Requirements

DBSnapper is designed to work across diverse environments, from local development machines to enterprise container orchestration platforms. Here's what you need to get started.

System Requirements

Supported Platforms

DBSnapper runs on all major platforms with pre-built binaries available from the GitHub Releases page:

• macOS - Universal binary supporting both Intel (x86_64) and Apple Silicon (ARM64) architectures
• Linux - Full compatibility across distributions:
• x86_64 - Standard 64-bit Intel/AMD processors
• ARM64 - ARM 64-bit processors (AWS Graviton, Raspberry Pi 4+, etc.)
• Distributions: Ubuntu, Debian, RHEL, CentOS, Fedora, Alpine Linux, and others

Hardware Requirements

Minimum System Requirements: - CPU: 1 core (multi-core recommended for large databases) - Memory: 512MB RAM minimum, 2GB+ recommended - Storage: 100MB for installation + space for snapshots - Network: Internet access for DBSnapper Cloud integration (optional)

Recommended for Production: - CPU: 4+ cores for optimal snapshot performance - Memory: 4GB+ RAM for large database operations - Storage: SSD storage for working directory - Network: High-bandwidth connection for cloud storage operations

Performance Scaling

DBSnapper v3.0 introduces configurable CPU usage for database operations:

# Configure CPU usage globally
defaults:
  cpus: 4  # Use 4 CPU cores for all operations

# Override per target for large databases
targets:
  production_db:
    cpus: 8  # Use 8 cores for this target

Performance Benefits: - PostgreSQL: Multi-core pg_dump and pg_restore operations - Large datasets: Significantly faster snapshot creation and restoration - Concurrent operations: Better resource utilization in container environments

Database Support

Supported Database Engines

DBSnapper leverages native database utilities for maximum compatibility and performance:

PostgreSQL

• Versions: PostgreSQL 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16+
• Deployment types: Local, Docker, RDS, Aurora, Cloud SQL, self-hosted
• Advanced features:
• Schema filtering (include/exclude specific schemas)
• Multi-core parallel operations
• Connection pooling support
• SSL/TLS encryption

MySQL

• Versions: MySQL 5.7, 8.0+, MariaDB 10.3+
• Deployment types: Local, Docker, RDS, Aurora, Cloud SQL, self-hosted
• Features:
• Full database snapshots
• Multi-core operations (when supported)
• SSL/TLS encryption

Database Access Requirements

Source Database Permissions: - SELECT privilege on all tables to be snapshotted - SHOW DATABASES privilege (MySQL) or connection access (PostgreSQL) - For schema operations: appropriate schema-level permissions

Destination Database Permissions: - CREATE DATABASE privilege on the destination server - DROP DATABASE privilege (snapshots replace existing databases) - Full read/write access to the target database

Security Best Practices: - Use dedicated DBSnapper database users with minimal required permissions - Enable SSL/TLS connections for production databases - Consider read replicas for snapshot sources to reduce production load

Database Client Tools

DBSnapper requires database client tools for snapshot operations. You have two options:

Option 1: Docker-Based Tools (Recommended)

Use the DBSnapper Docker image with all tools pre-installed:

docker pull ghcr.io/dbsnapper/dbsnapper:latest

Benefits: - All tools included and version-tested - Consistent environment across different systems - No local tool installation required - Perfect for CI/CD pipelines and containers

Option 2: Local Tools Installation

Install database client tools on your local system:

macOSUbuntu/DebianRHEL/CentOS/FedoraAlpine Linux

# PostgreSQL tools
brew install postgresql

# MySQL tools
brew install mysql-client

# PostgreSQL tools
sudo apt-get install postgresql-client

# MySQL tools
sudo apt-get install mysql-client

# PostgreSQL tools
sudo dnf install postgresql

# MySQL tools
sudo dnf install mysql

# PostgreSQL tools
sudo apk add postgresql-client

# MySQL tools
sudo apk add mysql-client

Required Tools: - PostgreSQL: psql, pg_dump, pg_restore - MySQL: mysql, mysqldump

Container and Orchestration Support

Docker Requirements

• Docker Engine: Version 18.09+ recommended
• Docker permissions: User must be able to run Docker containers
• Network access: Container networking for database connections

