System Requirements

Before deploying Gluesync, ensure your environment meets these requirements for optimal performance.

Quick reference

The requirements listed below are specifications where Gluesync is best suited, we recommend using our setup wizards to install Gluesync on Linux and Windows systems. The setup wizards will automatically configure the system according to the requirements listed below, including setting up the necessary resources, configurations and dependencies (yes, Docker as well so you don’t have to worry about it).

Install Gluesync on a dedicated system

Gluesync should be installed on a dedicated third system, separate from both the source database and the target system.

Avoid running Gluesync on machines that already host databases or other resource-intensive or intrusive software (for example, endpoint protection/anti-virus), as this can impact performance and operational stability.

Linux system requirements at a glance

Aspect Details

Supported distributions

Linux LTS releases (Ubuntu 22.04+, RHEL 9+, Alma/Rocky 9, Debian 12, Fedora, openSUSE, Amazon Linux). Choose Kubernetes nodes or Docker/Podman hosts depending on scale. No upfront containers knowledge required if using the Compose kit which comes with the Gluesync auto-installer.

Hardware baseline

  • Docker/Podman compose (≤8 pipelines): 8 vCPU, 16 GB RAM. Give /opt/gluesync 250 GB. That is the install and working disk.

  • Kubernetes production with HA (~250k+ RPS): 3 nodes totaling 12 vCPU, 24 GB RAM, 250 GB disk

  • Add storage headroom for Prometheus, backups, and source-agent ArenaCache (local CDC backlog on the agent volume).

Disk layout (Linux)

Gluesync runs in Docker. Container layers, temporary files, and logs go under /var/lib/docker.

If the OS is split across partitions, also keep at least 15 GB free on /var so Docker has room. That 15 GB is extra, not part of the 250 GB on /opt/gluesync.

Path Size What lives here

/opt/gluesync

250 GB

kit, configs, license, working data

/var (especially /var/lib/docker)

≥15 GB free

Docker layers, temp, logs

Container runtime

Docker Engine + Compose v2, Podman + Podman-compose, or kubelet with CRI‑O/containerd.

Best suited for

Production workloads, multi-pipeline deployments, air-gapped or headless installations.

Windows system requirements at a glance

Aspect Details

Supported editions

Windows Server 2022/2025 is recommended for production workloads, use Windows 10/11 (Pro or Enterprise) for lab/testing workloads. Gluesync runs on Windows-based docker images, which can be run on any Windows machine (and VMs too).

Hardware baseline

  • 8 vCPU

  • 16 GB RAM (8 GB minimum for POC)

  • 250 GB free disk (SSD recommended)

  • Optional: extra 100 GB if enabling Prometheus/Grafana if you require high retention periods for metrics (e.g. 1 month)

Container runtime

Docker engine is required, which comes bundled with our installation kit (Auto-Installer). Docker Desktop (bundles Docker Engine + Compose) or Podman Desktop are also supported for lab environments.

Reboot required

A system reboot is required after installation to ensure all components and services are correctly initialized.

Best suited for

Small to mid-size Production workloads, POC/demo environments, lab setups, or small single-pipeline deployments that need a Windows UI (not required for Gluesync).

If your Windows Server runs Docker behind a corporate proxy or needs to grant non-admin users access to the Docker named pipe, follow the dedicated workflow in the Docker installation guide: Windows Docker Engine: daemon.json proxy + group.

That section explains how to edit C:\ProgramData\Docker\config\daemon.json, encode proxy credentials (for example DOMAIN%5Cuser), restart Docker, validate with docker ps, and troubleshoot //./pipe/docker_engine access errors. Set this up before installing Gluesync to avoid registry pulls failing behind the proxy.

Docker Inc. and several upstream components announced end-of-life plans for Windows Server 2019 container support. As these dependencies sunset, Gluesync will phase out Windows Server 2019 compatibility in an upcoming release. Begin planning migrations to Windows Server 2022 (or Linux) to remain on supported ground.

Network allowlist essentials

Purpose FQDN / pattern

Docker Hub images

https://*.docker.io, https://*.docker.com

Gluesync backoffice APIs

https://api.backoffice.molo17.com

Gluesync FTP server for support logs upload

https://ftp.molo17.com

Gluesync telemetry / log shipping (optional)

https://logstash.molo17.com

Gluesync documentation & updates

https://docs.molo17.com, https://molo17.com, https://support.molo17.com

AI features — OpenAI (optional)

https://api.openai.com

AI features — Anthropic (optional)

https://api.anthropic.com

AI features — Azure OpenAI (optional)

Your Azure OpenAI resource, for example https://*.openai.azure.com

If outbound internet is blocked, mirror the container images (docker image save > tar) and publish them to your internal registry, then import them with docker image load. For complete offline installation and update procedures, see Offline installation and updates.

AI features (LLM providers)

Optional. Replication does not need a model. AI Studio, Query Studio AI helper, and gluesync.ai do: they call your bring-your-own LLM through Settings → LLM providers.

