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IBM InfoSphere MDM vs Microsoft MDS comparison

 

Comparison Buyer's Guide

Executive SummaryUpdated on Mar 4, 2025

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

IBM InfoSphere MDM
Ranking in Master Data Management (MDM) Software
6th
Average Rating
7.4
Reviews Sentiment
6.2
Number of Reviews
9
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
Microsoft MDS
Ranking in Master Data Management (MDM) Software
2nd
Average Rating
7.4
Reviews Sentiment
7.9
Number of Reviews
22
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
 

Mindshare comparison

As of April 2025, in the Master Data Management (MDM) Software category, the mindshare of IBM InfoSphere MDM is 9.0%, up from 7.4% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Microsoft MDS is 12.3%, down from 13.9% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
Master Data Management (MDM) Software
 

Featured Reviews

SoumikDolui - PeerSpot reviewer
Provides inbuilt data model and good matching engine
It's a tough tool for developers. Right now in the market, I think Informatica MDM is number one and is used a lot. IBM MDM was developed by some other company and IBM developed it more. There are definitely some flaws. The tool is difficult to understand from a customer perspective and for developers. Generally, customers can understand Informatica MDM and its functionality easily. If a developer is facing issues with IBM MDM, then a customer will definitely not understand most of the functionality. That is the main concern. IBM is introducing some Next-Gen MDM, where they are using a lot of current technologies and machine learning. Most of the problems we may be facing right now are probably solved in that version.
Pierre Godard - PeerSpot reviewer
Adaptable for various industries and cost-effective
Microsoft MDS isn't getting strong support because Microsoft is focusing more on cloud solutions. Profisee initially made MDS, which Microsoft bought. Profisee now handles the cloud version. There are changes because MDS is the source for master data, and other tools like Dynamics 365 could replace it but aren't promoted for that purpose. I don't have any specific feature requests for MDS when it comes to the next release because Microsoft isn't actively supporting it. Any improvements would probably come from Profisee, the company that acquired MDS. Microsoft still owns MDS but isn't adding new features. Master data management is moving to the cloud or handled on-premises by Profisee MDS.

Quotes from Members

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

Pros

"When users update their information on one product, the data is sent to a database. My approach was to maintain a master data record, ensuring that each platform loads the latest updated record. Instead of having three separate records, the system keeps one master data record, storing the historical records for reference."
"The features that are most valuable are the governance, the end-profiling and the ETL which allows you to see the metadata repositories."
"There are not really many areas of the product that need improvement because the product stays up-to-date with data management needs."
"The advantage is that the matching engine is very good, so that's why customers generally prefer it. From the inbuilt data model perspective, IBM MDM is good."
"Enables non-technical people to directly interact with the BI system."
"One of the main features I have found useful is the integration with Azure active directory."
"What I like about Microsoft, is that it has a huge database with many users."
"The solution is easy to install."
"The tool is easy to use."
"The most valuable feature of Microsoft MDS is its compatibility with ETL tools like SSIS, which simplifies operations for end-users."
"Compared to other databases, it is easier to manage and administer."
"It has a very good feature called Excel plug-in. You just have to install the plug-in, and then it directly connects to the MDS instance where you can maintain and manage your data and publish it right through Excel. You don't need to go to the front end to make any changes. It has easy integration with SQL Server, and you can use SSIS to do the ETLs. It is a part of the Microsoft stack. It works with most of the Microsoft stuff."
 

Cons

"We also want better cloud integration, so we could do things in the cloud if we needed to. This would be a good feature to add in a future release."
"The product is really only created for large organizations."
"The tool is difficult to understand from a customer perspective and for developers."
"IBM InfoSphere MDM's UI is complicated. It also needs to improve its on-prem configuration."
"There are occasions when the solution maintains SD and we get duplications of MDS."
"The Microsoft license cost could be lower."
"JMD repositories have records that come in thousands and millions, which takes a long time to process."
"Stability can be fragile at times. If you are not attentive or make a mistake, it can cause problems."
"If Microsoft MDS were part of Azure, it would be significantly more helpful."
"From my understanding, MS, as of 2021, will not maintain the product going forward."
"The program's navigation tools could be improved."
"Microsoft MDS is outdated and lacks modern capabilities."
 

Pricing and Cost Advice

"It may be costly for small organizations but adds value for large organizations with demanding workflows."
"With Microsoft, we buy everything though an agreement, so we purchase volume licensing every year."
"MDS is a part of the SQL Server enterprise license. I am not aware of any additional costs."
"SAP is more expensive than Microsoft."
"Microsoft MDS is an expensive solution."
"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."
"The solution does require a license and we have enterprise licenses."
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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Financial Services Firm
25%
Insurance Company
8%
Healthcare Company
8%
Computer Software Company
6%
Computer Software Company
14%
Financial Services Firm
13%
Manufacturing Company
9%
Healthcare Company
7%
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
 

Questions from the Community

What do you like most about IBM InfoSphere MDM?
When users update their information on one product, the data is sent to a database. My approach was to maintain a master data record, ensuring that each platform loads the latest updated record. In...
What needs improvement with IBM InfoSphere MDM?
IBM InfoSphere MDM's UI is complicated. It also needs to improve its on-prem configuration.
What is your primary use case for IBM InfoSphere MDM?
When users update their information on one product, the data is sent to a database. My approach was to maintain a master data record, ensuring that each platform loads the latest updated record. In...
What do you like most about Microsoft MDS?
More generic related things can be included in the services.
What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Microsoft MDS?
Microsoft MDS is free. Currently, there is no pricing concern with the tool.
What needs improvement with Microsoft MDS?
Microsoft MDS is outdated and lacks modern capabilities. It is too slow and does not support automated mapping or AI-based functionalities. Although I created Python scripts for some machine learni...
 

Also Known As

InfoSphere MDM, InfoSphere Master Data Management
Microsoft Master Data Services, Microsoft MDM, Microsoft SQL Server Master Data Services, MS MDS
 

Overview

 

Sample Customers

L'Oreal S.A., Kingland Systems, Oncor, Farmaceuticos Maypo, Volkswagen Financial Services
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
Find out what your peers are saying about IBM InfoSphere MDM vs. Microsoft MDS and other solutions. Updated: March 2025.
845,040 professionals have used our research since 2012.