diff --git a/ui/medashare/__init__.py b/ui/medashare/__init__.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..e69de29
diff --git a/ui/medashare/alembic.ini b/ui/medashare/alembic.ini
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..3c1448d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/ui/medashare/alembic.ini
@@ -0,0 +1,105 @@
+# A generic, single database configuration.
+
+[alembic]
+# path to migration scripts
+script_location = alembic
+
+# template used to generate migration file names; The default value is %%(rev)s_%%(slug)s
+# Uncomment the line below if you want the files to be prepended with date and time
+# see https://alembic.sqlalchemy.org/en/latest/tutorial.html#editing-the-ini-file
+# for all available tokens
+# file_template = %%(year)d_%%(month).2d_%%(day).2d_%%(hour).2d%%(minute).2d-%%(rev)s_%%(slug)s
+
+# sys.path path, will be prepended to sys.path if present.
+# defaults to the current working directory.
+prepend_sys_path = .
+
+# timezone to use when rendering the date within the migration file
+# as well as the filename.
+# If specified, requires the python-dateutil library that can be
+# installed by adding `alembic[tz]` to the pip requirements
+# string value is passed to dateutil.tz.gettz()
+# leave blank for localtime
+# timezone =
+
+# max length of characters to apply to the
+# "slug" field
+# truncate_slug_length = 40
+
+# set to 'true' to run the environment during
+# the 'revision' command, regardless of autogenerate
+# revision_environment = false
+
+# set to 'true' to allow .pyc and .pyo files without
+# a source .py file to be detected as revisions in the
+# versions/ directory
+# sourceless = false
+
+# version location specification; This defaults
+# to alembic/versions.  When using multiple version
+# directories, initial revisions must be specified with --version-path.
+# The path separator used here should be the separator specified by "version_path_separator" below.
+# version_locations = %(here)s/bar:%(here)s/bat:alembic/versions
+
+# version path separator; As mentioned above, this is the character used to split
+# version_locations. The default within new alembic.ini files is "os", which uses os.pathsep.
+# If this key is omitted entirely, it falls back to the legacy behavior of splitting on spaces and/or commas.
+# Valid values for version_path_separator are:
+#
+# version_path_separator = :
+# version_path_separator = ;
+# version_path_separator = space
+version_path_separator = os  # Use os.pathsep. Default configuration used for new projects.
+
+# the output encoding used when revision files
+# are written from script.py.mako
+# output_encoding = utf-8
+
+sqlalchemy.url = sqlite+pysqlite:///:memory:
+
+
+[post_write_hooks]
+# post_write_hooks defines scripts or Python functions that are run
+# on newly generated revision scripts.  See the documentation for further
+# detail and examples
+
+# format using "black" - use the console_scripts runner, against the "black" entrypoint
+# hooks = black
+# black.type = console_scripts
+# black.entrypoint = black
+# black.options = -l 79 REVISION_SCRIPT_FILENAME
+
+# Logging configuration
+[loggers]
+keys = root,sqlalchemy,alembic
+
+[handlers]
+keys = console
+
+[formatters]
+keys = generic
+
+[logger_root]
+level = WARN
+handlers = console
+qualname =
+
+[logger_sqlalchemy]
+level = WARN
+handlers =
+qualname = sqlalchemy.engine
+
+[logger_alembic]
+level = INFO
+handlers =
+qualname = alembic
+
+[handler_console]
+class = StreamHandler
+args = (sys.stderr,)
+level = NOTSET
+formatter = generic
+
+[formatter_generic]
+format = %(levelname)-5.5s [%(name)s] %(message)s
+datefmt = %H:%M:%S
diff --git a/ui/medashare/alembic/README b/ui/medashare/alembic/README
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..31b42d6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/ui/medashare/alembic/README
@@ -0,0 +1,41 @@
+New Version
+-----------
+
+To create a revision, update the ORM in medashare/orm.py.
+
+Then run:
+```
+alembic revision --autogenerate -m 'what you did'
+```
+
+This will create a version file.  Edit the version file to support the
+migration (such as populating new columns).
+
+Once things are tested as good, commit everything.
+
+Differences from template
+-------------------------
+
+There are a couple difference, first the `alembic.ini` file
+was updated:
+```
+sqlalchemy.url = sqlite+pysqlite:///:memory:
+```
+
+This lets the `--autogenerate` work properly.
+
+The second is that the `env.py:run_migrations_online` was updated with:
+```
+    if 'engine' in config.attributes:
+        connectable = config.attributes['engine']
+    else:
+```
+so that the engine could be passed in directly as opposed to
+opening the file again, or passing in the url.
+
+TODO
+----
+
+Figure out how to automatically add the `medashare.orm` import to
+the script.  The template implies that there is a way, but don't know
+where the config comes from.
diff --git a/ui/medashare/alembic/env.py b/ui/medashare/alembic/env.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..0c43534
--- /dev/null
+++ b/ui/medashare/alembic/env.py
@@ -0,0 +1,83 @@
+from logging.config import fileConfig
+
+from sqlalchemy import engine_from_config
+from sqlalchemy import pool
+
+from alembic import context
+
+# this is the Alembic Config object, which provides
+# access to the values within the .ini file in use.
+config = context.config
+
+# Interpret the config file for Python logging.
