Installation Tasks for Master Data Services

Applies to: SQL Server - Windows only Azure SQL Managed Instance

This article provides an overview of the installation tasks, with links to instructions. For a walkthrough of installing and configuring Master Data Services, see Master Data Services Installation and Configuration

  • Pre-Installation Tasks: Verify system requirements before you install Master Data Services.

  • Installation Operations: Install Master Data Services by using SQL Server Setup or the command prompt.

  • Post-Installation Tasks: Open Master Data Services Configuration Manager to complete post-installation operations. Create and configure the Master Data Services database, Master Data Manager web application, and web services, and deploy a sample model.

Pre-Installation Tasks

Action Details Related Topics
Verify installation requirements The computer where you run SQL Server Setup must meet minimum requirements for:

SQL Server Setup.

The Master Data Manager web application and web services.

The Master Data Services database, if you host the database on the same computer as the web application.



You can separate the web server computer and database server computer by running Setup on only the web server computer and creating the Master Data Services database on a remote computer that runs a supported version and edition of SQL Server.
Features Supported by the Editions of SQL Server 2016

Hardware and Software Requirements for Installing SQL Server 2016

Web Application Requirements (Master Data Services)

Database Requirements (Master Data Services)
Configure the required roles, role services, and features Before you run Setup, configure the computer with the required Windows roles, role services, and features.

Note: Although you can perform this step later in the workflow, it is helpful to configure this prior to running Setup so that you can perform web configuration tasks immediately following the installation.
Web Application Requirements (Master Data Services)
Review language support considerations Determine the language that you want to install and run Master Data Services in. Multi-Lingual and Global Deployments (Master Data Services)

Installation Operations

Action Details Related Topics
Run SQL Server Setup On the computer that will host the Master Data Manager web application and Master Data Services web services, use SQL Server Setup or a command prompt to install Master Data Services. When you use SQL Server Setup, Master Data Services is available on the Feature Selection page under Shared Features. When you use a command prompt, Master Data Services is available as a feature parameter. Note that the command-line setup process installs Master Data Services, but does not configure it. You must configure it using the Master Data Services Configuration Manager.

The installation process:

Installs Master Data Services folders and files at the location you specify for shared features, and assigns permissions to these objects.

Registers Master Data Services assemblies in the Global Assembly Cache (GAC).

Installs Master Data Services Configuration Manager.
Install SQL Server 2016 from the Installation Wizard (Setup)

Folder and File Permissions (Master Data Services)

Post-Installation Tasks

Action Details Related Topics
Open Master Data Services Configuration Manager to complete post-installation operations After Setup completes, open Master Data Services Configuration Manager. Master Data Services Configuration Manager performs the following post-installation operations on the local computer:

Creates a Windows group, MDS_ServiceAccounts, to contain Master Data Services service accounts for application pools.

Under the Master Data Services installation path, creates the MDSTempDir folder and assigns permissions for MDS_ServiceAccounts. This folder is where temporary compilation files are compiled for the Master Data Manager web application.

In the Master Data Services Web.config file, configures the tempDirectory attribute of the <compilation> element with the path to the MDSTempDir folder.
Folder and File Permissions (Master Data Services)

Web Configuration Reference (Master Data Services)
Create a Master Data Services database Use Master Data Services Configuration Manager to create a Master Data Services database for your master data. Create a Master Data Services Database
Create a Master Data Manager web application Use Master Data Services Configuration Manager to create and configure a web application to host Master Data Manager. Create a Master Data Manager Web Application (Master Data Services)
Associate a Master Data Services database with a web application Use Master Data Services Configuration Manager to associate your Master Data Manager web application with your Master Data Services database. Associate a Master Data Services Database and Web Application
Configure Internet Explorer Enhanced Security When you install Master Data Services on a Windows Server 2012 computer, you might have to configure Internet Explorer Enhanced Security to allow scripting for the Master Data Manager application site. Otherwise, browsing to the Master Data Manager application site on the server computer will fail. Internet Explorer: Enhanced Security Configuration
Install the Master Data Services Add-in for Excel Users who will work with master data can install the Add-in for Excel. https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkID=398159
Enable Data Quality Services (DQS) integration For users of the Master Data Services Add-in for Excel, enable integration with the DQS feature, which can be used to match similar data. Enable Data Quality Services Integration with Master Data Services
Deploy a sample model Sample model packages are installed with Master Data Services, and can be deployed using MDSModelDeploy.exe. Deploying MDS Samples in SQL Server

If you encounter issues during the installation process or initial configuration, see Troubleshooting Installation and Configuration Issues.

If you no longer need Master Data Services on a computer, you can uninstall Master Data Services and determine whether to remove items that are not affected by the uninstall process. For more information, see Uninstall and Remove Master Data Services.

See Also

Install SQL Server 2016