diff --git a/.dockerignore b/.dockerignore
index c4aa3d608d96407095b0138e0e86777cb6530d35..ebae7cd6b07f6c557ab76f74463ab80d307db9b0 100644
--- a/.dockerignore
+++ b/.dockerignore
@@ -1,2 +1,8 @@
 logs/
-README.md
\ No newline at end of file
+README.md
+.travis.yml
+.gitlab-ci.yml
+.gitignore
+docker-compose.prod.yml
+docker-compose.yml
+Dockerfile
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/.gitlab-ci.yml b/.gitlab-ci.yml
index fbebd637e05365f2a3745c1c6c72a17065cf3d0a..eac2fe86756dd2074ac4d18c75733db78de86db6 100644
--- a/.gitlab-ci.yml
+++ b/.gitlab-ci.yml
@@ -35,6 +35,12 @@ stages:
 .shared_set_develop_image_and_tag: &set_develop_image_and_tag |
   DEVELOP_IMAGE="$CI_REGISTRY_IMAGE/$CI_COMMIT_REF_NAME:$CI_COMMIT_SHORT_SHA"
 
+# Anchor to create release candidate name and tag.
+.shared_set_release_candidate_image_and_tag: &set_release_candidate_image_and_tag |
+  RELEASE_CANDIDATE_NUMBER=$(git rev-list --count origin/develop...origin/$CI_COMMIT_REF_NAME) && RELEASE_CANDIDATE_NUMBER=$((RELEASE_CANDIDATE_NUMBER+1))
+  RELEASE_CANDIDATE_TAG_POPULATED="$(echo $CI_COMMIT_REF_NAME | cut -f2 -d/)-rc$RELEASE_CANDIDATE_NUMBER"
+  RELEASE_CANDIDATE_IMAGE="$CI_REGISTRY_IMAGE/release:$RELEASE_CANDIDATE_TAG_POPULATED"
+
 # Anchor to create master image name and tag.
 .shared_set_master_image_and_tag: &set_master_image_and_tag |
   MASTER_IMAGE="$CI_REGISTRY_IMAGE:$CI_COMMIT_SHORT_SHA"
@@ -43,7 +49,7 @@ stages:
 # creating foreign keys, creating stored procedures, enabling change tracking and snapshot retention.
 .shared_build_image_and_run_setup_script: &build_image_and_run_setup_script |
   docker build -t mssql .
-  docker run --rm -d -e ACCEPT_EULA=Y -e SA_PASSWORD=Tmtpass123 -p 1433:1433 -p 8080:8080 --name mssql --entrypoint "/opt/mssql/bin/sqlservr" mssql;
+  docker run -d -e ACCEPT_EULA=Y -e SA_PASSWORD=$DB_PASSWORD -p 1433:1433 -p 8080:8080 --name mssql --entrypoint "/opt/mssql/bin/sqlservr" mssql;
   docker exec mssql "./shell_scripts/setup.sh"
 
 # Anchor to push an image to the registry with branch tag (used for all branches except Master and Develop).
@@ -53,8 +59,13 @@ stages:
 
 # Anchor to push an image to the registry with develop tag.
 .shared_push_to_registry_develop_tag: &push_to_registry_develop_tag |
-  docker commit -c 'CMD ["sqlservr"]' mssql $BRANCH_IMAGE
-  docker push $BRANCH_IMAGE
+  docker commit -c 'CMD ["sqlservr"]' mssql $DEVELOP_IMAGE
+  docker push $DEVELOP_IMAGE
+
+# Anchor to push an image to the registry with release candidate tag.
+.shared_push_to_registry_release_candidate_tag: &push_to_registry_release_candidate_tag |
+  docker commit -c 'CMD ["sqlservr"]' mssql $RELEASE_CANDIDATE_IMAGE
+  docker push $RELEASE_CANDIDATE_IMAGE
 
 # Anchor to push an image to the registry with master tag
 .shared_push_to_registry_master_tag: &push_to_registry_master_tag |
@@ -110,6 +121,18 @@ publish_develop_branch:
     expire_in: 2 weeks
 
 
+publish_populated_image_release_candidate_branch:
+  <<: *publish_docker_login_template
+  script:
+    - *generate_env
+    - *set_release_candidate_image_and_tag
+    - *build_image_and_run_setup_script
+    - *push_to_registry_release_candidate_tag
+  only:
+    - /^(\d+\.)?(\d+\.)?(\d+-rc\.\d+)$/
+    - /^release\/.*$/
+
+
 publish_master_branch:
   <<: *publish_docker_login_template
   script:
diff --git a/Dockerfile b/Dockerfile
index 812fe69cc29499bb0e2c15ee202c7a3ec4e2895d..35ab19db61c3c948006e1a3a2709e1938557643f 100644
--- a/Dockerfile
+++ b/Dockerfile
@@ -1,24 +1,24 @@
 # Run Latest Linux image SQL Server from Microsoft.
 FROM mcr.microsoft.com/mssql/server
+USER root
 
 # Change current working directory.
 WORKDIR /usr/src/app
 
 # Update packages, install curl, node/npm, & tedious
-RUN apt-get -y update  && \
-        apt-get install -y curl && \
-        curl -sL https://deb.nodesource.com/setup_6.x | bash - && \
-        apt-get install -y nodejs && \
-        npm install tedious
-
-# Update packages, install curl, node/npm, tedious.
-RUN apt-get -y update
+RUN apt-get -y update > /dev/null 2>&1 && \
+        apt-get install -y curl > /dev/null 2>&1 && \
+        curl -sL https://deb.nodesource.com/setup_6.x | bash - > /dev/null 2>&1 && \
+        apt-get install -y nodejs > /dev/null 2>&1 && \
+        apt-get -y install vim > /dev/null 2>&1 && \
+        npm install tedious > /dev/null 2>&1
 
