Size XS - Sonatype Nexus Repository - AWS Cloud-Native Reference Architecture

This Sonatype Nexus Repository extra-small reference architecture describes the minimum supported infrastructure specifications for deploying a single Sonatype Nexus Repository instance with embedded H2 database in AWS using cloud-native services. It has been validated to support a baseline request load of 100 requests per second (6,000 requests per minute) in a steady state and to handle spikes of 150–200 requests per second without failing.

This reference architecture represents the smallest supported infrastructure footprint for running Nexus Repository and is appropriate for evaluation environments and small-team light use only; it is not appropriate for production deployments.

Infrastructure Specifications

This reference architecture defines a minimal Nexus Repository deployment that runs all components on a single node.

The architecture includes the following layers:

• Compute Layer – Nexus Repository application runtime
• Database Layer – Embedded H2 metadata database
• Storage Layer – Local filesystem blob storage
• Network Layer – Optional load balancing and connectivity

Compute Layer (Nexus Repository)

The compute layer hosts the Nexus Repository application and processes all repository requests, including artifact uploads, downloads, and metadata operations.

This layer meets the following specifications:

Single Nexus Repository node:

• 4 vCPU
• 16 GiB RAM

JVM configuration:

• Xms=8G
• Xmx=8G
• MaxDirectMemorySize=4G

Example AWS instance types:

• m8g.xlarge
• m7g.xlarge

Network throughput:

• ≥12.5 Gbps

This node also runs the embedded H2 database and manages the local blob store.

Database Layer (Embedded H2)

The XS architecture uses the embedded H2 database that runs within the Nexus Repository process.

This layer has the following characteristics:

• Embedded database instance running inside the Nexus Repository node
• Stores repository configuration and metadata
• Requires no external database infrastructure

Storage Layer (Local Blob Storage)

Binary artifacts and repository assets are stored in a local filesystem blob store on the Nexus Repository node.

This layer meets the following specifications:

• Local NVMe SSD storage
• Minimum 200 GB for application and operational data
• Minimum 200 GB for blob storage
• Minimum 2000 IOPS

The total volume size should be adjusted based on repository formats, artifact sizes, and expected repository growth.

Network and Security

At this scale, Nexus Repository can be accessed directly through the application node.

Typical deployment patterns include the following:

• Direct access to the Nexus Repository node
• Optional Application Load Balancer (ALB) in front of the repository node

Introducing a load balancer can simplify future scaling or migration to larger reference architectures.

Apply standard network security practices, including the following:

• Restrict inbound access to the repository service ports
• Secure administrative access to the host instance
• Isolate repository infrastructure within a controlled network environment

Limitations

This architecture is designed for small-scale non-production environments and has several limitations:

• The deployment consists of a single Nexus Repository node and does not provide application-level high availability.
• The embedded H2 database is intended only for non-production environments.
• Local filesystem blob storage does not provide built-in redundancy or disaster recovery.
• Maintenance operations or node failures may require downtime.

Organizations requiring production-grade reliability, externalized storage, or improved scalability should consider larger reference architecture tiers that introduce PostgreSQL and external storage systems.

Deploying this Architecture

You can quickly deploy this reference architecture using Sonatype's Nexus Repository Terraform configuration for an AWS deployments. This automates the creation and configuration of all required AWS resources, including networking, compute, storage, and security components.

For full deployment details, see the README that accompanies the provided Terraform.