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System requirements

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Effective as of Release 26.2.

This version uses Java 21 and the new application wrapper. For details, see the Java section and the "See also" section below.

Overview

This article lists the system requirements for the Lobster Data Platform. It applies to both on-premises and cloud installations.

The actual sizing depends on your workload. Data volume, number of interfaces, processing frequency, and the complexity of the transformations all influence your requirements. You can choose the operating system, database, and cloud provider yourself.

General minimum requirements

The platform requires a 64-bit, multi-core server (x64 or ARM). These values are minimum requirements for self-managed installations. The cloud editions use their own fixed sizing.

  • CPU: at least 4 vCPU (x64 or ARM).

  • RAM: at least 8 GB that you can allocate to the Java application (heap). Plan for additional memory for the operating system and other processes.

  • Storage: at least 250 GB for the software and 150 GB for the database.

  • Performance: at least 3,000 IOPS and 125 MB/s throughput.

The operating system requires additional RAM. Linux and UNIX: approximately 2 GB. Windows: approximately 4 to 6 GB. Be sure to account for this requirement.

Supported platforms

  • Windows Server (current versions).

  • Linux distributions, such as RHEL, Ubuntu, or SUSE.

  • UNIX-based systems.

  • Virtualized environments.

  • Cloud platforms: AWS, Azure, and GCP.

Browser requirements

To use the Lobster Data Platform, you need a current web browser. The platform supports the latest version of the following browsers:

  • Microsoft Edge

  • Google Chrome

  • Mozilla Firefox

The platform does not officially support Safari (WebKit). You can still use it. This may result in known display and functional limitations.

Webserver

  • Operating system: RHEL (latest version), x64 or ARM.

  • CPU: at least 4 vCPU.

  • RAM: at least 8 GB.

  • Operating system storage: 30 GB.

  • Data partition: at least 250 GB for the software.

  • Performance: at least 3,000 IOPS and 125 MB/s.

Database server

  • Deployment: on-premises VM or cloud service.

  • Operating system: RHEL (latest version), x64 or ARM.

  • CPU: at least 4 vCPU.

  • RAM: at least 8 GB.

  • Storage: at least 150 GB.

  • Performance: at least 3,000 IOPS and 125 MB/s.

  • Database: PostgreSQL 16.x or later.

High availability (HA)

A high-availability system is complex. Be sure to meet the following requirements.

Web servers per node

  • Operating system: RHEL (latest version), x64 or ARM.

  • CPU: at least 4 vCPU.

  • RAM: at least 8 GB.

  • Operating system storage: 30 GB.

  • Data partition: at least 150 GB for the software.

  • Performance: at least 3,000 IOPS and 125 MB/s.

Database cluster

  • CPU: at least 4 vCPU.

  • Operating system: RHEL (latest version), x64 or ARM.

  • RAM: at least 8 GB.

  • Storage: at least 250 GB.

  • Performance: at least 3,000 IOPS and 125 MB/s.

  • Database: PostgreSQL cluster 16.x or later.

Shared storage

  • Type: NFS or a comparable cloud solution.

  • Capacity: at least 1 TB.

  • Performance: at least 7,500 IOPS and 256 MB/s.

Shared folders

The folders containing transaction data should be placed in a common directory. This applies to ./as2, ./as4, ./ASM, ./conf, ./datawizard, ./transfer, and ./PRO/config/files/.

Important: When you update an HA installation from version 4.6.x, ./PRO/config/files/ is newly added.

  • Move these folders to a file share.

  • Note: Also check any custom folders used by job runs. If multiple nodes use these folders, move them to the file share as well.

  • Link the folders in the installations.

  • Exclude these paths from your antivirus software.

Scaling and performance

  • Higher load: Scale CPU and RAM based on data volume and the number of interfaces.

  • Storage planning: Make sure to allow space for backups. The default retention period is 30 days.

  • Monitoring: Check performance regularly. This will allow you to adjust resources in a timely manner.

Operating system information

  • Use dedicated server operating systems. The platform does not support desktop versions. Exception: Windows Server with Desktop Experience.

  • Use the server exclusively for the Lobster Data Platform.

  • Use standard ports for all protocols according to the following table:

    Protocol

    Port(s)

    Note

    HTTP

    80

    IMPORTANT It is not supported and not advised to use the platform in an HTTP context rather than HTTPS.

    HTTPS

    443

    FTP

    21 (control), 20 (data)

    SSH

    22

    SMTP

    587

    587: Submission

    OFTP

    3305, 6619

    over TLS

    Installer (configuration)

    8089

    Only during installation

Starting with Release 26.2, the Lobster Application Wrapper manages the platform's startup. The application wrapper is a unified startup mechanism. It registers the application as a system service. For instructions, see Lobster Application Wrapper.

Java

  • Version: Java 21 (recommended).

  • As a JDK, Lobster and many customers use Adoptium (Eclipse Temurin®) JDK 21 LTS. However, this is not a mandatory recommendation.

  • The Java process uses about 75% of the available memory.

Java 11 is being phased out.

Release 26.2 supports both JDKs: Java 21 and Java 11. Upgrade to Java 21 in a timely manner. One of the upcoming quarterly releases will end support for Java 11 in the medium term. For instructions, see Upgrading from Java 11 to Java 21.

The upgrade to Java 21 also affects TLS standards and execute scripts. For the upgrade steps, see Upgrading from Java 11 to Java 21.

Database

The Lobster Data Platform requires its own schema in a database system.

  • PostgreSQL (recommended, version 16.x or later).

  • MySQL or MariaDB.

  • MS SQL Server.

  • Oracle.

You are responsible for providing the appropriate, up-to-date JDBC driver yourself. Use the vendor's website for this.

Supported deployment options

Cloud provider

  • Amazon Web Services (AWS).

  • Microsoft Azure.

  • Google Cloud Platform (GCP).

  • IBM Cloud.

  • Oracle Cloud Infrastructure (OCI).

  • Alibaba Cloud.

  • Private Cloud (OpenStack, VMware Cloud).

On-premises

  • VMware vSphere: Version 7.0 or later, vSAN, or an external SAN solution.

  • Additional hosts: x86-64 servers with virtualization, local SSDs, or SANs with sufficient IOPS performance.

Additional components

Certificates

You may or must use certificates for several protocols. This applies to AS2, FTPS, HTTPS, OFTPS, and SSH (SFTP, SCP).

  • You can create self-signed certificates in the platform.

  • You can obtain trusted certificates from a certification authority.

SAP integration

You are responsible for providing the appropriate SAP JCo (Java Connector). It must match your SAP version and operating system. You are responsible for ensuring compatibility.

Maintenance and backup

You are responsible for the backup strategy for the Lobster Data Platform.

  • Back up all components regularly: Web servers, databases, and the shared file system.

  • Automate your backup processes.

  • Test the recovery process regularly.

  • Store backups in accordance with your compliance requirements.

Update management

  • Before each update, create a full backup of all web servers and databases.

  • Schedule a maintenance window. Updates usually require a brief period of downtime.

  • Have a rollback plan ready.

See also

Related articles