 # Bundle app source.
 COPY . .
 
 # Grant permissions for the import-data script to be executable.
-RUN chmod +x /usr/src/app/shell_scripts/setup.sh
+RUN chmod +x /usr/src/app/shell_scripts/setup.sh && \
+        chmod +x /usr/src/app/cleanup.sh
 
 #Set path for SQLCMD.
 ENV PATH "$PATH:/opt/mssql-tools/bin/"
diff --git a/cleanup.sh b/cleanup.sh
new file mode 100755
index 0000000000000000000000000000000000000000..083a4f054624fc83669001a1ef2cdc3d6267eb26
--- /dev/null
+++ b/cleanup.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env bash
+
+# Remove all obsolete files.
+rm -rf /usr/src/app/database_scripts /usr/src/app/shell_scripts /usr/src/app/cleanup.sh
+echo "Cleanup Complete!"
diff --git a/database_scripts/waitForSqlServer.sql b/database_scripts/waitForSqlServer.sql
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000000000000000000000000000000000..d08dd13cac0df1864ab9d68a7a6ab3e7d0b65d98
--- /dev/null
+++ b/database_scripts/waitForSqlServer.sql
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+USE master;
+GO
+
+DECLARE @ServerRunning BIT=(SELECT CASE WHEN COUNT(*) = 1 THEN CAST(1 AS BIT) ELSE CAST(0 AS BIT) END AS IsRunning FROM sys.servers)
+SELECT @ServerRunning
diff --git a/shell_scripts/create_env_variables.sh b/shell_scripts/create_env_variables.sh
index c0b57e421c80b9892b75c1fbe82a92455db29347..e4eb601351ca27e53d9ab6f5dd6109f6effaa0dd 100644
--- a/shell_scripts/create_env_variables.sh
+++ b/shell_scripts/create_env_variables.sh
@@ -11,4 +11,4 @@ create_env_file() {
 DB_PASSWORD=$1
 TEXT
     fi
-}
\ No newline at end of file
+}
diff --git a/shell_scripts/setup.sh b/shell_scripts/setup.sh
index 91e85a25ab815d0d20b482c3e3370d5b43178671..b3df1237b459d2c8b25bb83e8222e953716f0108 100644
--- a/shell_scripts/setup.sh
+++ b/shell_scripts/setup.sh
@@ -1,6 +1,4 @@
 #!/usr/bin/env bash
-# Wait for the SQL Server to launch.
-sleep 10s
 
 # Source the configs.
 source /usr/src/app/.env
@@ -9,25 +7,43 @@ source /usr/src/app/.env
 export querydb="sqlcmd -S localhost -U sa -P ${DB_PASSWORD}" && \
 
 
+sql_counter=1
+while [ $sql_counter -le 60 ]
+do
+    TEMP_VAR=$(sqlcmd -S localhost -U sa -P "$DB_PASSWORD" -i /usr/src/app/database_scripts/waitForSqlServer.sql | grep '1\|0' | cut -d'(' -f1)
+    echo "Attempting to connect to SQL. Attempt number $sql_counter"
+    if [ $TEMP_VAR = "1" ]
+    then
+        echo "Successfully connected to SQL..."
+        break;
+    fi
+    if (( $sql_counter == 60 ))
+    then
+        echo "Failed to connected to SQL after $sql_counter attempts! Please verify your config file values are set correctly."
+        exit 1;
+    fi
+    echo "SQL unavailable..."
+    ((sql_counter++))
+    sleep 1
+done && \
+
+
 # Run the setup script to create the MS SQL Database.
 echo "Creating MS SQL Schema..." && \
 $querydb -i /usr/src/app/database_scripts/createDatabase.sql && \
 
 
 # Populates the MS SQL Database with mock data.
-sleep 10s
 echo "Inserting Mock Data..." && \
 $querydb -i /usr/src/app/database_scripts/insertMockData.sql && \
 
 
 # Creates foreign key associations within mock MS SQL Database.
-sleep 10s
 echo "Creating Foreign Key References..." && \
 $querydb -i /usr/src/app/database_scripts/createForeignKeyReferences.sql && \
 
 
 # Enables Change Tracking within mock MS SQL Database.
-sleep 10s
 echo "Enabling Change Tracking..." && \
 $querydb -i /usr/src/app/database_scripts/enableChangeTracking.sql && \
 
@@ -36,6 +52,11 @@ $querydb -i /usr/src/app/database_scripts/enableChangeTracking.sql && \
 echo "Enabling Snapshot Retention..." && \
 $querydb -i /usr/src/app/database_scripts/enableSnapshotRetention.sql && \
 
+
 # Creates stored procedures by iterating through every stored procedure script in database_scripts/stored_procedures.
 echo "Creating Stored Procedures..." && \
-for storedProcedure in /usr/src/app/database_scripts/stored_procedures/*.sql;do $querydb -i "$storedProcedure";done;
+for storedProcedure in /usr/src/app/database_scripts/stored_procedures/*.sql;do $querydb -i "$storedProcedure";done
+
+# Cleanup job used to removed unneeded files after image has been successfully created and populated.
+echo "Cleaning up environment..." && \
+. /usr/src/app/cleanup.sh