided (https://dori-uw-1.kuma-moon.com/en-us/visualstudio/subscriptions/licensing-overview) returns a 404 error.

We require official documentation because we intend to fully comply with licensing requirements. Could you please direct us to the exact Microsoft document that states the following:

“We do not need a Visual Studio subscription if we are only performing administrative tasks and not engaged in development or testing activities.”

Also, you previously stated:

“If your administrative work supports those environments (e.g., configuring servers for developers), that’s allowed under the dev/test rights.”

Could you please clarify whether in that scenario (administrative work supporting dev/test environments) a Visual Studio subscription is required or not? I cannot determine this from the information provided.

Thank you in advance for your assistance.

Thanks for reaching out.

You do not need a Visual Studio subscription if you are only performing administrative tasks and not engaging in development or testing activities.

However, Windows test/dev systems licensed under Visual Studio subscriptions are intended strictly for development and testing purposes. If your administrative work supports those environments (e.g., configuring servers for developers), that’s allowed under the dev/test rights.

For production or general IT administration, you will need separate Windows licenses.

Please refer to the official Microsoft documentation for details:

• Visual Studio Subscriptions Licensing Overview
• Admin Responsibilities and Roles

If the issue persists or you need further clarification, feel free to ask.

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