Deploying Models (Master Data Services)
Applies to: 
SQL Server - Windows only
Azure SQL Managed Instance
In Master Data Services, a package is an XML file that contains a deployable model structure, and optionally, data from the model. Use model packages to move copies of models from one MDS environment to another, or to create new models in your existing MDS environment.
Important
SQL Server 2014 (12.x) and later MDSModelDeploy tool is backward compatible with the packages created in SQL Server 2012 (11.x) or higher.
Tools for Deploying Models
To work with model packages, you can use one of three tools, depending on your needs.
MDSModelDeploy tool: To create and deploy model objects and data, use the MDSModelDeploy.exe tool. If you selected the default path when installing MDS, this tool is located on drive:\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server\130\Master Data Services\Configuration.
Model Deployment wizard: To create and deploy packages of the model structure only, use the wizard in the Master Data Manager web application. You cannot use this wizard to deploy data.
Model Package Editor: To edit a model package, use the ModelPackageEditor.exe that launches the Model Package Editor wizard. You use this wizard to edit a package that was created by the MDSModelDeploy tool or the Model Deployment wizard. If you selected the default path when installing MDS, this tool is located on drive:\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server\130\Master Data Services\Configuration.
Important
You can use the MDSModelDeploy tool to create a new model, create a clone of a model, or update an existing model and its data. If you use the MDSModelDeploy tool to update an existing model and its data, and the package does not contain an entity, attribute, or member that exists in the destination model, MDSModelDeploy will not delete that entity, attribute, or member from the model.
What Packages Contain
A model package is an XML file that is saved with the .pkg extension. When you create a deployment package, you can decide whether or not to include data. If you decide to include data, you must select a version of the data to include.
All model objects are included in a package. These objects are:
Entities
Attributes
Attribute groups
Hierarchies
Collections
Business rules
Version flags
Subscription views
File attributes, and user and group permissions are not included. After you deploy a model, you must update these manually.
Sample Packages
Sample package files are included when you install Master Data Services. These package files are in the Master Data Services\Samples\Packages directory where you installed Master Data Services. When you deploy these sample packages by using the MDSModelDeploy tool, sample models are created and populated with data.
Related Tasks
| Task Description | Topic |
|---|---|
| Create a new deployment package of model objects and/or data by using the MDSModelDeploy tool. | Create a Model Deployment Package by Using MDSModelDeploy |
| Create a new deployment package of model objects only by using the wizard. | Create a Model Deployment Package by Using the Wizard |
| Deploy a package of model objects and data by using the MDSModelDeploy tool. | Deploy a Model Deployment Package by Using MDSModelDeploy |
| Deploy a package of model objects only by using the wizard. | Deploy a Model Deployment Package by Using the Wizard |
| Edit a model deployment package to deploy selected parts of a model, rather than the entire model. | Edit a Model Deployment Package |