diff --git a/Dockerfile b/Dockerfile
index 525088a..57e6f0c 100644
--- a/Dockerfile
+++ b/Dockerfile
@@ -1,5 +1,9 @@
-FROM tomcat
+FROM tomcat:9.0.0.M9-jre8-alpine
 
-COPY target/SCOPES-ENDPOINT-1.0-SNAPSHOT.war /usr/local/tomcat/webapps/scopes.war
+RUN rm -rf /usr/local/tomcat/webapps/ROOT
+
+COPY context.xml /usr/local/tomcat/conf/context.xml
+
+COPY target/SCOPES-ENDPOINT-1.0-SNAPSHOT.war /usr/local/tomcat/webapps/ROOT.war
 
 EXPOSE 8080
diff --git a/context.xml b/context.xml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..f57b43f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/context.xml
@@ -0,0 +1,19 @@
+<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
+<!--
+  Licensed to the Apache Software Foundation (ASF) under one or more
+  contributor license agreements.  See the NOTICE file distributed with
+  this work for additional information regarding copyright ownership.
+  The ASF licenses this file to You under the Apache License, Version 2.0
+  (the "License"); you may not use this file except in compliance with
+  the License.  You may obtain a copy of the License at
+
+      http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+
+  Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+  distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+  WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+  See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+  limitations under the License.
+-->
+
+<Context path="" docBase="scopes" debug="0" reloadable="true"></Context>
diff --git a/src/main/java/scopes_service/query_pre_processor/Scopes/Scope.java b/src/main/java/scopes_service/query_pre_processor/Scopes/Scope.java
index e1eecea..76811a1 100644
--- a/src/main/java/scopes_service/query_pre_processor/Scopes/Scope.java
+++ b/src/main/java/scopes_service/query_pre_processor/Scopes/Scope.java
@@ -44,7 +44,7 @@ public String calculateGraphToQuery()
         // clear the instance graph
         String clearQuery = "WITH <" + instanceGraph + ">\nDELETE\n{\n ?s ?p ?o .\n}\nWHERE\n{\n  ?s ?p ?o .\n}";
         try {
-            SPARQLService.getInstance().postSPARQLResponse("http://localhost:8890/sparql", clearQuery);
+            SPARQLService.getInstance().postSPARQLResponse(SPARQLService.getLocalURL(), clearQuery);
         } catch (IOException e) {
             e.printStackTrace();
         }
@@ -75,7 +75,7 @@ public String calculateGraphToQuery()
                 String pullInInsertsQuery = "INSERT\n{\n  GRAPH <" + instanceGraph + ">\n  {\n    ?s ?p ?o .\n  }\n}";
                 pullInInsertsQuery += "WHERE\n{\n  GRAPH <" + name + "/instance>\n  {\n      ?s ?p ?o.\n  }\n}";
                 try {
-                    SPARQLService.getInstance().postSPARQLResponse("http://localhost:8890/sparql", pullInInsertsQuery);
+                    SPARQLService.getInstance().postSPARQLResponse(SPARQLService.getLocalURL(), pullInInsertsQuery);
                 } catch (IOException e) {
                     e.printStackTrace();
                 }
@@ -87,7 +87,7 @@ public String calculateGraphToQuery()
                 String pullInDeletesQuery = "DELETE\n{\n  GRAPH <" + instanceGraph + ">\n  {\n    ?s ?p ?o .\n  }\n}";
                 pullInDeletesQuery += "WHERE\n{\n  GRAPH <" + name + "/delete>\n  {\n      ?s ?p ?o.\n  }\n}";
                 try {
-                    SPARQLService.getInstance().postSPARQLResponse("http://localhost:8890/sparql", pullInDeletesQuery);
+                    SPARQLService.getInstance().postSPARQLResponse(SPARQLService.getLocalURL(), pullInDeletesQuery);
                 } catch (IOException e) {
                     e.printStackTrace();
                 }
@@ -99,7 +99,7 @@ public String calculateGraphToQuery()
         clearMetaInfoQuery += "?uuid <http://mu.semte.ch/vocabularies/core/hasGraph> ?gname .\n}";
         clearMetaInfoQuery += "WHERE\n{\n?user <http://mu.semte.ch/vocabularies/core/uuid> \"" + this.name + "\" .\n}";
         try {
-            SPARQLService.getInstance().postSPARQLResponse("http://localhost:8890/sparql", clearMetaInfoQuery);
+            SPARQLService.getInstance().postSPARQLResponse(SPARQLService.getLocalURL(), clearMetaInfoQuery);
         } catch (IOException e) {
             e.printStackTrace();
         }
@@ -110,7 +110,7 @@ public String calculateGraphToQuery()
         setMetaInfoQuery += "<http://mu.semte.ch/vocabularies/core/InstanceGraph/" + UUID + "> <http://mu.semte.ch/vocabularies/core/hasGraph> \"" + instanceGraph + "\".\n}";
         setMetaInfoQuery += "WHERE\n{\n?user <http://mu.semte.ch/vocabularies/core/uuid> \"" + this.name + "\" .\n}";
         try {
-            SPARQLService.getInstance().postSPARQLResponse("http://localhost:8890/sparql", setMetaInfoQuery);
+            SPARQLService.getInstance().postSPARQLResponse(SPARQLService.getLocalURL(), setMetaInfoQuery);
         } catch (IOException e) {
             e.printStackTrace();
         }
diff --git a/src/main/java/scopes_service/query_pre_processor/Scopes/ScopeNode.java b/src/main/java/scopes_service/query_pre_processor/Scopes/ScopeNode.java
index 151b56f..49c02ca 100644
--- a/src/main/java/scopes_service/query_pre_processor/Scopes/ScopeNode.java
+++ b/src/main/java/scopes_service/query_pre_processor/Scopes/ScopeNode.java
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 package scopes_service.query_pre_processor.Scopes;
 
