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Applies to: 
SQL Server - Windows only
The following are the scenarios for upgrading Microsoft SQL Server Master Data Services.
- Upgrade without Database Engine Upgrade
- Upgrade with Database Engine Upgrade
- Upgrade in Two-Computer Scenario
- Upgrade with Restoring a Database from Backup
Important
Master Data Services (MDS) is removed in SQL Server 2025 (17.x) Preview. We continue to support MDS in SQL Server 2022 (16.x) and earlier versions.
Before you upgrade
Back up your database before performing any upgrade.
The upgrade process recreates stored procedures and upgrades tables used by Master Data Services. Any customizations you make to either of these components might be lost.
Model deployment packages can be used only in the edition of SQL Server they were created in. You can't deploy model deployment packages created in SQL Server 2008 R2 (10.50.x), SQL Server 2012 (11.x), or SQL Server 2014 (12.x) to SQL Server 2016 (13.x).
After you upgrade Data Quality Services (DQS) and Master Data Services (MDS) to the latest version of SQL Server, any earlier version of the MDS add-in for Excel no longer works. You can download the SQL Server 2016 (13.x) MDS add-in for Excel from Master Data Services Add-in for Microsoft Excel.
File ___location
By default, the files are installed at <drive>:\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server\<nnn>\Master Data Services, where <nnn> represents the SQL Server version. For example, SQL Server 2017 (14.x) is 140, and SQL Server 2019 (15.x) is 150.
Upgrade without Database Engine upgrade
In this scenario you continue to use SQL Server 2008 R2 (10.50.x), SQL Server 2012 (11.x), SQL Server 2014 (12.x), or SQL Server 2016 (13.x) to host your MDS database. However, you must upgrade the schema of the MDS database, and then create a current SQL Server web application to access the MDS database. After the upgrade, the MDS database can't be accessed by the earlier web application.
You can install the current SQL Server and an earlier version of SQL Server on the same computer. The files are installed in different locations, as shown in File Location.
Install Master Data Services and any other features you want.
Open the SQL Server Setup wizard.
In the left pane, select Installation.
In the right pane, select New SQL Server stand-alone installation or add features to an existing installation.
On the Feature Selection page, select Master Data Services and any other features you want to install.
Complete the wizard.
Upgrade the MDS database schema.
Open the current SQL Server Master Data Services Configuration Manager.
To upgrade the MDS database schema, you must be logged in as the Administrator Account that was specified when the MDS database was created. In the MDS database, in
mdm.tblUser, this user has theIDvalue of1.In the left pane, select Database Configuration.
In the right pane, select Select Database and specify the information for your SQL Server 2008 R2 (10.50.x), SQL Server 2012 (11.x), SQL Server 2014 (12.x), or SQL Server 2016 (13.x) database instance.
Select Upgrade Database to start the Upgrade Database Wizard. For more information, see Upgrade Database Wizard (Master Data Services Configuration Manager).
Create a web application.
Open the current SQL Server Master Data Services Configuration Manager.
In the left pane, select Web Configuration.
In the right pane, from the Website list, select one of the following options:
Default Web Site, then select Create Application.
Create new site. A new web application is automatically created when the website is created.
Your existing MDS web application from an earlier version of SQL Server (SQL Server 2008 R2 (10.50.x), SQL Server 2012 (11.x), SQL Server 2014 (12.x), or SQL Server 2016 (13.x)) is available for selection in the SQL Server version of Master Data Services Configuration Manager. You must not select the existing web application, and instead must create a SQL Server 2016 (13.x) web application for MDS. Otherwise, you receive an error when you try to associate the web application with the upgraded MDS database, stating that the requested page can't be accessed because the related configuration data for the page is invalid.
If you want to use the same name (alias) for MDS web application as your existing (SQL Server 2008 R2 (10.50.x), SQL Server 2012 (11.x), SQL Server 2014 (12.x), or SQL Server 2016 (13.x)) web application, you must first delete the web application and the associated application pool from IIS, and then create a web application with the same name using SQL Server 2016 (13.x) version of Master Data Services Configuration Manager. For information about removing web application and application pools from IIS, see Remove an Application (IIS) and Remove an Application Pool (IIS).
Associate the new web application with the upgraded MDS database.
In the Associate Application with Database section, choose Select.
Select the MDS database.
Select Apply.
Upgrade with Database Engine upgrade
In this scenario, you upgrade both the database engine and Master Data Services application from an earlier version to SQL Server 2016 (13.x) or a later version.
For SQL Server 2008 R2 (10.50.x) only: Open Control Panel > Programs and Features and uninstall Microsoft SQL Server 2008 R2 (10.50.x) Master Data Services.
Upgrade the database engine to SQL Server 2016 (13.x) or a later version. For more information, see Choose a Database Engine upgrade method.
Complete all the steps in Upgrade without Database Engine Upgrade.
Upgrade in two-computer scenario
In this scenario, you upgrade a system in which SQL Server is installed on two computers: one with SQL Server 2016 (13.x) or SQL Server 2017 (14.x), and the other with an earlier version of SQL Server.
If an earlier version of SQL Server is installed, you continue to use the earlier version to host your MDS database on one computer. However, you must upgrade the schema of the MDS database, and then use the SQL Server 2016 (13.x) or SQL Server 2017 (14.x) web application respectively to access the MDS database. The MDS database can't be accessed by the earlier version web application.
To upgrade in two-computer scenario
- Complete all the steps in Upgrade without Database Engine Upgrade.
Upgrade by restoring a database from backup
In this scenario, either SQL Server 2016 (13.x) or SQL Server 2017 (14.x) is installed along with an earlier version on the same computer or two different computers. A database was backed up on a version earlier than the SQL Server 2016 (13.x) or SQL Server 2017 (14.x) release, before upgrade, and the database has to be restored.
Install Master Data Services and any other features you want.
Open the SQL Server Setup wizard.
In the left pane, select Installation.
In the right pane, select New SQL Server stand-alone installation or add features to an existing installation.
On the Feature Selection page, select Master Data Services and any other features you want to install.
Complete the wizard.
Restore the database that was backed up.
Upgrade the MDS database schema, create a web application, and associate the new web application with the upgraded MDS database. For the instructions, see steps 2 - 4 in Upgrade without Database Engine Upgrade
Troubleshooting
Issue: When you open the SQL Server 2008 R2 (10.50.x), SQL Server 2012 (11.x), SQL Server 2014 (12.x), or SQL Server 2016 (13.x) web application, a "client version isn't compatible with the database version" error message is displayed.
Solution: This issue occurs when a SQL Server 2008 R2 (10.50.x), SQL Server 2012 (11.x), SQL Server 2014 (12.x), or SQL Server 2016 (13.x) Master Data Manager web application tries to access a database that has been upgraded to or SQL Server 2017 (14.x) MDS. You must use a SQL Server 2016 (13.x) or SQL Server 2017 (14.x) web application instead.
This issue might also occur if you didn't stop and restart the MDS Application Pool in IIS when upgrading the MDS database schema. Restart the MDS Application Pool to correct the issue.