---
title: Configure repositories for SQL Server on Linux | Microsoft Docs
description: Check and configure source repositories for SQL Server 2017 on Linux. The source repository affects the version of SQL Server that is applied during installation and upgrade.
author: rothja 
ms.author: jroth 
manager: craigg
ms.date: 02/14/2018
ms.topic: article
ms.prod: "sql-non-specified"
ms.prod_service: "database-engine"
ms.service: ""
ms.component: ""
ms.suite: "sql"
ms.custom: "sql-linux"
ms.technology: database-engine
ms.workload: "Active"
---
# Configure repositories for installing and upgrading SQL Server on Linux

[!INCLUDE[appliesto-ss-xxxx-xxxx-xxx-md-linuxonly](../includes/appliesto-ss-xxxx-xxxx-xxx-md-linuxonly.md)]

This article describes how to configure the correct repository for SQL Server 2017 installations and upgrades on Linux.

> [!IMPORTANT]
> If you previously installed a CTP or RC version of SQL Server 2017, you must use the steps in this article to register a General Availability (GA) repository and upgrade or reinstall. The preview releases of SQL Server 2017 are not supported and will expire.

## <a id="repositories"></a> Repositories

When you install SQL Server on Linux, you must configure a Microsoft repository. This repository is used to acquire the database engine package, **mssql-server**, and related SQL Server packages. There are currently three main repositories:

| Repository | Name | Description |
|---|---|---|
| **Preview** | **mssql-server** | Preview repository for CTP and RC releases of SQL Server. This repository is not supported for SQL Server 2017. |
| **CU** | **mssql-server-2017** | SQL Server 2017 Cumulative Update (CU) repository. |
| **GDR** | **mssql-server-2017-gdr** | SQL Server 2017 GDR repository for critical updates only. |

## <a id="cuversusgdr"></a> Cumulative Update versus GDR

It is important to note that there are two main types of repositories for each distribution:

- **Cumulative Updates (CU)**: The Cumulative Update (CU) repository contains packages for the base SQL Server release and any bug fixes or improvements since that release. Cumulative updates are specific to a release version, such as SQL Server 2017. They are released on a regular cadence.

- **GDR**: The GDR repository contains packages for the base SQL Server release and only critical fixes and security updates since that release. These updates are also added to the next CU release.

Each CU and GDR release contains the full SQL Server package and all previous updates for that repository. Updating from a GDR release to a CU release is supported by changing your configured repository for SQL Server. You can also [downgrade](sql-server-linux-setup.md#rollback) to any release within your major version (ex: 2017).

> [!NOTE]
> You can update from a GDR release to CU release at any time by changing repositories. Updating from a CU release to a GDR release is not supported. 

## <a id="configure"></a> Configure a repository

The following sections describe how to verify and configure a repository for the following supported platforms:

- [Red Hat Enterprise Server](#rhel)
- [Ubuntu](#ubuntu)
- [SUSE Linux Enterprise Server](#sles)

## <a id="rhel"></a> Configure RHEL repositories
Use the following steps to configure repositories on Red Hat Enterprise Server (RHEL).

### Check for previously configured repositories (RHEL)
First verify whether you have already registered a SQL Server repository.

1. View the files in the **/etc/yum.repos.d** directory with the following command:

   ```bash
   sudo ls /etc/yum.repos.d
   ```

2. Look for a file that configures the SQL Server directory, such as **mssql-server.repo**.

3. Print out the contents of the file.

   ```bash
   sudo cat /etc/yum.repos.d/mssql-server.repo
   ```

4. The **name** property is the configured repository. You can identify it with the table in the [Repositories](#repositories) section of this article.

### Remove old repository (RHEL)
If necessary, remove the old repository with the following command.

```bash
sudo rm -rf /etc/yum.repos.d/mssql-server.repo
```

This command assumes that the file identified in the previous section was named **mssql-server.repo**.