+import org.openrdf.model.vocabulary.SP;
 import scopes_service.query_pre_processor.query.SPARQLService;
 
 import java.io.IOException;
@@ -84,7 +85,7 @@ public String calculateScopes()
         // clear the instance graph
         String clearQuery = "WITH <" + instanceGraph + ">\nDELETE\n{\n ?s ?p ?o .\n}\nWHERE\n{\n  ?s ?p ?o .\n}";
         try {
-            SPARQLService.getInstance().postSPARQLResponse("http://localhost:8890/sparql", clearQuery);
+            SPARQLService.getInstance().postSPARQLResponse(SPARQLService.getLocalURL(), clearQuery);
         } catch (IOException e) {
             e.printStackTrace();
         }
@@ -96,7 +97,7 @@ public String calculateScopes()
             String pullInChildGraphQuery = "INSERT\n{\n  GRAPH <" + instanceGraph + ">\n  {\n    ?s ?p ?o .\n  }\n}";
             pullInChildGraphQuery += "WHERE\n{\n  GRAPH <" + childgraphname + ">\n  {\n      ?s ?p ?o.\n  }\n}";
             try {
-                SPARQLService.getInstance().postSPARQLResponse("http://localhost:8890/sparql", pullInChildGraphQuery);
+                SPARQLService.getInstance().postSPARQLResponse(SPARQLService.getLocalURL(), pullInChildGraphQuery);
             } catch (IOException e) {
                 e.printStackTrace();
             }
@@ -106,7 +107,7 @@ public String calculateScopes()
         String pullInInsertsQuery = "INSERT\n{\n  GRAPH <" + instanceGraph + ">\n  {\n    ?s ?p ?o .\n  }\n}";
         pullInInsertsQuery += "WHERE\n{\n  GRAPH <" + getInsertName(this.getUUID()) + ">\n  {\n      ?s ?p ?o.\n  }\n}";
         try {
-            SPARQLService.getInstance().postSPARQLResponse("http://localhost:8890/sparql", pullInInsertsQuery);
+            SPARQLService.getInstance().postSPARQLResponse(SPARQLService.getLocalURL(), pullInInsertsQuery);
         } catch (IOException e) {
             e.printStackTrace();
         }
@@ -115,7 +116,7 @@ public String calculateScopes()
         String pullInDeletesQuery = "DELETE\n{\n  GRAPH <" + instanceGraph + ">\n  {\n    ?s ?p ?o .\n  }\n}";
         pullInDeletesQuery += "WHERE\n{\n  GRAPH <" + getDeleteName(this.getUUID()) + ">\n  {\n      ?s ?p ?o.\n  }\n}";
         try {
-            SPARQLService.getInstance().postSPARQLResponse("http://localhost:8890/sparql", pullInDeletesQuery);
+            SPARQLService.getInstance().postSPARQLResponse(SPARQLService.getLocalURL(), pullInDeletesQuery);
         } catch (IOException e) {
             e.printStackTrace();
         }
diff --git a/src/main/java/scopes_service/query_pre_processor/query/SPARQLService.java b/src/main/java/scopes_service/query_pre_processor/query/SPARQLService.java
index 715804c..81e32d0 100644
--- a/src/main/java/scopes_service/query_pre_processor/query/SPARQLService.java
+++ b/src/main/java/scopes_service/query_pre_processor/query/SPARQLService.java
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@
 import org.openrdf.query.Update;
 import org.openrdf.repository.Repository;
 import org.openrdf.repository.RepositoryConnection;
+import org.openrdf.repository.manager.SystemRepository;
 import virtuoso.sesame4.driver.VirtuosoRepository;
 