Kubernetes/Container Orchestration

DBSnapper works excellently in container orchestration platforms:

Resource Requirements:

resources:
  requests:
    memory: "512Mi"
    cpu: "250m"
  limits:
    memory: "2Gi"
    cpu: "2000m"  # Adjust based on CPU configuration

Volume Requirements: - Configuration volume: ~/.config/dbsnapper - Working directory volume: ~/.dbsnapper (for local snapshots) - Optional: Shared storage for team access

CI/CD Integration

DBSnapper integrates seamlessly with CI/CD pipelines:

GitHub Actions:

- uses: dbsnapper/install-dbsnapper-agent-action@v1
  with:
    version: latest

GitLab CI, Jenkins, etc.: Use the Docker image for consistent environments

Cloud Storage Integration

Supported Storage Providers

DBSnapper follows a "Bring Your Own Cloud Storage" model for maximum security and flexibility:

Amazon S3

• AWS S3 (all regions)
• S3-compatible services (MinIO, DigitalOcean Spaces, etc.)
• Authentication: AWS CLI profiles, IAM roles, access keys
• Features: Server-side encryption, versioning, lifecycle policies

Cloudflare R2

• Cloudflare R2 storage
• Authentication: API tokens, S3-compatible credentials
• Benefits: Zero egress fees, global distribution

Additional S3-Compatible Providers

• MinIO: Self-hosted object storage
• DigitalOcean Spaces: Managed object storage
• Backblaze B2: Cost-effective cloud storage
• Wasabi: Hot cloud storage

Storage Requirements

Capacity Planning: - Snapshot sizes typically 10-50% of original database size (due to compression) - Plan for multiple snapshots per target (original + sanitized versions) - Consider retention policies for automated cleanup

Performance Considerations: - High-bandwidth network connections for large database uploads - Consider storage regions close to your database infrastructure - Use presigned URLs for secure, direct uploads/downloads

Network and Security Requirements

Network Access

Outbound connections required for: - Database servers (source and destination) - DBSnapper Cloud API (if using cloud features): app.dbsnapper.com - Cloud storage providers (S3, R2, etc.) - Container registry: ghcr.io (for Docker images)

Firewall Considerations: - Standard database ports: PostgreSQL (5432), MySQL (3306) - HTTPS (443) for cloud API and storage operations - Custom ports if using non-standard database configurations

Security Requirements

Encryption: - In transit: TLS 1.2+ for all network communications - At rest: AES-256 encryption for stored configurations and snapshots - Database connections: SSL/TLS supported and recommended

Authentication: - Support for all standard database authentication methods - Integration with AWS IAM, OIDC, and other identity providers - Optional: SSO integration with Okta, Auth0, Azure AD

Development Environment Integration

IDE Support

VS Code Extension: DBSnapper for VS Code - In-editor snapshot management - Target configuration and testing - Direct integration with workspace settings

MCP Server Integration

AI Assistant Integration: - Model Context Protocol (MCP) server for Claude Desktop and compatible AI assistants - Programmatic database operations through AI conversation - Requires DBSnapper installation and configuration

Terraform Provider

Infrastructure as Code: DBSnapper Terraform Provider - Manage DBSnapper resources with Terraform - Integration with existing infrastructure automation - Supports all major DBSnapper configuration options

Compatibility Matrix

Feature	Local Mode	Cloud Mode	Docker	Kubernetes	CI/CD
PostgreSQL Support	✅	✅	✅	✅	✅
MySQL Support	✅	✅	✅	✅	✅
Schema Filtering	✅	✅	✅	✅	✅
Multi-Core Operations	✅	✅	✅	✅	✅
Cloud Storage	❌	✅	✅	✅	✅
Team Sharing	❌	✅	✅	✅	✅
SSO Integration	❌	✅	✅	✅	✅
MCP Server	✅	✅	✅	✅	❌

Getting Started

With these requirements in mind, choose your deployment approach:

1. Quick Trial: Use the Docker image - no local setup required
2. Local Development: Install natively for your platform
3. Team Setup: Configure DBSnapper Cloud for collaboration
4. Production Deployment: Use container orchestration for scale

Next: Ready to install? Check out our Installation Guide for step-by-step instructions.