Getting Started with ReadSentinel

Requirements

API Server

• .NET 10 Runtime (or Docker)
• Windows Server / Linux with IIS or Kestrel
• Network access to the databases you want to connect

Desktop Client

• Windows 10/11 (64-bit)
• macOS and Linux — coming soon

Step 1: Deploy the API

Option A: IIS (Windows Server)

1. Extract the API package to a folder (e.g., C:\ReadSentinel\api)
2. Set the encryption key environment variable: Encryption:Key
3. Create an IIS site pointing to the folder
4. Verify: navigate to http://yourserver:port/api/health

Option B: Docker

Step 2: First Login

On first launch, ReadSentinel creates a default admin account:

You'll be forced to change the password on first login. After that, use the admin panel to create real user accounts.

Step 3: Add Database Connections

As an admin, click the + button in the connection tree to add a database:

• Name: A friendly label (e.g., "Production - Customer DB")
• Type: Oracle, PostgreSQL, MySQL, or MongoDB
• Connection String: Standard format for the database type, or use individual fields
• Timeout: Maximum query execution time (1–120 seconds)
• Folder: Organize connections into folders

Connection strings are encrypted with AES-256-GCM before storage. You can test the connection before saving.

Step 4: Create Users & Roles

In the Admin Panel:

1. Create Roles — e.g., "Support", "Engineering", "Audit"
2. Assign Connections to Roles — e.g., Support can access Customer DB, not Billing DB
3. Create Users — set email, initial password, admin/reader status
4. Assign Users to Roles — users only see connections for their assigned roles

Non-admin users cannot manage connections, users, or roles. They can only execute read-only queries on connections they have access to.

Step 5: Start Querying

Double-click a connection in the sidebar to open a query tab. Write your SQL and:

• Ctrl+Enter — Execute the query (or selected text)
• Ctrl+Space — Validate without executing (checks syntax and permissions)

Results appear in a resizable table with:

• Column sorting and resizing
• Row selection (Ctrl+click, Shift+click, Ctrl+A)
• Copy as CSV (Ctrl+C) or Export CSV button

For MongoDB, select a database and collection from dropdowns, then write a JSON filter. Results display as collapsible JSON documents.

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