### Configure new repository (RHEL)
Configure the new repository to use for SQL Server installations and upgrades. Use one of the following commands to configure the repository of your choice.

| Repository | Command |
|---|---|
| **CU** | `sudo curl -o /etc/yum.repos.d/mssql-server.repo https://packages.microsoft.com/config/rhel/7/mssql-server-2017.repo` |
| **GDR** | `sudo curl -o /etc/yum.repos.d/mssql-server.repo https://packages.microsoft.com/config/rhel/7/mssql-server-2017-gdr.repo` |

## <a id="sles"></a> Configure SLES repositories
Use the following steps to configure repositories on SLES.

### Check for previously configured repositories (SLES)
First verify whether you have already registered a SQL Server repository.

1. Use **zypper info** to get information about any previously configured repository.

   ```bash
   sudo zypper info mssql-server
   ```

2. The **Repository** property is the configured repository. You can identify it with the table in the [Repositories](#repositories) section of this article.

### Remove old repository (SLES)
If necessary, remove the old repository. Use one of the following commands based on the type of previously configured repository.

| Repository | Command to remove |
|---|---|
| **Preview** | `sudo zypper removerepo 'packages-microsoft-com-mssql-server'` |
| **CU** | `sudo zypper removerepo 'packages-microsoft-com-mssql-server-2017'` |
| **GDR** | `sudo zypper removerepo 'packages-microsoft-com-mssql-server-2017-gdr'`|

### Configure new repository (SLES)
Configure the new repository to use for SQL Server installations and upgrades. Use one of the following commands to configure the repository of your choice.

| Repository | Command |
|---|---|
| **CU** | `sudo zypper addrepo -fc https://packages.microsoft.com/config/sles/12/mssql-server-2017.repo` |
| **GDR** | `sudo zypper addrepo -fc https://packages.microsoft.com/config/sles/12/mssql-server-2017-gdr.repo` |

## <a id="ubuntu"></a> Configure Ubuntu repositories
Use the following steps to configure repositories on Ubuntu.

### Check for previously configured repositories (Ubuntu)
First verify whether you have already registered a SQL Server repository.

1. View the contents of the **/etc/apt/sources.list** file.

   ```bash
   sudo cat /etc/apt/sources.list
   ```

2. Examine the package URL for mssql-server. You can identify it with the table in the [Repositories](#repositories) section of this article.

### Remove old repository (Ubuntu)
If necessary, remove the old repository. Use one of the following commands based on the type of previously configured repository.

| Repository | Command to remove |
|---|---|
| **Preview** | `sudo add-apt-repository -r 'deb [arch=amd64] https://packages.microsoft.com/ubuntu/16.04/mssql-server xenial main'` 
| **CU** | `sudo add-apt-repository -r 'deb [arch=amd64] https://packages.microsoft.com/ubuntu/16.04/mssql-server-2017 xenial main'` | 
| **GDR** | `sudo add-apt-repository -r 'deb [arch=amd64] https://packages.microsoft.com/ubuntu/16.04/mssql-server-2017-gdr xenial main'` |

### Configure new repository (Ubuntu)
Configure the new repository to use for SQL Server installations and upgrades.

1. Import the public repository GPG keys.

   ```bash
   sudo curl https://packages.microsoft.com/keys/microsoft.asc | sudo apt-key add -
   ```

2. Use one of the following commands to configure the repository of your choice.

   | Repository | Command |
   |---|---|
   | **CU** | `sudo add-apt-repository "$(curl https://packages.microsoft.com/config/ubuntu/16.04/mssql-server-2017.list)"` |
   | **GDR** | `sudo add-apt-repository "$(curl https://packages.microsoft.com/config/ubuntu/16.04/mssql-server-2017-gdr.list)"` |

3. Run **apt-get update**.

   ```bash
   sudo apt-get update
   ```

## Next steps

After you have configured the correct repository, you can proceed to [install](sql-server-linux-setup.md#platforms) or [update](sql-server-linux-setup.md#upgrade) SQL Server and any related packages from the new repository.

> [!IMPORTANT]
> At this point, if you choose to use one of the installation articles, such as the [quickstarts](sql-server-linux-setup.md#platforms), remember that you have already configured the target repository. Do not repeat that step in the tutorials. This is especially true if you configure the GDR repository, because the quickstarts use the CU repository.

For more information on how to install SQL Server 2017 on Linux, see [Installation guidance for SQL Server on Linux](sql-server-linux-setup.md).