How to Connect Your Vercel-Deployed App to an In-House Database Secured with IP Range Blocking Using Fixie
Deploying apps on Vercel offers unparalleled scalability and ease, especially for modern frameworks like Next.js and serverless setups. But did you know that Vercel also supports serverless hosting for popular backend frameworks, including Python Flask? Hosting Flask applications serverlessly on Vercel allows you to build, deploy, and scale Python-based APIs with minimal infrastructure management.
One common challenge, though, arises when your application needs to connect to an in-house database secured with IP range restrictions. Vercel’s dynamic IP addresses can make it difficult to establish a secure connection, as traditional IP allowlisting doesn't work with dynamic IPs. Enter Fixie, a proxy service that provides static IPs, making it easy for Vercel-deployed applications (including Python Flask APIs) to securely connect to IP-restricted databases.
This guide will walk you through the steps for setting up Fixie and seamlessly connecting your Vercel-hosted Flask app to your in-house database.
Why Use Fixie?
Fixie is a reliable proxy service that assigns static IP addresses for outbound requests, allowing applications with dynamic IPs to connect with external services securely. It’s especially useful when working with databases that require specific, allowlisted IP addresses for access. With Fixie, you can overcome Vercel’s IP challenges and enjoy secure, stable connections to your backend database.
Step 1: Set Up Your Database to Accept Connections via Fixie
1. Identify the Static IPs from Fixie: When you subscribe to Fixie, it provides a set of static IP addresses that your app can use for outbound traffic.
2. Allowlist Fixie’s IPs on Your Database: Go to your database’s security settings (whether it's MongoDB, MySQL, or another database) and add Fixie’s static IPs to the IP allowlist.
Note: Ensure the specific ports your database uses are open to Fixie’s IPs as well. This setup is crucial for establishing a stable connection between your database and the Vercel-hosted app via Fixie.
Step 2: Integrate Fixie with Your Vercel App
1. Sign Up for Fixie: If you don’t already have a Fixie account, sign up at [Fixie’s website](https://usefixie.com).
2. Get the Fixie Proxy URL: Once signed in, you’ll have access to a proxy URL that looks like http://username:[email protected]:port. This URL is essential for routing your Flask app’s outbound requests.
3. Add Fixie’s Proxy URL to Vercel: In your Vercel dashboard, go to the project’s settings and navigate to the Environment Variables section. Add the Fixie proxy URL as an environment variable:
- FIXIE_URL: Set this to the proxy URL from Fixie.
- DATABASE_URL: Update this to include the proxy configuration if needed.
Step 3: Configure Your Flask App to Use Fixie’s Proxy
1. Set Up Environment Variables in Flask: Make sure your Flask app is set up to read environment variables. Flask makes it easy to securely use environment variables for sensitive information like database connection strings.
2. Modify Database Connection in Flask Code: Update your database connection code to use Fixie’s proxy. Here’s an example with MongoDB and a Flask app:
3. Set Up Database Connection with Fixie for Other Databases: If you’re using a different database, such as PostgreSQL, follow the same principles by updating the connection setup and ensuring it routes through Fixie’s proxy URL.
Step 4: Test the Connection
With Fixie configured, deploy your Flask app on Vercel. Once it’s live, visit the app’s URL to test its database connectivity. Try running a database operation (like a simple query) to confirm that the app can connect and communicate with your in-house database.
Additional Tips
1. Monitor Fixie Usage: Keep track of your Fixie usage and check that it’s within any limits that apply to your subscription.
2. Enable SSL/TLS Encryption: Strengthen security by ensuring that the connection between Vercel and your database is encrypted, especially when using Fixie as a middle layer.
3. Stay Updated with Fixie’s IPs: Occasionally, Fixie may update IP addresses. Ensure you’re subscribed to notifications from Fixie and update your allowlist when necessary.
Conclusion
Connecting a Vercel-hosted Flask application to an IP-restricted database may initially seem challenging due to Vercel’s dynamic IPs, but with Fixie, you have a powerful solution at your fingertips. By following the steps outlined above, you can establish a secure, stable connection to your database and unlock the potential of your Vercel-deployed application.
Whether it’s for Flask, Node.js, or any other backend framework on Vercel, Fixie offers a straightforward approach to connecting securely to your backend systems. Enjoy the best of both worlds: the scalability of serverless on Vercel and the security of IP-restricted databases!