 import java.io.BufferedReader;
@@ -193,6 +194,10 @@ protected void deleteQuery(String query)
     @SuppressWarnings("unchecked")
     public List<Triple> getTriplesViaGet(String url) throws MalformedURLException, IOException
     {
+        if(url ==  null)
+            url = SPARQLService.getLocalURL();
+
+
         URL u = new URL(url);
         HttpURLConnection connection = (HttpURLConnection) u.openConnection();
 
@@ -265,6 +270,10 @@ public List<Triple> getTriplesViaGet(String url) throws MalformedURLException, I
     @SuppressWarnings("unchecked")
     public String getSPARQLResponse(String url) throws MalformedURLException, IOException
     {
+        if(url ==  null)
+            url = SPARQLService.getLocalURL();
+
+
         URL u = new URL(url);
         HttpURLConnection connection = (HttpURLConnection) u.openConnection();
 
@@ -294,6 +303,9 @@ public String getSPARQLResponse(String url) throws MalformedURLException, IOExce
     @SuppressWarnings("unchecked")
     public String postSPARQLResponse(String url, String query) throws MalformedURLException, IOException
     {
+        if(url ==  null)
+            url = SPARQLService.getLocalURL();
+
         URL obj = new URL(url);
 
         HttpURLConnection con = (HttpURLConnection) obj.openConnection();
@@ -335,4 +347,12 @@ public static SPARQLService getInstance()
         }
         return SPARQLService.instance;
     }
+
+    public static String getLocalURL()
+    {
+        if(System.getenv("SPARQLENDPOINT") != null && !System.getenv("SPARQLENDPOINT").isEmpty())
+            return System.getenv("SPARQLENDPOINT");
+        else
+            return "http://localhost/sparql";
+    }
 }
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/src/main/java/scopes_service/query_pre_processor/web/RootController.java b/src/main/java/scopes_service/query_pre_processor/web/RootController.java
index cfccc96..bdfa844 100644
--- a/src/main/java/scopes_service/query_pre_processor/web/RootController.java
+++ b/src/main/java/scopes_service/query_pre_processor/web/RootController.java
@@ -35,6 +35,8 @@ public class RootController {
 
     private String userUUID = "JONATHANUUID";
 
