SQL Database Options

Only available in Nexus Repository Pro. Interested in a free trial? Start here.


NEW IN 3.31.0

Database Options for Nexus Repository Pro

Nexus Repository Pro now has two new database options:

  1. An external PostgreSQL database
  2. An embedded H2 database

This page and its subpages explain the benefits of the new database options and how to use them.

Choosing a Database Mode

Before migrating to a new database, review Feature Availability for PostgreSQL and H2 Databases to ensure your selected database will meet your current needs. Whenever possible, we recommend that all new Nexus Repository Pro deployments use PostgreSQL or H2.


There are two important considerations to keep in mind before migrating to a new database:

  1. Unsupported formats will not be migrated; you will not be able to add new formats that your new database does not support. As mentioned above, review Feature Availability for PostgreSQL and H2 Databases and ensure that your new database supports all of your formats before migrating.
  2. Migration is a one-time process; attempts to migrate again will overwrite data.


The table below can help you choose the appropriate database mode for your deployment:

Database ModeAppropriate For
New: External PostgreSQL
(Nexus Repository Pro only)
  • Moderate or large workloads
  • Enterprise deployments
  • Mission-critical deployments of any size
  • Cloud deployments (AWS, Azure)
  • Deployments planning to use a resiliency deployment model

New: Embedded H2
 ( Nexus Repository Pro only)

  • Smaller workloads
  • Single-team deployments
  • Non-mission-critical deployments
  • Disposable deployments (e.g., temporary proxies)
Embedded OrientDB

Benefits of Database Externalization

There are a number of benefits to using an externalized database:

  • Scalability improvements
  • Ability to leverage the benefits of managed, fault-tolerant cloud databases like AWS Aurora, RDS, and Azure Database
  • Improved compatibility with container orchestration such as  Kubernetes and OpenShift
  • Full availability for writes during backups
  • Fault-tolerant cloud deployments with multi-AZ cloud deployment models
  • Substantially simpler and easier disaster recovery procedures

Embedded Mode for Nexus Repository

Nexus Repository provides an embedded-database mode with improved speed using H2 instead of OrientDB. This mode is appropriate for the following scenarios:

  • Teams and smaller organizations with non-mission-critical Nexus Repository needs
  • Automatically provisioned, disposable Nexus Repository instances (e.g., pools of proxy-only instances used to shield a primary instance from a heavy read load)

Other Database Options Topics