Due to better performance and availability, for data objects (such as LFS,
uploads, or artifacts), using an [object storage service](#configure-the-object-storage)
is recommended.
### Supported infrastructure
As a general guidance, GitLab should run on most infrastructure such as reputable Cloud Providers (AWS, GCP, Azure) and their services, or self managed (ESXi) that meet both the specs detailed above, as well as any requirements in this section. However, this does not constitute a guarantee for every potential permutation.
Be aware of the following specific call outs:
-[Azure Database for PostgreSQL](https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/postgresql/#:~:text=Azure%20Database%20for%20PostgreSQL%20is,high%20availability%2C%20and%20dynamic%20scalability.) is [not recommended](https://gitlab.com/gitlab-org/quality/reference-architectures/-/issues/61) due to known performance issues or missing features.
-[Azure Blob Storage](https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/storage/blobs/) is recommended to be configured with [Premium accounts](https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/storage/blobs/storage-blob-block-blob-premium) to ensure consistent performance.
### Praefect PostgreSQL
It's also worth noting that at this time [Praefect requires its own database server](../gitaly/praefect.md#postgresql) and
It's worth noting that at this time [Praefect requires its own database server](../gitaly/praefect.md#postgresql) and
that to achieve full High Availability a third-party PostgreSQL database solution will be required.
We hope to offer a built in solutions for these restrictions in the future but in the meantime a non HA PostgreSQL server
can be set up via Omnibus GitLab, which the above specs reflect. Refer to the following issues for more information: [`omnibus-gitlab#5919`](https://gitlab.com/gitlab-org/omnibus-gitlab/-/issues/5919) & [`gitaly#3398`](https://gitlab.com/gitlab-org/gitaly/-/issues/3398)
can be set up via Omnibus GitLab, which the above specs reflect. Refer to the following issues for more information: [`omnibus-gitlab#5919`](https://gitlab.com/gitlab-org/omnibus-gitlab/-/issues/5919) & [`gitaly#3398`](https://gitlab.com/gitlab-org/gitaly/-/issues/3398).
As a general guidance, GitLab should run on most infrastructure such as reputable Cloud Providers (AWS, GCP, Azure) and their services, or self managed (ESXi) that meet both the specs detailed above, as well as any requirements in this section. However, this does not constitute a guarantee for every potential permutation.
Be aware of the following specific call outs:
-[Azure Database for PostgreSQL](https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/postgresql/#:~:text=Azure%20Database%20for%20PostgreSQL%20is,high%20availability%2C%20and%20dynamic%20scalability.) is [not recommended](https://gitlab.com/gitlab-org/quality/reference-architectures/-/issues/61) due to known performance issues or missing features.
-[Azure Blob Storage](https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/storage/blobs/) is recommended to be configured with [Premium accounts](https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/storage/blobs/storage-blob-block-blob-premium) to ensure consistent performance.
### Swap
In addition to the stated configurations, we recommend having at least 2 GB of
swap on your server, even if you currently have enough available memory. Having
swap helps to reduce the chance of errors occurring if your available memory
Due to better performance and availability, for data objects (such as LFS,
uploads, or artifacts), using an [object storage service](#configure-the-object-storage)
is recommended.
### Supported infrastructure
As a general guidance, GitLab should run on most infrastructure such as reputable Cloud Providers (AWS, GCP, Azure) and their services, or self managed (ESXi) that meet both the specs detailed above, as well as any requirements in this section. However, this does not constitute a guarantee for every potential permutation.
Be aware of the following specific call outs:
-[Azure Database for PostgreSQL](https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/postgresql/#:~:text=Azure%20Database%20for%20PostgreSQL%20is,high%20availability%2C%20and%20dynamic%20scalability.) is [not recommended](https://gitlab.com/gitlab-org/quality/reference-architectures/-/issues/61) due to known performance issues or missing features.
-[Azure Blob Storage](https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/storage/blobs/) is recommended to be configured with [Premium accounts](https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/storage/blobs/storage-blob-block-blob-premium) to ensure consistent performance.
### Praefect PostgreSQL
It's also worth noting that at this time [Praefect requires its own database server](../gitaly/praefect.md#postgresql) and
It's worth noting that at this time [Praefect requires its own database server](../gitaly/praefect.md#postgresql) and
that to achieve full High Availability a third-party PostgreSQL database solution will be required.
We hope to offer a built in solutions for these restrictions in the future but in the meantime a non HA PostgreSQL server
can be set up via Omnibus GitLab, which the above specs reflect. Refer to the following issues for more information: [`omnibus-gitlab#5919`](https://gitlab.com/gitlab-org/omnibus-gitlab/-/issues/5919) & [`gitaly#3398`](https://gitlab.com/gitlab-org/gitaly/-/issues/3398)
can be set up via Omnibus GitLab, which the above specs reflect. Refer to the following issues for more information: [`omnibus-gitlab#5919`](https://gitlab.com/gitlab-org/omnibus-gitlab/-/issues/5919) & [`gitaly#3398`](https://gitlab.com/gitlab-org/gitaly/-/issues/3398).