+    private String localSPARQLURL = "http://localhost:8890/sparql";
+
   /**
    * initializes the callback service with 2 call back sets (allDifferences and effectiveDifferences)
    */
@@ -43,12 +45,14 @@ public void init()
   {
     this.callBackService.addCallBackSet("allDifferences");
     this.callBackService.addCallBackSet("effectiveDifferences");
+      if(System.getenv("SPARQLENDPOINT") != null && !System.getenv("SPARQLENDPOINT").isEmpty())
+          this.localSPARQLURL = System.getenv("SPARQLENDPOINT");
   }
 
-    @RequestMapping(value="/setUser?")
+    @RequestMapping(value="/ping")
     public ResponseEntity<String> ping(HttpServletRequest request, HttpServletResponse response, @RequestBody(required = false) String body)
     {
-        return new ResponseEntity<String>("pong", HttpStatus.OK);
+        return new ResponseEntity<String>(System.getenv("SPARQLENDPOINT"), HttpStatus.OK);
     }
 
   @RequestMapping(value = "/sparql")
@@ -87,7 +91,7 @@ public ResponseEntity<String> preProcessQuery(HttpServletRequest request, HttpSe
                 cb.printStackTrace();
             }*/
         }
-        String url = "http://localhost:8890/sparql";
+        String url = this.localSPARQLURL;
 
         String userUUID = this.userUUID;
 
@@ -134,7 +138,7 @@ private String getGraphName(String userUUID)
         askGraphInstanceName += "?instanceuri <http://mu.semte.ch/vocabularies/core/hasGraph> ?instance .\n}";
 
         try {
-            String jsonString = this.queryService.sparqlService.getSPARQLResponse("http://localhost:8890/sparql?query=" + URLEncoder.encode(askGraphInstanceName, "UTF-8"));
+            String jsonString = this.queryService.sparqlService.getSPARQLResponse(this.localSPARQLURL + "?query=" + URLEncoder.encode(askGraphInstanceName, "UTF-8"));
 
             String instanceName = "";
             ObjectMapper mapper = new ObjectMapper();
@@ -176,7 +180,7 @@ private Scope buildScopeForUser(String userUUID)
         Scope scope = new Scope(userUUID);
 
         try {
-            String jsonString = this.queryService.sparqlService.getSPARQLResponse("http://localhost:8890/sparql?query=" + URLEncoder.encode(getNodeInfo, "UTF-8"));
+            String jsonString = this.queryService.sparqlService.getSPARQLResponse(this.localSPARQLURL + "?query=" + URLEncoder.encode(getNodeInfo, "UTF-8"));
             ObjectMapper mapper = new ObjectMapper();
             Map<String, Object> jsonMap = mapper.readValue(jsonString, Map.class);
             Map<String, ScopeNode> nodeMap = new HashMap<String, ScopeNode>();
@@ -212,7 +216,7 @@ private Scope buildScopeForUser(String userUUID)
                 String getNodeParent = "WITH <http://mu.semte.ch/application> SELECT ?parent WHERE { ";
                 getNodeParent += "<" + node + "> <http://mu.semte.ch/vocabularies/core/hasParent> ?parent .\n}";
 
-                String jsonStringP = this.queryService.sparqlService.getSPARQLResponse("http://localhost:8890/sparql?query=" + URLEncoder.encode(getNodeParent, "UTF-8"));
+                String jsonStringP = this.queryService.sparqlService.getSPARQLResponse(this.localSPARQLURL + "?query=" + URLEncoder.encode(getNodeParent, "UTF-8"));
                 ObjectMapper mapperP = new ObjectMapper();
                 Map<String, Object> jsonMapP = mapperP.readValue(jsonStringP, Map.class);
 
diff --git a/target/SCOPES-ENDPOINT-1.0-SNAPSHOT.war b/target/SCOPES-ENDPOINT-1.0-SNAPSHOT.war
index c293b2f..61b4787 100644
Binary files a/target/SCOPES-ENDPOINT-1.0-SNAPSHOT.war and b/target/SCOPES-ENDPOINT-1.0-SNAPSHOT.war differ