Retiring MongoDB after upgrading to AIR v4.37+

This guide is for self-hosted and air-gapped environments that have already upgraded to AIR v4.37 or later.

It applies to:

• Single-tier deployments (/opt/binalyze-air/docker-compose.yml)
• Two-tier deployments (/opt/binalyze-air-db/docker-compose.yml)

Why MongoDB is no longer needed

From v4.37 onward, Timeline data is stored in PostgreSQL. MongoDB is no longer required for normal AIR operations.

Keeping an unused MongoDB container has drawbacks:

• Security scan noise from CVEs in an unused image
• Extra CPU, RAM, and disk usage
• Operational overhead in upgrades and image management (especially in air-gapped environments)

Is removal mandatory?

No. AIR v4.37+ can still run if the MongoDB container remains in place.

However, removal is strongly recommended. Starting with v4.38+, air.mongo images are no longer shipped, which can create avoidable image-pull and maintenance issues in environments that pin tags.

Before you begin

1. Confirm your Console is running v4.37 or newer in Settings > General > Version.
2. Create an AIR backup in Settings > Backup History > Backup Now.
3. Optionally create a VM snapshot for rollback safety.

Step 1: Stop running containers

Single-tier

Stop containers on the Console server

cd /opt/binalyze-air
docker compose down

Two-tier

Stop containers on the Console server

cd /opt/binalyze-air
docker compose down

Stop containers on the DB server

cd /opt/binalyze-air-db
docker compose down

Step 2: Edit docker-compose and remove MongoDB

Open the compose file for your deployment type:

Single-tier

sudo nano /opt/binalyze-air/docker-compose.yml

Two-tier (DB server)

sudo nano /opt/binalyze-air-db/docker-compose.yml

Remove the entire mongodb: service block and any depends_on references to MongoDB.

Keep the ./volumes/mongodb directory for now. Delete it only after validating that you no longer need legacy Timeline data from versions earlier than v4.37.

Step 3: Start containers again

Single-tier

cd /opt/binalyze-air
docker compose up -d --remove-orphans

Two-tier

Start DB server first

cd /opt/binalyze-air-db
docker compose up -d --remove-orphans

Then start Console server

cd /opt/binalyze-air
docker compose up -d

Step 4: Security cleanup (required)

If your environment is scanned by vulnerability tooling, remove unused image layers:

docker image prune -a

Removing only the MongoDB container is not enough. The image should also be removed to avoid false-positive findings from unused, unpatched CVEs.

Step 5: Verify

1. Confirm MongoDB is no longer running:

docker ps | grep mongo

No output is expected.

2. In the AIR UI, open Timeline and verify data is still visible.

FAQ

Do I lose old Timeline data?

No. Timeline was migrated to PostgreSQL in v4.37. Data created after upgrade is stored in PostgreSQL.

Will future upgrades break if MongoDB is still present?

Not immediately, but the unused service remains a maintenance burden. Removing it is recommended.

Can I delete ./volumes/mongodb?

Yes, once you have confirmed you no longer need legacy Timeline data from versions earlier than v4.37.

Does this apply to SaaS?

No. SaaS environments are managed by Binalyze.

Need help?

If you encounter issues, contact Support at [email protected].