page:recipes:admin dashboard:rails:private documents

Host admin dashboard with Rails: private documents

Deploy an admin dashboard built with Rails on Ample using the private document library pattern. Compute runs the app in an isolated microVM behind a public HTTPS URL, a managed PostgreSQL 16 database is auto-provisioned and injected as DATABASE_URL, a private S3-compatible bucket holds objects with credentials delivered as encrypted environment variables. Verified on Rails: a role-to-document access model with negative tests (401 without identity, 403 for the wrong role) and a private-bucket round-trip for the allowed role (private=ok). Not separately tested: your identity integration and role assignments; treat the admin dashboard-specific behavior as your application code.

Resource Requirements

• Compute
• PostgreSQL
• S3-compatible object storage

Infrastructure Requirements

1. Compute
   Apps run in isolated x86_64 Firecracker microVMs that auto-pause when idle and wake on request; sizes are the priced VM sizes.

2. Postgres
   Managed PostgreSQL 16 runs in its own microVM and is auto-provisioned when an app needs a database and no DATABASE_URL is supplied.

3. S3-compatible object storage
   Buckets are S3-compatible with issued credentials; PutObject and GetObject are verified by canary. Other S3 operations are not verified.

Prerequisites

• A Rails project that builds and starts with the documented commands (bundle install into vendor/bundle from Gemfile.lock skipped, then Puma via rails server reading PORT on ruby-3.4 template with RAILS_ENV=production).
• A PostgreSQL driver reading DATABASE_URL at runtime.
• A bucket from ample bucket create with its credentials passed as encrypted S3_* environment variables.
• An Ample account token with servers:write, databases:read, buckets:read.

Workflow Steps

1. Build and start
   bundle install into vendor/bundle from Gemfile.lock (development and test groups skipped), then Puma via rails server reading PORT on ruby-3.4 template with RAILS_ENV=production.

2. Implement the pattern on PostgreSQL
   The fixture's module implements private document library: a role-to-document access model with negative tests (401 without identity, 403 for the wrong role).

3. Wire object storage
   Create the bucket(s), then pass endpoint, region, bucket and keys as --env values. Use path-style addressing.

4. Deploy
   Run the synchronous deploy once and read the result.

5. Verify
   Fetch the live URL and the pattern self-test route(s) (/p/private-document-library) from the example.