Microsoft Master Data Services — end of life

Microsoft Master Data Services was removed from SQL Server 2025 and is not included in later versions. SQL Server 2022 is the last version that includes MDS, with mainstream support ending 11 January 2028 and extended support through 11 January 2033. Organizations running MDS must plan a migration path.

Microsoft MDS is reaching end of life

MDS was removed from SQL Server 2025. SQL Server 2022 — the last version that includes it — loses mainstream support on 11 January 2028, though security patches run to 2033. The real deadline is not the patch date: it is the next time you need to upgrade that SQL Server instance.

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until SQL Server 2022 mainstream support ends (11 January 2028)
Sources: Microsoft's SQL Server 2022 lifecycle page and list of discontinued features.
See your MDS alternatives

What's happening to MDS

Microsoft is winding Master Data Services down on a fixed timeline. Here are the dates that matter — and if you want the work they imply, our Microsoft MDS end of life checklist walks through it step by step.

November 2025
MDS removed from SQL Server 2025
Microsoft shipped SQL Server 2025 without Master Data Services. No built-in migration path, no successor named.
11 January 2028
SQL Server 2022 mainstream support ends
SQL Server 2022 is the last version that includes MDS. After this date, running MDS means running on software outside mainstream support.
11 January 2033
SQL Server 2022 extended support ends
Extended support (security fixes only) runs out. Any remaining MDS deployment is fully unsupported.

Am I affected?

Pick the SQL Server version you run Master Data Services on.

Your options before the deadline

You have time, but a plan beats a scramble. To check which of your MDS features carry over, see every MDS feature mapped to Primentra. The practical path for most teams:

1
Compare the alternatives

Five real MDS replacements with pricing, pros, and cons — from like-for-like to full enterprise MDM.

Compare alternatives →
2
Plan the migration

See how an MDS migration actually works: connect to your MDS database, select the models, click Run. Under an hour.

How migration works →
3
Try a replacement free

Run Primentra on your own SQL Server with a 60-day trial and migrate a model in under an hour.

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Frequently asked questions

Is MDS discontinued?

Yes. Microsoft Master Data Services was removed from SQL Server 2025 and is no longer available in any new versions. SQL Server 2022 is the last version that includes MDS. While it continues to receive security patches until 11 January 2033, you cannot upgrade to a newer SQL Server version while running MDS.

When does MDS support end?

MDS mainstream support ends 11 January 2028 when SQL Server 2022 exits mainstream support. Security-only (extended) support continues until 11 January 2033. The practical deadline, however, is when your infrastructure requires an SQL Server upgrade — at that point MDS is no longer an option.

What replaces MDS?

Several alternatives exist, ranging from like-for-like replacements to full enterprise MDM platforms. Primentra is a self-hosted replacement built for SQL Server with a built-in migration wizard that imports MDS models — entities, attributes, explicit hierarchies and domain values — in under an hour. Other options include Informatica, Semarchy, SAP MDG, and Stibo.

Do I have to migrate off MDS immediately?

No — SQL Server 2022 is patched to 11 January 2033, so there is no security emergency. But you should not wait for a forced SQL Server upgrade to discover MDS is gone. Evaluate alternatives and run a proof-of-concept migration now, while you can run both systems in parallel.

What is the easiest way to migrate?

Primentra is a like-for-like MDS replacement on the same SQL Server foundation. Its MDS Direct Migration connects to your MDS database and brings the models you select across in one run, with their entities, attributes, explicit hierarchies, domain values and members, in under an hour. This is the fastest path for organizations that need MDS functionality without a platform rewrite.

Don't wait for the upgrade that breaks MDS

Compare the five best MDS alternatives and plan a low-risk move while you can still run both systems in parallel.

See your MDS alternatives