The Benefits of a TechNet Plus Subscription

Supporting all the Microsoft (News - Alert) apps that many businesses use can be a time-consuming and challenging task. How do you evaluate and choose the right Microsoft software for your company? And how can you get help from the folks in Redmond when you bump into technical issues?

 

Many large organizations buy an Enterprise Agreement from Microsoft. These agreements offer several benefits, including volume license discounts, technical support, and a software subscription to help IT pros evaluate key Microsoft software. My former company was a heavy user of Microsoft products, so an Enterprise agreement provided a lot of value. It saved money through the licensing discounts, allowed us access to Microsoft tech support, and provided evaluation copies of all the major Microsoft apps so that we could try them out.

 

Small and mid-sized organizations have a similar but less costly option in the form of Microsoft’s Open Value Subscription program, which I wrote about in a previous column. OVS also offers you discounts on volume licenses, access to Microsoft tech support, and evaluation copies of key software.

 

But what if your company is very small or your use of Microsoft products is limited? Or what if you’re an IT consultant with different clients? In these cases, neither an Enterprise Agreement or OVS might be the right option. But you still might want to evaluate and test key Microsoft software or take advantage of the company’s tech support. Well, then you can simply slice off the TechNet Plus subscription and purchase that all on its own.

 

TechNet Plus is available as a separate and standalone subscription, often an ideal option for small IT groups or independent contractors who need just the evaluation software and a certain level of access to Microsoft support. I have a TechNet Plus subscription and have found it very helpful in keeping on top of the latest Microsoft applications and accessing certain resources.

 

First off, TechNet Plus offers you downloadable evaluation versions of all the current Microsoft software. The titles available run the gamut from operating systems to applications, and from client to server. You’ll find virtually every Microsoft OS from DOS to Windows 7, including Windows Server 2003 and 2008. On the application side, TechNet Plus offers copies of Office--all editions from XP to 2010 (yes, the site does provide beta software), Outlook, Project, and Visio. And on the server end, you can grab installations of BizTalk, Exchange, SQL Server, SharePoint, and more.

 

The software is made available for evaluation purposes, so you’re not supposed to use any of it in a live production environment. But you can freely install any app in a non-production or test environment to try it out and learn its features. Each program is downloadable as an ISO file, which you can burn onto a CD or DVD. Product keys are also provided so you can install and register each title.

 

Beyond the array of software, a TechNet Plus subscription entitles you to various tech support options from the pros at Microsoft. By phone, you can get free support on two different incidents and then a 20 percent discount on the cost of any future incidents that you want to purchase. You also gain access to Microsoft’s TechNet-managed forums, which let you post questions about Windows, Office, Exchange, and other applications.

 

For training purposes, you receive six months of free access to any of Microsoft’s e-learning courses. The company offers more than 1,000 separate courses, ecompassing most of its applications and technologies, making this a nice benefit for anyone looking to brush up their skills or prepare for a certification exam.

 

Finally, you also get access to non-technical support in the form of the TechNet Online Concierge. This is a chat service that can answer questions about your TechNet subscription and other Microsoft resources or point you to the right technical source to help you resolve problems.

 

Okay, sounds good. But what’s the cost? A TechNet Plus subscription will run you $349 initially for the downloadable software option or $599 to receive the software as DVDs in the mail. Downloading and burning the software onto disc is a simple process, so there’s no reason to opt for the $599 deal. Your subscription lasts one year, and an annual renewal then costs $249.

 

But wait. Microsoft also accepts discount coupons that can dramatically slash your initial cost. Just search for “TechNet Plus subscription coupon” through your favorite search engine, and you’ll find codes you can use at the TechNet Plus subscription page to bring down that $350 price tag (News - Alert) to something more reasonable.

 

Whether you’re part of a small IT group or work as an independent consultant, a TechNet Plus subscription can be quite useful to help you support or just keep tabs on the latest Microsoft software.