Preparing the Web Server

Master Data Services requires a 64-bit machine and runs only on the following operating systems:

Windows Server 2008

Windows Server 2008 R2

Windows Vista Business, Enterprise, and Ultimate

Windows 7 Professional, Enterprise, and Ultimate

While MDS needs to create (or attach) a backend database to a SQL Server 2008 R2 instance, this instance does not need to be located on the same machine. MDS does not support SQL Server Standard or Express editions for the database backend.

In preparation for installing the MDS application, you must enable a number of Windows features to support the web-based UI.

Windows 7 Web Application Requirements

Figure 2-2 lists the minimum features that must be installed for MDS to function properly in Windows 7. These features can be found by opening Control Panel, clicking Programs, and then clicking “Turn Windows features on or off.”