[Question] Persistent data container

[microsoft]

[Question] Persistent data container

[mystygage]

You can create a persistent data container with the image itself.
First create the data container and with volume /var/opt/mssql:

docker create -v /var/opt/mssql --name linuxsqldata microsoft/mssql-server-linux

Then mount the volumes from this container:

docker run -e 'ACCEPT_EULA=Y' -e 'SA_PASSWORD=yourStrong(!)Password' \
    -p 1433:1433 -d \
    --volumes-from linuxsqldata \
    microsoft/mssql-server-linux

Now you can start and stop your container without losing your data. Additionally you can docker cp a backup or the *.mdf and *.ldf files into this volume.

[twright-msft]

You can either create a data container as @mystygage suggested or you can use docker run -v to mount a host directory to map to the /var/opt/mssql/data directory in the container.
Example:

docker run -e 'ACCEPT_EULA=Y' -e 'SA_PASSWORD=yourStrong(!)Password' \
    -p 1433:1433 -d \
    -v /my/host/data/directory:/var/opt/mssql/data \
    microsoft/mssql-server-linux

More information:
https://docs.docker.com/engine/tutorials/dockervolumes/

We have removed the /opt/msssql/data volume for the next release of the mssql-server-linux image to avoid confusion.

[sg1970]

@twright-msft : do the same steps work for SQL Server 2016 Image for Windows Containers also ?

[Gorbush]

And if i map the whole data folder - it is failing with another error - but right on start and even fails to start:

Set up SA PASSWERD
This is an evaluation version. There are [118] days left in the evaluation period.
sqlservr: Debugger.cpp:531: static void Debugger::Print(const void , unsigned int): Assertion `m_IsAttached' failed.
Capturing core dump and information for sqlservr (pid 9)...
cat: /proc/9/sched: No such file or directory
cat: core.sqlservr.9.temp/log/debug.log: No such file or directory
No journal files were found.
No journal files were found.
ls: cannot access '/var/opt/mssql/log/log/errorlog': No such file or directory
ls: cannot access '/var/opt/mssql/log/log/exception.log': No such file or directory
ls: cannot access '/var/opt/mssql/log/log/SQLDu*.txt': No such file or directory
ls: cannot access '/var/opt/mssql/log/log/SQLDu*.mdmp': No such file or directory
Packaging core dump and information into compressed files.
Core dump and information will be written to /var/opt/mssql/log/core.sqlservr.02_15_2017_17_26_06.9 and logs in /var/opt/mssql/log/core.sqlservr.02_15_2017_17_26_06.9.log
ls: cannot access '/var/opt/mssql/log/log/system_health*': No such file or directory

[Gorbush]

If i map only the data folder, i got this:
et up SA PASSWERD
This is an evaluation version. There are [118] days left in the evaluation period.
2017-02-15 17:27:32.48 Server Microsoft SQL Server vNext (CTP1.1) - 14.0.100.187 (X64)
Dec 10 2016 02:51:11
Copyright (C) 2016 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.
on Linux (Ubuntu 16.04.1 LTS)
2017-02-15 17:27:32.48 Server UTC adjustment: 0:00
2017-02-15 17:27:32.48 Server (c) Microsoft Corporation.
2017-02-15 17:27:32.48 Server All rights reserved.
2017-02-15 17:27:32.48 Server Server process ID is 4116.
2017-02-15 17:27:32.49 Server Logging SQL Server messages in file 'C:\var\opt\mssql\log\errorlog'.
2017-02-15 17:27:32.49 Server Registry startup parameters:
-d C:\var\opt\mssql\data\master.mdf
-l C:\var\opt\mssql\data\mastlog.ldf
-e C:\var\opt\mssql\log\errorlog
2017-02-15 17:27:32.51 Server Error: 17113, Severity: 16, State: 1.
2017-02-15 17:27:32.51 Server Error 87(The parameter is incorrect.) occurred while opening file 'C:\var\opt\mssql\data\master.mdf' to obtain configuration information at startup. An invalid startup option might have caused the error. Verify your startup options, and correct or remove them if necessary.
2017-02-15 17:27:32.52 Server SQL Server shutdown has been initiated

[mystygage]

@OpsSingular if you prefer a data volume instead of a data container, here is a gist for that:
https://gist.github.com/mystygage/b41bbfceeeb6dc8ab0f160485186061c

[mystygage]

@twright-msft sorry, forget to mention this easy way, because on macOS I have to create the data container.

[twright-msft]

@mystygage - Good point! Using docker run -v does not currently work on Docker for Mac for the mssql-server-linux image.

[twright-msft]

@sg1970 Yes, but see the special notes about Windows containers here:
https://docs.docker.com/engine/tutorials/dockervolumes/#/mount-a-host-directory-as-a-data-volume

[Gorbush]

I am struggling with the following error while trying to make persistent container when attaching database: (MacOS , Docker Toolbox with VirtualBox )
2017-02-15 17:12:28.09 spid52 FCB::Open failed: Could not open file /opt/mssql/data/bidbdat.mdf for file number 0. OS error: 87(The parameter is incorrect.).

At the same time - if i open terminal from Kitematic - no issue echoing to the file...

[mystygage]

I used Docker for Mac, but I think this makes no difference with volumes. How do you create the data volume? Based on the same image like mentioned in my comment above?

[Gorbush]

No - i used the image https://github.com/moisei/mssql-server-linux - however the only difference i see is entrypoint script

[akolnati]

@Gorbush i get the same error. Currently creating a data container as @mystygage suggested