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Requirements

Minimum Hardware and Software Requirements

This document outlines the minimum and recommended hardware, software, and network requirements for deploying and running the Onconova containerized application stack. These recommendations are based on empirical resource usage observed in a development environment and are intended to help you provision resources effectively for both development and production scenarios.

System Requirements

The table below summarizes the core system and infrastructure requirements needed to run Onconova reliably:

Resource Minimum requirements
Database PostgreSQL 13+
Docker Engine 17.05.0+
Docker Compose 1.18.0+
CPU 2 vCPUs
RAM 3 GB
Storage 5 GB

Operating System

Onconova runs on any system where Docker is supported, including Linux, macOS, and Windows, as well as container platforms such as Docker Compose or Kubernetes.

Database

Onconova uses PostgreSQL 13 or later as its database backend. You can either connect to an existing PostgreSQL instance or deploy a new instance using the provided Docker image.

Important: Due to PostgreSQL-specific functionality within Onconova, no other database backends (e.g. MySQL, MSSQL, SQLite, Oracle) are supported or compatible.

Network

The Onconova container stack includes an NGINX reverse proxy that exposes HTTP and HTTPS ports for client access.
To secure access to the platform, you must configure:

  • Valid SSL/TLS certificates (self-signed or CA-issued)
  • Accessible host domain and HTTPS port open to end users

Ensure firewall and network configurations permit traffic on the designated HTTP and HTTPS ports.

CPU & Memory

While Onconova can technically run on a single CPU core, for stable performance and to leverage multi-worker concurrency in the WSGI server, a minimum of 2 vCPUs is recommended.

Memory requirements:

  • Linux systems: At least 3 GB RAM
  • macOS and Windows: May require slightly more due to higher system overhead

For production deployments, consider provisioning 4 GB or more for improved performance and resource headroom.

Storage

Storage needs depend on your deployment size and expected data volume.

  • Database storage:

    • Less than 100 MB for core platform data (terminologies, users, etc.)
    • Approx. 200 KB per patient case for additional clinical data
      Example: 2,500 cases ≈ 500 MB database storage

  • Container images and logs:

    • Onconova Docker images require approximately 3.5 GB
    • Minimum recommended storage: 5–10 GB initially, with scaling as data grows

Consider using SSD storage for improved performance, especially for database operations.

Supported Browsers

Onconova is a web-based platform accessed via modern browsers. The following browsers are officially supported:

  • Google Chrome
  • Brave
  • Mozilla Firefox
  • Microsoft Edge
  • Apple Safari

Only the latest stable versions of these browsers are supported. Browsers should be configured for automatic updates to maintain compatibility and security.

Additional Requirements

SNOMED CT International Release File

To use Onconova with SNOMED CT clinical terminology, you must obtain a valid SNOMED CT International release file. Access to this release file requires a SNOMED CT license, which is governed by national licensing arrangements managed by SNOMED International and its member countries.

  • Obtain the release file:
    Visit SNOMED International to check your country's licensing status and download the International release file. Checkout the Installation instructions for further details on which files to download.

  • License requirement:
    You must have a valid SNOMED CT license to download and use the International release file in your Onconova deployment.

For more information, refer to the SNOMED CT Licensing FAQ.

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