---
title: Configure SQL Server settings with environment variables | Microsoft Docs
description: This topic describes how to use environment variables to configure specific SQL Server 2017 settings on Linux.
author: rothja
ms.author: jroth
manager: jhubbard
ms.date: 07/21/2017
ms.topic: article
ms.prod: sql-linux
ms.technology: database-engine
ms.assetid: 
---
# Configure SQL Server settings with environment variables on Linux

You can use several different environment variables to configure SQL Server 2017 RC2 on Linux. These variables are used in two scenarios:

- 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

| Environment variable | Description |
|-----|-----|
| **ACCEPT_EULA** | Accept the SQL Server license agreement when set to any value (for example, 'Y'). |
| **MSSQL_SA_PASSWORD** | Configure the SA user password. |
| **MSSQL_PID** | Set the SQL Server edition or product key. Possible values include: Evaluation, Developer, Express, Web, Standard, Enterprise, or a product key 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 is 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 Groups. |

## Example: 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.
- **MSSSQL_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='<YourStrong!Passw0rd>' MSSQL_TCP_PORT=1234 /opt/mssql/bin/mssql-conf setup
```

## Example: Docker

This example docker command uses the following environment variables to create a new SQL Server 2017 container:

- **ACCEPT_EULA** accepts the end user license agreement.
- **MSSSQL_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.

If you are 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='<YourStrong!Passw0rd>' -e MSSQL_TCP_PORT=1234 --cap-add SYS_PTRACE -p 1234:1234 -d microsoft/mssql-server-linux
```

If you are 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="<YourStrong!Passw0rd>" -e MSSQL_TCP_PORT=1234 --cap-add SYS_PTRACE -p 1234:1234 -d microsoft/mssql-server-linux
```

## 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).