Does new 5 version back policy mean we can no longer open installed end of life versions

[Partenheimer]

@Tiana_Y 

My firm has multi-user licenses (of AEC Collection) valid through March 2022.

Every year, we acquire a new license file so that we can run/build/test/configure newly released versions. For legacy projects, historically, we could request from Autodesk and be granted a license file so we could continue to run already-installed previous version end of life software. (Example: Civil 3D 2012 to wrap up old CalTrans projects)

Under the new policy, can we still get such exceptions?

Specifically: Come April when we would ordinarily acquire new license files, Civil 3D 2016 reaches end of life. Can we request an exception for Civil 3D 2016? Or must we simply use our existing license files until they expire in March 2022?

Thanks in advance for the clarification.

Regards,

Michael Partenheimer

[rkmcswain]

Same situation. Watching with interest.

[pendean]

I would suggest asking here while you wait https://knowledge.autodesk.com/contact-support/installation-activation

[Tiana_Y]

Hi @Partenheimer, 

Thanks for reaching out! I asked the team and they got back to me with this explanation. With your continuous, unchanged subscription plan,or maintenance plan, you will continue to have access to any previous versions you have already downloaded and activated, even more than 5 back. However, Autodesk only provides technical support and product updates to the current version and up to 3 versions back. That means, you should plan to upgrade, as soon as possible to guarantee full support and avoid downtime and potential security vulnerabilities.

I hope this helps! 

Tiana

[rkmcswain]

@Tiana_Y  - That did not really answer the question. As @Partenheimer explained, upgrading is not an option sometimes when you are working with a 3rd party app, or customer that requires a certain version of an application. 

@Partenheimer - I would suggest that if you have a good relationship with your reseller, they can obtain whatever necessary licensing for whatever version you need. That's how we've been operating for many years now.

[Stephen.Blair]

Before, under the 3-version back policy, you were getting licenses for way older products. That was never covered in the previous version support policy, was it? I've never seen any language about that, did I miss it? Did you have an official statement that your previous version support went way past 3?

Now that the previous version policy is more liberal, and I don't see any language about changes to unofficial access to versions even more older than that.

[Anonymous]

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@Partenheimer wrote:

@Tiana_Y 

Specifically: Come April when we would ordinarily acquire new license files, Civil 3D 2016 reaches end of life. Can we request an exception for Civil 3D 2016? Or must we simply use our existing license files until they expire in March 2022?

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Your reseller should be able to get the license file with the required entitlements on it.