1. Can be optionally run on reputable third-party external PaaS PostgreSQL solutions. [Google Cloud SQL](https://cloud.google.com/sql/docs/postgres/high-availability#normal) and [Amazon RDS](https://aws.amazon.com/rds/) are known to work, however Azure Database for PostgreSQL is **not recommended** due to [performance issues](https://gitlab.com/gitlab-org/quality/reference-architectures/-/issues/61). Consul is primarily used for PostgreSQL high availability so can be ignored when using a PostgreSQL PaaS setup. However it is also used optionally by Prometheus for Omnibus auto host discovery.
Due to better performance and availability, for data objects (such as LFS,
uploads, or artifacts), using an [object storage service](#configure-the-object-storage)
is recommended instead of using NFS. Using an object storage service also
doesn't require you to provision and maintain a node.
### Supported infrastructure
As a general guidance, GitLab should run on most infrastructure such as reputable Cloud Providers (AWS, GCP, Azure) and their services, or self managed (ESXi) that meet both the specs detailed above, as well as any requirements in this section. However, this does not constitute a guarantee for every potential permutation.
Be aware of the following specific call outs:
-[Azure Database for PostgreSQL](https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/postgresql/#:~:text=Azure%20Database%20for%20PostgreSQL%20is,high%20availability%2C%20and%20dynamic%20scalability.) is [not recommended](https://gitlab.com/gitlab-org/quality/reference-architectures/-/issues/61) due to known performance issues or missing features.
-[Azure Blob Storage](https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/storage/blobs/) is recommended to be configured with [Premium accounts](https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/storage/blobs/storage-blob-block-blob-premium) to ensure consistent performance.
Due to better performance and availability, for data objects (such as LFS,
uploads, or artifacts), using an [object storage service](#configure-the-object-storage)
is recommended instead of using NFS. Using an object storage service also
doesn't require you to provision and maintain a node.
### Supported infrastructure
As a general guidance, GitLab should run on most infrastructure such as reputable Cloud Providers (AWS, GCP, Azure) and their services, or self managed (ESXi) that meet both the specs detailed above, as well as any requirements in this section. However, this does not constitute a guarantee for every potential permutation.
Be aware of the following specific call outs:
-[Azure Database for PostgreSQL](https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/postgresql/#:~:text=Azure%20Database%20for%20PostgreSQL%20is,high%20availability%2C%20and%20dynamic%20scalability.) is [not recommended](https://gitlab.com/gitlab-org/quality/reference-architectures/-/issues/61) due to known performance issues or missing features.
-[Azure Blob Storage](https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/storage/blobs/) is recommended to be configured with [Premium accounts](https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/storage/blobs/storage-blob-block-blob-premium) to ensure consistent performance.
[Praefect requires its own database server](../gitaly/praefect.md#postgresql),
and a third-party PostgreSQL database solution is required to achieve full
high availability. Although we hope to offer a built-in solution for these
restrictions in the future, you can set up a non-HA PostgreSQL server by using
Omnibus GitLab (which the previous specifications reflect). Refer to the
It's worth noting that at this time [Praefect requires its own database server](../gitaly/praefect.md#postgresql) and
that to achieve full High Availability a third-party PostgreSQL database solution will be required.
We hope to offer a built in solutions for these restrictions in the future but in the meantime a non HA PostgreSQL server
can be set up via Omnibus GitLab, which the above specs reflect. Refer to the following issues for more information: [`omnibus-gitlab#5919`](https://gitlab.com/gitlab-org/omnibus-gitlab/-/issues/5919) & [`gitaly#3398`](https://gitlab.com/gitlab-org/gitaly/-/issues/3398).
Due to better performance and availability, for data objects (such as LFS,
uploads, or artifacts), using an [object storage service](#configure-the-object-storage)
is recommended.
### Supported infrastructure
As a general guidance, GitLab should run on most infrastructure such as reputable Cloud Providers (AWS, GCP, Azure) and their services, or self managed (ESXi) that meet both the specs detailed above, as well as any requirements in this section. However, this does not constitute a guarantee for every potential permutation.
Be aware of the following specific call outs:
-[Azure Database for PostgreSQL](https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/postgresql/#:~:text=Azure%20Database%20for%20PostgreSQL%20is,high%20availability%2C%20and%20dynamic%20scalability.) is [not recommended](https://gitlab.com/gitlab-org/quality/reference-architectures/-/issues/61) due to known performance issues or missing features.
-[Azure Blob Storage](https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/storage/blobs/) is recommended to be configured with [Premium accounts](https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/storage/blobs/storage-blob-block-blob-premium) to ensure consistent performance.
