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Microsoft MDS vs SAP NetWeaver MDM [EOL] comparison

Why PeerSpot?
Microsoft and SAP are both solutions in the Master Data Management (MDM) Software category. Additionally, 92% of Microsoft users are willing to recommend the solution, compared to 20% of SAP users who would recommend it.
Microsoft MDS
Read 24 Microsoft MDS reviews
  • 4,083 Views
  • 3,144 Comparison Views
92% willing to recommend
 

Comparison Buyer's Guide

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Executive Summary
We performed a comparison between Microsoft MDS and SAP NetWeaver MDM [EOL] based on real PeerSpot user reviews.

Find out what your peers are saying about ON EBX, SAP, Microsoft and others in Master Data Management (MDM) Software.

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To learn more, read our detailed Master Data Management (MDM) Software Report (Updated: October 2026).
Buyer's Guide
Master Data Management (MDM) Software
October 2026
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Review summaries and opinions

We asked business professionals to review the solutions they use. Here are some excerpts of what they said:
 

Categories and Ranking

Microsoft MDS
Average Rating
7.4
Reviews Sentiment
7.2
Number of Reviews
24
Ranking in other categories
Master Data Management (MDM) Software (3rd)
SAP NetWeaver MDM [EOL]
Average Rating
5.8
Number of Reviews
7
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
 

Featured Reviews

NA
Negha Agarwal
Data Management Consultant at a tech services company with 51-200 employees
Centralized master data has improved data quality but now requires a clearer future roadmap
An area where Microsoft MDS can be improved is that Microsoft has announced Microsoft MDS is being removed from SQL Server two thousand twenty-five. The future of the product is genuinely uncertain, and that's something any organization evaluating it needs to factor in seriously. Microsoft MDS is still supported on SQL Server two thousand twenty-two and earlier, but the trajectory is clear that Microsoft is not investing in Microsoft MDS going forward. I would also say that the cloud story is a gap because there's no native cloud version of Microsoft MDS. For clients who are moving workloads to Azure, that's an increasingly awkward conversation. Microsoft's direction for MDM in the cloud is through other capabilities like Azure Purview and Dataverse, but those are different products with different feature sets.
Read full review
RV
RaviVerma
Senior Consultant at a tech consulting company with 1,001-5,000 employees
SAP MDM provides flexible data modeling , efficient data deduplication and capable data harmonization capabilities.Together with SAP BPM it provides an efficient solution.
* Match and merge performance and features - with more data volume the performance level goes severely down. Also the transformations cannot be mass downloaded or mass uploaded, as this leads to painfully pasting them one by one. No de-merge feature is also a point which will help going back to previous state after a wrong merge is done. * Change tracking - This is one tool which lacks and ease of use details which SAP ECC users are really used to.It is not user friendly,performance really goes down sharply as data growth happens. I would like to see improvement in the match and merge performance and I would also appreciate it if SAP can suggest certain ready to use usage and maintenance guides on change tracking. Currently there's only SAP notes and other documents are available but they are suggestive and leave plenty to be said.
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Quotes from Members

We asked business professionals to review the solutions they use. Here are some excerpts of what they said:
 

Pros

"We used Azure Cloud service to set it up, and it was very easy to setup and configure."
"Enables non-technical people to directly interact with the BI system."
"It's Microsoft, so it's not always perfect, however, is a good step to start with."
"The most valuable feature of Microsoft MDS is its management."
"The beauty with Master Data Services is that it's centralized in one place and the problem with other solutions is that most of them have been created in house."
"The ROI is terrific and it means you can avoid building or purchasing a solution."
"The ease of use is valuable."
"It is very easy to deploy and provision a machine."
More Microsoft MDS pros
"Flexibility in data modeling is one of the most valuable feature of this product as it gives numerous options to design customized data models."
"The company that used it was an industrial distributor with over three million parts requiring rich data, and the system was the driving force behind the online product catalog, with its ability to update frequently while not disturbing live information listed on the ordering website making for seamless customer satisfaction."
"We have used this for management of SAP master data with enterprise wide workflows for objects material, such as banks, customers, and vendor, and for the creation and maintenance of product catalogs which are distributed to both SAP and non-SAP systems."
"With the ability to deploy cross-client front ends to allow visibility and data maintenance across multiple offices and clients, this has allowed the data accuracy to excel and produce much better results instead of bottleneck execution of updates."
"It has helped standardise processes, enforcing strict workflow and audit control, as well as controlling data input, and reducing duplicates."
"Maintaining the majority of the product master data in one single system, creating the golden record, and reducing the manual work in the receiving systems to a minimum."
"I have seen organizations realizing benefits of this product in terms of operational benefit as well as process improvement, data standards, and quality."
 

