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Microsoft

Microsoft 6LD-00171 Visual Studio Test Professional 2012

Microsoft Visual Studio Test Professional 2012 integrates test planning, execution, and management across the entire software lifecycle.

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Overview

Microsoft Visual Studio Test Professional 2012 with MSDN was designed as a dedicated workstation for software testing practitioners operating within Microsoft's Application Lifecycle Management (ALM) ecosystem. At its core is Microsoft Test Manager, a tool that allows QA teams to author, organize, and execute manual test cases in a structured workflow. Test plans link directly to requirements and builds in Team Foundation Server, providing full traceability from a user story through test execution to any bugs filed during the process. This tight integration made it possible for testers and developers to work from a shared source of truth without requiring testers to navigate the full Visual Studio development environment.

The included MSDN subscription extended the product's value by providing access to Microsoft operating systems, server products, and other software specifically for testing purposes—enabling QA teams to validate applications across multiple platform configurations. Stakeholder feedback features allowed non-technical participants to review builds and provide input directly within the ALM workflow. While this 2012 edition has been superseded by modern Visual Studio versions and the Azure DevOps platform, it remains functional for organizations still running TFS 2012-era infrastructure. Buyers should be aware that end-of-support status means no patches or security fixes, making it a fit only for isolated or legacy environments rather than new deployments.

Key Features

Broad testing tools to enable manual, exploratory, and scripted testing of software, with work item planning and tracking interoperability

Rich stakeholder engagement and feedback gathering tools to enable continuous feedback loops in envisioning and building the right products

Works with Visual Studio Team Foundation Server for full lifecycle compatibility and visibility

Simple, powerful and flexible test lab management services to enable configuring and managing environments for executing tests

Specifications

Brand
Microsoft
Model
6LD-00171
Product
Visual Studio Test Professional with MSDN 2012
Key Features
Testing Tools, Stakeholder Engagement, Lifecycle Compatibility, Test Lab Management

Pros & Cons

👍 Pros

  • Unified environment for test planning, execution, and defect management
  • MSDN subscription included provides access to Microsoft platforms for testing
  • Integrates tightly with Team Foundation Server for traceability and collaboration
  • Microsoft Test Manager enables structured manual test case authoring and execution
  • Designed specifically for testing practitioners without unnecessary developer tooling overhead

👎 Cons

  • Visual Studio 2012 has reached end of support with no further security updates from Microsoft
  • Focused on manual testing; automated test creation requires a higher-tier Visual Studio edition
  • Requires Team Foundation Server infrastructure to access full collaboration and management features
  • Significantly outdated compared to current Visual Studio and Azure DevOps testing capabilities
  • MSDN subscription benefits associated with this version may no longer be active or transferable

Frequently Asked Questions

It includes the Visual Studio Test Professional IDE along with an MSDN subscription, which provides access to Microsoft software for development and testing, technical support incidents, and other subscriber benefits.
It is built for dedicated software testing professionals—QA engineers, test leads, and manual testers—who need integrated tools for test case management, test execution, and defect tracking without requiring full developer IDE capabilities.
Visual Studio Test Professional 2012 focuses on manual testing and test management. For full automated test creation (coded UI tests, load tests), Microsoft's higher-tier Visual Studio editions (Premium or Ultimate) are required.
Yes, it connects directly to Team Foundation Server (TFS) for test plan management, bug filing, requirements traceability, and collaboration with development teams.
Visual Studio 2012 has reached the end of its mainstream and extended support lifecycle. It remains functional but no longer receives security updates or patches from Microsoft.

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