--- title: Configure environment variables for SQL Server on Linux description: This article describes how to use environment variables to configure specific SQL Server settings on Linux. author: VanMSFT ms.author: vanto ms.date: 03/31/2022 ms.service: sql ms.subservice: linux ms.topic: conceptual --- # Configure SQL Server settings with environment variables on Linux [!INCLUDE [SQL Server - Linux](../includes/applies-to-version/sql-linux.md)] ::: moniker range="= sql-server-linux-2017 || = sql-server-2017" You can use several different environment variables to configure SQL Server 2017 on Linux. These variables are used in two scenarios: ::: moniker-end ::: moniker range=">= sql-server-linux-ver15 || >= sql-server-ver15 " You can use several different environment variables to configure SQL Server 2019 on Linux. These variables are used in two scenarios: ::: moniker-end - To configure initial setup with the `mssql-conf setup` command. - To configure a new [SQL Server container in Docker](quickstart-install-connect-docker.md). > [!TIP] > If you need to configure SQL Server after these setup scenarios, see [Configure SQL Server on Linux with the mssql-conf tool](sql-server-linux-configure-mssql-conf.md). ## Environment variables ::: moniker range="= sql-server-linux-2017 || = sql-server-2017" | Environment variable | Description | |-----|-----| | **ACCEPT_EULA** | Set the **ACCEPT_EULA** variable to any value to confirm your acceptance of the [End-User Licensing Agreement](https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=746388). Required setting for the SQL Server image. | | **MSSQL_SA_PASSWORD** | Configure the SA user password.

The `SA_PASSWORD` environment variable is deprecated. Please use `MSSQL_SA_PASSWORD` instead. | | **MSSQL_PID** | Set the SQL Server edition or product key. Possible values include:

**Evaluation**
**Developer**
**Express**
**Web**
**Standard**
**Enterprise**
**A product key**

If specifying a product key, it must be in the form of #####-#####-#####-#####-#####, where '#' is a number or a letter.| | **MSSQL_LCID** | Sets the language ID to use for SQL Server. For example 1036 is French. | | **MSSQL_COLLATION** | Sets the default collation for SQL Server. This overrides the default mapping of language ID (LCID) to collation. | | **MSSQL_MEMORY_LIMIT_MB** | Sets the maximum amount of memory (in MB) that SQL Server can use. By default, it's 80% of the total physical memory. | | **MSSQL_TCP_PORT** | Configure the TCP port that SQL Server listens on (default 1433). | | **MSSQL_IP_ADDRESS** | Set the IP address. Currently, the IP address must be IPv4 style (0.0.0.0). | | **MSSQL_BACKUP_DIR** | Set the Default backup directory location. | | **MSSQL_DATA_DIR** | Change the directory where the new SQL Server database data files (.mdf) are created. | | **MSSQL_LOG_DIR** | Change the directory where the new SQL Server database log (.ldf) files are created. | | **MSSQL_DUMP_DIR** | Change the directory where SQL Server will deposit the memory dumps and other troubleshooting files by default. | | **MSSQL_ENABLE_HADR** | Enable Availability Group. For example, '1' is enabled, and '0' is disabled | | **MSSQL_AGENT_ENABLED** | Enable SQL Server Agent. For example, 'true' is enabled and 'false' is disabled. By default, agent is disabled. | | **MSSQL_MASTER_DATA_FILE** | Sets the location of the master database data file. Must be named **master.mdf** until first run of SQL Server. | | **MSSQL_MASTER_LOG_FILE** | Sets the location of the master database log file. Must be named **mastlog.ldf** until first run of SQL Server. | | **MSSQL_ERROR_LOG_FILE** | Sets the location of the `errorlog` files. | ::: moniker-end ::: moniker range=">= sql-server-linux-ver15 || >= sql-server-ver15 " | Environment variable | Description | |-----|-----| | **ACCEPT_EULA** | Set the **ACCEPT_EULA** variable to any value to confirm your acceptance of the [End-User Licensing Agreement](https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=746388). Required setting for the SQL Server image. | | **MSSQL_SA_PASSWORD** | Configure the SA user password.