### Praefect PostgreSQL
It's also worth noting that at this time [Praefect requires its own database server](../gitaly/praefect.md#postgresql) and
It's worth noting that at this time [Praefect requires its own database server](../gitaly/praefect.md#postgresql) and
that to achieve full High Availability a third-party PostgreSQL database solution will be required.
We hope to offer a built in solutions for these restrictions in the future but in the meantime a non HA PostgreSQL server
can be set up via Omnibus GitLab, which the above specs reflect. Refer to the following issues for more information: [`omnibus-gitlab#5919`](https://gitlab.com/gitlab-org/omnibus-gitlab/-/issues/5919) & [`gitaly#3398`](https://gitlab.com/gitlab-org/gitaly/-/issues/3398)
can be set up via Omnibus GitLab, which the above specs reflect. Refer to the following issues for more information: [`omnibus-gitlab#5919`](https://gitlab.com/gitlab-org/omnibus-gitlab/-/issues/5919) & [`gitaly#3398`](https://gitlab.com/gitlab-org/gitaly/-/issues/3398).
Due to better performance and availability, for data objects (such as LFS,
uploads, or artifacts), using an [object storage service](#configure-the-object-storage)
is recommended instead of using NFS. Using an object storage service also
doesn't require you to provision and maintain a node.
### Supported infrastructure
As a general guidance, GitLab should run on most infrastructure such as reputable Cloud Providers (AWS, GCP, Azure) and their services, or self managed (ESXi) that meet both the specs detailed above, as well as any requirements in this section. However, this does not constitute a guarantee for every potential permutation.
Be aware of the following specific call outs:
-[Azure Database for PostgreSQL](https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/postgresql/#:~:text=Azure%20Database%20for%20PostgreSQL%20is,high%20availability%2C%20and%20dynamic%20scalability.) is [not recommended](https://gitlab.com/gitlab-org/quality/reference-architectures/-/issues/61) due to known performance issues or missing features.
-[Azure Blob Storage](https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/storage/blobs/) is recommended to be configured with [Premium accounts](https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/storage/blobs/storage-blob-block-blob-premium) to ensure consistent performance.
### Praefect PostgreSQL
It's also worth noting that at this time [Praefect requires its own database server](../gitaly/praefect.md#postgresql) and
It's worth noting that at this time [Praefect requires its own database server](../gitaly/praefect.md#postgresql) and
that to achieve full High Availability a third-party PostgreSQL database solution will be required.
We hope to offer a built in solutions for these restrictions in the future but in the meantime a non HA PostgreSQL server
can be set up via Omnibus GitLab, which the above specs reflect. Refer to the following issues for more information: [`omnibus-gitlab#5919`](https://gitlab.com/gitlab-org/omnibus-gitlab/-/issues/5919) & [`gitaly#3398`](https://gitlab.com/gitlab-org/gitaly/-/issues/3398)
can be set up via Omnibus GitLab, which the above specs reflect. Refer to the following issues for more information: [`omnibus-gitlab#5919`](https://gitlab.com/gitlab-org/omnibus-gitlab/-/issues/5919) & [`gitaly#3398`](https://gitlab.com/gitlab-org/gitaly/-/issues/3398).
@@ -191,3 +191,32 @@ The reference architectures for user counts [3,000](3k_users.md) and up support
In the specific case you have the requirement to achieve HA but have a lower user count, select modifications to the [3,000 user](3k_users.md) architecture are supported.
For more details, [refer to this section in the architecture's documentation](3k_users.md#supported-modifications-for-lower-user-counts-ha).
## Testing process and results
The [Quality Engineering - Enablement team](https://about.gitlab.com/handbook/engineering/quality/quality-engineering/) does regular smoke and performance tests for the reference architectures to ensure they remain compliant.
In this section, we detail some of the process as well as the results.
Note the following about the testing process:
- Testing occurs against all main reference architectures and cloud providers in an automated and ad-hoc fashion.
This is achieved through two tools built by the team:
- The [GitLab Environment Toolkit](https://gitlab.com/gitlab-org/quality/gitlab-environment-toolkit) for building the environments.
- The [GitLab Performance Tool](https://gitlab.com/gitlab-org/quality/performance) for performance testing.
- Network latency on the test environments between components on all Cloud Providers were measured at <5ms. Note that this is shared as an observation and not as an implicit recommendation.
- We aim to have a "test smart" approach where architectures tested have a good range that can also apply to others. Testing focuses on 10k Omnibus on GCP as the testing has shown this is a good bellwether for the other architectures and cloud providers as well as Cloud Native Hybrids.
- Testing is done publicly and all results are shared.
Τhe following table details the testing done against the reference architectures along with the frequency and results.
Testing is continuously evaluated and iterated on, so the table is constantly updated.
