---
title: "EKM provider enabled Server Configuration Option | Microsoft Docs"
ms.custom: ""
ms.date: "05/24/2017"
ms.prod: "sql-server-2014"
ms.reviewer: ""
ms.technology: configuration
ms.topic: conceptual
f1_keywords: 
  - "external encryption provider"
helpviewer_keywords: 
  - "EKM provider enabled option"
ms.assetid: da58ed50-3a13-4172-9065-960559d8f383
author: MikeRayMSFT
ms.author: mikeray
manager: craigg
---
# EKM provider enabled Server Configuration Option
  The `EKM provider enabled` option controls Extensible Key Management device support in [!INCLUDE[ssNoVersion](../../includes/ssnoversion-md.md)]. By default this option is off.  
  
 To enable or disable the feature, issue one of the following `sp_configure` commands:  
  
```  
/* Enable the external encryption provider option */  
sp_configure 'EKM provider enabled', 1  
/* Disable the external encryption provider option */  
sp_configure 'EKM provider enabled', 0  
```  
  
> [!NOTE]  
>  This option is not enabled in every edition of [!INCLUDE[msCoName](../../includes/msconame-md.md)][!INCLUDE[ssNoVersion](../../includes/ssnoversion-md.md)]. For a list of features that are supported by the editions of [!INCLUDE[ssNoVersion](../../includes/ssnoversion-md.md)], see [Features Supported by the Editions of SQL Server 2014](../../getting-started/features-supported-by-the-editions-of-sql-server-2014.md).  
  
## See Also  
 [Extensible Key Management (EKM)](../../relational-databases/security/encryption/extensible-key-management-ekm.md)   
 [Server Configuration Options (SQL Server)](server-configuration-options-sql-server.md)   
 [Monitor Resource Usage (System Monitor)](../../relational-databases/performance-monitor/monitor-resource-usage-system-monitor.md)   
 [sp_configure (Transact-SQL)](/sql/relational-databases/system-stored-procedures/sp-configure-transact-sql)   
 [RECONFIGURE (Transact-SQL)](/sql/t-sql/language-elements/reconfigure-transact-sql)