Aspect Details

Cloud APIs

OpenAI, Anthropic, or Azure OpenAI. Core Hub needs outbound HTTPS to the vendor (see the allowlist above). No extra RAM on the Gluesync host. Use a model that supports tool calling.

Local models (Ollama)

Run Ollama (HTTP API, port 11434) on this host or another box. Size RAM/GPU for the model in addition to the Gluesync baseline. From Docker/Kubernetes, Core Hub must not use localhost for Ollama on the host — use host.docker.internal or the host IP.

Who configures it

Super admin. An empty vault blocks every AI surface.

Full install, Docker/Ollama URLs, Azure fields, and connection-test notes: AI models and LLM providers.

Prerequisites checklist

Containerized deployment setup

Gluesync is designed to run efficiently in containerized environments. We recommend using Docker, Podman, or Kubernetes for deployment, depending on your needs and familiarity.

If you’re not familiar with containerized deployment, start with Gluesync’s Docker Compose deployment strategy—it ships with a handy installer that fully automates the setup, so you don’t need to install a separate container runtime when using the provided Compose kit; nor you are required to know anything about Docker and containers at all.

Docker/Podman setup

Requirement Details

Container runtime & compose

Gluesync Compose deployments use one of the following: * Docker Engine and Docker Compose * Podman and Podman Compose (or Docker Compose with Podman)

For a standard installation, use the setup wizard at Get Gluesync; you do not need to install the runtime separately before starting the wizard.

DIY runtime references

These are for system administrators who must provision the runtime manually:

Docker: Prepare Docker manually

Podman: Install Podman manually

Official references: Docker installation, Podman installation, and Windows Server for Windows containers.

Gluesync Compose Kit

Follow the setup wizard and use the kit’s run.sh or run.ps1 helper. See Install with the Gluesync kit.

Verify system requirements

You can autonomously verify if your system meets all the requirements by running our pre-flight checker tool. This tool performs various system checks and provides a detailed report of any missing requirements.

  • Download and run the pre-flight checker: Gluesync Pre-flight Checker

  • Follow the instructions in the repository to execute the checks

  • Review the generated report to identify and address any issues

The pre-flight checker verifies:

  • System resources (CPU, RAM, disk space)

  • Required software versions

  • Network connectivity

  • Container runtime configuration

  • And other environment-specific requirements

Kubernetes Setup

Requirement Details

Kubernetes Cluster

A running Kubernetes cluster (e.g., Minikube for testing, or a production-grade cluster for deployment). LTS Linux is recommended for production.

kubectl CLI

Install and configure kubectl to interact with your cluster.

Supported distributions

Kubernetes (recommended), OpenShift, or an equivalent orchestrator. See production specs above for hardware guidance.

Installation guides

Gluesync Kubernetes deployment

Refer to Gluesync documentation or contact support for deployment guides specific to Kubernetes environments.

Note

Gluesync documentation does not cover Kubernetes installation. For setup help, refer to the official Kubernetes documentation.

Source database requirements

Requirement Details

Connection details

  • Username and password

  • Connection string (IP address/port)

  • Table names

  • TLS certificates (if secure authentication required)

Access permissions

Database user must have appropriate read permissions

Target system requirements

Requirement Details

Connection details

  • Destination (bucket or database)

  • Connection string (IP address/port)

  • Username and password

  • TLS certificates (if secure authentication required)

Access permissions

Write permissions to target location

We recommend using a database management tool for easier setup and testing. Our QA team regularly uses:

You can also use Query Studio, the built-in SQL workbench embedded in the Gluesync Control Plane. It lets you inspect schemas, run read-only queries, and validate synchronized datasets without installing any external tool.

Note: These are suggestions only - use any database tool you’re comfortable with.

Environment Specifications

POC / Demo environment

Component Requirement

Operating system

Windows, macOS, or Linux (LTS version recommended)

Container platform

Docker, Docker Compose, or Kubernetes

Hardware

  • 8 GB RAM (minimum)

  • 8 vCPU

  • 100 GB free disk space (Additional space needed for Prometheus monitoring)

Production environment

Kubernetes

Recommended specs for handling ~80,000 rows per second (RPS) on a K8s production grade cluster

Component Requirement

Operating system

Linux (LTS version recommended)

Container platform

Kubernetes (recommended), OpenShift, or equivalent orchestrator

Cluster configuration

3 Kubernetes nodes for High Availability (HA)

Total hardware resources

  • 32 GB RAM

  • 16 vCPU

  • 200 GB free disk space (Additional space needed for Prometheus monitoring)

Docker compose / Podman

Recommended specs for single pipeline or up to two pipelines (small to medium deployments)

Component Requirement

Operating system

Linux (LTS version recommended)

Container platform

Docker Compose or Podman Compose

Deployment scale

Suitable for a single pipeline or up to two concurrent pipelines (small to medium deployments)

Total hardware resources

  • 16 GB RAM

  • 8 vCPU

  • 200 GB free disk space (Additional space needed for Prometheus monitoring)

These specifications are baseline recommendations. Actual requirements may vary based on:

  • Data volume

  • Number of concurrent connections

  • Complexity of transformations

  • Monitoring requirements