The `SA_PASSWORD` environment variable is deprecated. Please use `MSSQL_SA_PASSWORD` instead. | | **MSSQL_PID** | Set the SQL Server edition or product key. Possible values include:

**Evaluation**
**Developer**
**Express**
**Web**
**Standard**
**Enterprise**
**A product key**

If specifying a product key, it must be in the form of #####-#####-#####-#####-#####, where '#' is a number or a letter.| | **MSSQL_LCID** | Sets the language ID to use for SQL Server. For example 1036 is French. | | **MSSQL_COLLATION** | Sets the default collation for SQL Server. This overrides the default mapping of language ID (LCID) to collation. | | **MSSQL_MEMORY_LIMIT_MB** | Sets the maximum amount of memory (in MB) that SQL Server can use. By default, it's 80% of the total physical memory. | | **MSSQL_TCP_PORT** | Configure the TCP port that SQL Server listens on (default 1433). | | **MSSQL_IP_ADDRESS** | Set the IP address. Currently, the IP address must be IPv4 style (0.0.0.0). | | **MSSQL_BACKUP_DIR** | Set the Default backup directory location. | | **MSSQL_DATA_DIR** | Change the directory where the new SQL Server database data files (.mdf) are created. | | **MSSQL_LOG_DIR** | Change the directory where the new SQL Server database log (.ldf) files are created. | | **MSSQL_DUMP_DIR** | Change the directory where SQL Server will deposit the memory dumps and other troubleshooting files by default. | | **MSSQL_ENABLE_HADR** | Enable Availability Group. For example, '1' is enabled, and '0' is disabled | | **MSSQL_AGENT_ENABLED** | Enable SQL Server Agent. For example, 'true' is enabled and 'false' is disabled. By default, agent is disabled. | | **MSSQL_MASTER_DATA_FILE** | Sets the location of the master database data file. Must be named **master.mdf** until first run of SQL Server. | | **MSSQL_MASTER_LOG_FILE** | Sets the location of the master database log file. Must be named **mastlog.ldf** until first run of SQL Server. | | **MSSQL_ERROR_LOG_FILE** | Sets the location of the `errorlog` files. | ::: moniker-end ## Use with initial setup This example runs `mssql-conf setup` with configured environment variables. The following environment variables are specified: - **ACCEPT_EULA** accepts the end user license agreement. - **MSSQL_PID** specifies the freely licensed Developer Edition of SQL Server for non-production use. - **MSSQL_SA_PASSWORD** sets a strong password. - **MSSQL_TCP_PORT** sets the TCP port that SQL Server listens on to 1234. ```bash sudo ACCEPT_EULA='Y' MSSQL_PID='Developer' MSSQL_SA_PASSWORD='' MSSQL_TCP_PORT=1234 /opt/mssql/bin/mssql-conf setup ``` ## Use with Docker This example docker command uses the following environment variables to create a new SQL Server container: - **ACCEPT_EULA** accepts the end user license agreement. - **MSSQL_PID** specifies the freely licensed Developer Edition of SQL Server for non-production use. - **MSSQL_SA_PASSWORD** sets a strong password. - **MSSQL_TCP_PORT** sets the TCP port that SQL Server listens on to 1234. This means that instead of mapping port 1433 (default) to a host port, the custom TCP port must be mapped with the `-p 1234:1234` command in this example. ::: moniker range="= sql-server-linux-2017 || = sql-server-2017" If you're running Docker on Linux, use the following syntax with single quotes: ```bash docker run -e ACCEPT_EULA=Y -e MSSQL_PID='Developer' -e MSSQL_SA_PASSWORD='' -e MSSQL_TCP_PORT=1234 -p 1234:1234 -d mcr.microsoft.com/mssql/server:2017-latest ``` If you're running Docker on Windows, use the following syntax with double quotes: ```bash docker run -e ACCEPT_EULA=Y -e MSSQL_PID="Developer" -e MSSQL_SA_PASSWORD="" -e MSSQL_TCP_PORT=1234 -p 1234:1234 -d mcr.microsoft.com/mssql/server:2017-latest ``` > [!NOTE] > The process for running production editions in containers is slightly different. For more information, see [Run production container images](./sql-server-linux-docker-container-deployment.md#production). ::: moniker-end ::: moniker range=">= sql-server-linux-ver15 || >= sql-server-ver15 " If you're running Docker on Linux/macOS, use the following syntax with single quotes: ```bash docker run -e ACCEPT_EULA=Y -e MSSQL_PID='Developer' -e MSSQL_SA_PASSWORD='' -e MSSQL_TCP_PORT=1234 -p 1234:1234 -d mcr.microsoft.com/mssql/server:2019-GA-ubuntu-16.04 ``` If you're running Docker on Windows, use the following syntax with double quotes: ```bash docker run -e ACCEPT_EULA=Y -e MSSQL_PID="Developer" -e MSSQL_SA_PASSWORD="" -e MSSQL_TCP_PORT=1234 -p 1234:1234 -d mcr.microsoft.com/mssql/server:2019-GA-ubuntu-16.04 ``` ::: moniker-end ## Next steps For other SQL Server settings not listed here, see [Configure SQL Server on Linux with the mssql-conf tool](sql-server-linux-configure-mssql-conf.md). For more information on how to install and run SQL Server on Linux, see [Install SQL Server on Linux](sql-server-linux-setup.md).