diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 5943ac8..a0fb347 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -19,10 +19,12 @@ The server package relies on sqlite which in turn requires the use of CGO. As pe
 The app takes the following arguments
 - -debug: enabled debug logging
 - -exportServerBundle: Export the server bundle to a file called serverbundle
-
+- -disableMetrics: Disable metrics reporting to serverMonitor.txt and associated tracking routines
+- -dir [directory]: specify a directory to store server files (default is current directory) 
 
 The app takes the following environment variables
 - CWTCH_HOME: sets the config dir for the app
+- DISABLE_METRICS: if set to any value ('1') it disables metrics reporting to serverMonitor.txt and associated tracking routines 
 
 `env CONFIG_HOME=./conf ./app`
 
@@ -38,4 +40,10 @@ or run our prebuild ones with
 
 `pull openpriv/cwtch-server`
 
-and run it. It stores all Cwtch data in a Volume at `/var/lib/cwtch`
+and run it. It stores all Cwtch data in a Volume at `/var/lib/cwtch` so if you want the server data to persist you would run
+
+`docker run openpriv/cwtch-server -v /var/lib/cwtch/server01:/var/lib/cwtch`
+
+to create a persistent container you might try a command like:
+
+`docker run openpriv/cwtch-server --name cwtch -v /var/lib/cwtch/server01:/var/lib/cwtch --restart always`
diff --git a/app/main.go b/app/main.go
index 3421a37..3082a45 100644
--- a/app/main.go
+++ b/app/main.go
@@ -21,6 +21,8 @@ import (
 func main() {
 	flagDebug := flag.Bool("debug", false, "Enable debug logging")
 	flagExportServer := flag.Bool("exportServerBundle", false, "Export the server bundle to a file called serverbundle")
+	flagDir := flag.String("dir", ".", "Directory to store server files in (config, encrypted messages, metrics)")
+	flagDisableMetrics := flag.Bool("disableMetrics", false, "Disable metrics reporting")
 	flag.Parse()
 
 	log.AddEverythingFromPattern("server/app/main")
@@ -32,6 +34,9 @@ func main() {
 		log.SetLevel(log.LevelDebug)
 	}
 	configDir := os.Getenv("CWTCH_HOME")
+	if configDir == "" {
+		configDir = *flagDir
+	}
 
 	if len(os.Args) == 2 && os.Args[1] == "gen1" {
 		config := new(cwtchserver.Config)
@@ -52,11 +57,16 @@ func main() {
 		return
 	}
 
-	serverConfig, err := cwtchserver.LoadCreateDefaultConfigFile(configDir, cwtchserver.ServerConfigFile, false, "", true)
+	disableMetrics := *flagDisableMetrics
+	if os.Getenv("DISABLE_METRICS") != "" {
+		disableMetrics = true
+	}
+	serverConfig, err := cwtchserver.LoadCreateDefaultConfigFile(configDir, cwtchserver.ServerConfigFile, false, "", !disableMetrics)
 	if err != nil {
 		log.Errorf("Could not load/create config file: %s\n", err)
 		return
 	}
+	serverConfig.ServerReporting.LogMetricsToFile = !disableMetrics
 	// we don't need real randomness for the port, just to avoid a possible conflict...
 	mrand.Seed(int64(time.Now().Nanosecond()))
 	controlPort := mrand.Intn(1000) + 9052