Cons

"If one system has reached capacity or has stopped, then the whole system stops and it is quite difficult to solve the problem."
"The stability could be improved."
"From what we have seen, speaking to customers, Microsoft MDS was sometimes a bit slow."
"The solution could be better integrated into Microsoft's other products."
"The future of the product is genuinely uncertain, and that's something any organization evaluating it needs to factor in seriously."
"Microsoft MDS isn't getting strong support because Microsoft is focusing more on cloud solutions."
"If Microsoft MDS were part of Azure, it would be significantly more helpful."
"There are occasions when the solution maintains SD and we get duplications of MDS."
More Microsoft MDS cons
"The core stability of NetWeaver MDM has been in question over the last 12 to 16 months with releases containing fatal flaws that should not have passed simple quality testing, or the introduction of old errors that had been fixed in prior releases."
"Match and merge performance and features - with more data volume the performance level goes severely down."
"I would like to see future enhancements to the presentation layout as it looks dull, and should be easier on the eyes."
"Having said this, the product still has some room for improvement in areas like matching/merging capability, data export operations, data import operations, and more integrated process for import (e.g. there is no concept of landing area, staging area etc)."
"It's in a maintenance phase with no further development. You should consider a move away from SAP MDM"
"It's obsolete, and not generally available."
"During go-live the system crashed several times due to many concurrent end-users."
 

Pricing and Cost Advice

"MDS is a part of the SQL Server enterprise license. I am not aware of any additional costs."
"The pricing of this solution is good."
"Product licensing is very complicated. It would be helpful to have an online calculator to estimate the cost of a license."
"I would like to see better pricing."
"With Microsoft, we buy everything though an agreement, so we purchase volume licensing every year."
"SAP is more expensive than Microsoft."
"The solution does require a license and we have enterprise licenses."
"Microsoft MDS is an expensive solution."
Information not available
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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Financial Services Firm
12%
Manufacturing Company
11%
Outsourcing Company
11%
Construction Company
9%
No data available
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business10
Midsize Enterprise2
Large Enterprise15
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Large Enterprise7
 

Questions from the Community

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Microsoft MDS?
My experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing shows that the licensing is one of Microsoft MDS's genuine advantages, as it's included in SQL Server Enterprise Edition at no additional cost....
See all answers
What needs improvement with Microsoft MDS?
An area where Microsoft MDS can be improved is that Microsoft has announced Microsoft MDS is being removed from SQL Server two thousand twenty-five. The future of the product is genuinely uncertain...
See all answers
What is your primary use case for Microsoft MDS?
My main use case for Microsoft MDS is as a central master data repository for clients running SQL Server-based data environments. The typical scenario is a mid-sized organization that has product d...
See all answers
Ask a question
Earn 20 points
 

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Product Reports

Buyer's Guide
Microsoft MDS
October 2026
Microsoft MDS reportDownload Microsoft MDS product report
Buyer's Guide
SAP NetWeaver MDM [EOL]
October 2026
SAP NetWeaver MDM [EOL] reportDownload SAP NetWeaver MDM [EOL] product report
 

Also Known As

Microsoft Master Data Services, Microsoft MDM, Microsoft SQL Server Master Data Services, MS MDS
NetWeaver MDM
 

Overview

Microsoft MDS is valued for its seamless integration with SQL Server and Azure Active Directory, dynamic data masking, and row-level security. It offers flexibility for data stewardship, supports data quality business rules, and features Excel integration while maintaining cost-effectiveness with SQL Server Enterprise Edition.

Microsoft MDS is primarily utilized for master data management, enabling the integration of data from multiple sources for analytics and ensuring data consistency across operations. It is suitable for maintaining customer databases and standardizing data variations. MDS supports data cataloging and harmonization, making it essential for process inventories and enterprise reference data management. Users leverage its capabilities for data stewardship and validation, facilitating the management of multiple identifiers and ETL process sourcing. Its flexibility allows for seamless data modeling and management without extensive manual intervention.

What are the key features?
  • Dynamic Data Masking: Ensures sensitive data protection during use and access.
  • Row-Level Security: Provides granular access control to database rows.
  • Data Quality Business Rules: Ensures data accuracy and consistency.
  • Excel Integration: Simplifies data interaction via a familiar tool.
  • Azure Active Directory Compatibility: Enhances secure user authentication.
  • SQL Server Integration: Offers seamless connectivity with database systems.
What benefits and ROI should users expect?
  • Cost-Effectiveness: Offers comprehensive features within SQL Server Enterprise Edition.
  • Ease of Installation: Quick setup reduces implementation time.
  • Strong Access Control: Enhances data security and compliance.
  • Data-Sharing Capabilities: Promotes collaboration across departments.
  • Workflow Support: Streamlines business processes for efficiency.

In industries like finance, healthcare, and retail, Microsoft MDS plays a critical role in managing large volumes of data while ensuring data accuracy and compliance with regulations. Organizations implement MDS to standardize customer data, track vital changes, and maintain reliable data inventories. The flexibility of MDS allows it to adapt to specific industry requirements, supporting the automation of data processes and enhancing overall data quality without significant manual efforts.

Microsoft
The SAP NetWeaver technology platform enables the composition, provisioning, and management of SAP and non-SAP applications across a heterogeneous software environment.
SAP
 

Sample Customers

ETA a.s., Apeejay Surrendra Group, Blue Star Infotech, Rotherham Doncaster and South Humber NHS Foundation, The Sydney Children's Hospitals Network, New Belgium Brewing
State of Indiana, Automotive Resources International (ARI), Alliander N.V., Chemion Logistik GmbH, Charit_ University Hospital Berlin, Seoul National University Bundang Hospital (SNUBH)
Buyer's Guide
Master Data Management (MDM) Software
October 2026
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