+# This line sets up loggers basically.
+if config.config_file_name is not None:
+    fileConfig(config.config_file_name)
+
+# add your model's MetaData object here
+# for 'autogenerate' support
+# from myapp import mymodel
+# target_metadata = mymodel.Base.metadata
+import medashare.orm
+target_metadata = medashare.orm.Base.metadata
+
+# other values from the config, defined by the needs of env.py,
+# can be acquired:
+# my_important_option = config.get_main_option("my_important_option")
+# ... etc.
+
+
+def run_migrations_offline() -> None:
+    """Run migrations in 'offline' mode.
+
+    This configures the context with just a URL
+    and not an Engine, though an Engine is acceptable
+    here as well.  By skipping the Engine creation
+    we don't even need a DBAPI to be available.
+
+    Calls to context.execute() here emit the given string to the
+    script output.
+
+    """
+    url = config.get_main_option("sqlalchemy.url")
+    context.configure(
+        url=url,
+        target_metadata=target_metadata,
+        literal_binds=True,
+        dialect_opts={"paramstyle": "named"},
+    )
+
+    with context.begin_transaction():
+        context.run_migrations()
+
+
+def run_migrations_online() -> None:
+    """Run migrations in 'online' mode.
+
+    In this scenario we need to create an Engine
+    and associate a connection with the context.
+
+    """
+
+    if 'engine' in config.attributes:
+        connectable = config.attributes['engine']
+    else:
+        connectable = engine_from_config(
+            config.get_section(config.config_ini_section),
+            prefix="sqlalchemy.",
+            poolclass=pool.NullPool,
+        )
+
+    with connectable.connect() as connection:
+        context.configure(
+            connection=connection, target_metadata=target_metadata
+        )
+
+        with context.begin_transaction():
+            context.run_migrations()
+
+
+if context.is_offline_mode():
+    run_migrations_offline()
+else:
+    run_migrations_online()
diff --git a/ui/medashare/alembic/script.py.mako b/ui/medashare/alembic/script.py.mako
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..55df286
--- /dev/null
+++ b/ui/medashare/alembic/script.py.mako
@@ -0,0 +1,24 @@
+"""${message}
+
+Revision ID: ${up_revision}
+Revises: ${down_revision | comma,n}
+Create Date: ${create_date}
+
+"""
+from alembic import op
+import sqlalchemy as sa
+${imports if imports else ""}
+
+# revision identifiers, used by Alembic.
+revision = ${repr(up_revision)}
+down_revision = ${repr(down_revision)}
+branch_labels = ${repr(branch_labels)}
+depends_on = ${repr(depends_on)}
+
+
+def upgrade() -> None:
+    ${upgrades if upgrades else "pass"}
+
+
+def downgrade() -> None:
+    ${downgrades if downgrades else "pass"}
diff --git a/ui/medashare/alembic/versions/afad01589b76_initial_db_schema.py b/ui/medashare/alembic/versions/afad01589b76_initial_db_schema.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..88d0161
--- /dev/null
+++ b/ui/medashare/alembic/versions/afad01589b76_initial_db_schema.py
@@ -0,0 +1,63 @@
+"""initial db schema
+
+Revision ID: afad01589b76
+Revises: 
+Create Date: 2022-09-09 17:08:06.132506
+
+"""
+from alembic import op
+import sqlalchemy as sa
+
+import medashare.orm
+
+# revision identifiers, used by Alembic.
+revision = 'afad01589b76'
+down_revision = None
+branch_labels = None
+depends_on = None
+
+
+def upgrade() -> None:
+    # ### commands auto generated by Alembic - please adjust! ###
+    op.create_table('dummy',
+    sa.Column('id', sa.Integer(), nullable=False),
+    sa.PrimaryKeyConstraint('id')
+    )
+    op.create_table('hash_index',
+    sa.Column('hash', sa.String(), nullable=False),
+    sa.Column('uuid', medashare.orm.UUID(length=32), nullable=False),
+    sa.PrimaryKeyConstraint('hash', 'uuid')
+    )
+    op.create_table('hostmapping',
+    sa.Column('hostid', medashare.orm.UUID(length=32), nullable=False),
+    sa.Column('objid', medashare.orm.UUID(length=32), nullable=False),
+    sa.PrimaryKeyConstraint('hostid', 'objid')
+    )
+    op.create_table('hosttable',
+    sa.Column('hostid', medashare.orm.UUID(length=32), nullable=False),
+    sa.Column('objid', medashare.orm.UUID(length=32), nullable=True),
+    sa.PrimaryKeyConstraint('hostid')
+    )
+    op.create_table('metadata_objects',
+    sa.Column('uuid', medashare.orm.UUID(length=32), nullable=False),
+    sa.Column('modified', sa.DateTime(), nullable=True),
+    sa.Column('data', medashare.orm.MDBaseType(), nullable=True),
+    sa.PrimaryKeyConstraint('uuid')
+    )
+    op.create_table('uuidv5_index',
+    sa.Column('uuid', medashare.orm.UUID(length=32), nullable=False),
+    sa.Column('objid', medashare.orm.UUID(length=32), nullable=True),
+    sa.PrimaryKeyConstraint('uuid')
+    )
+    # ### end Alembic commands ###
+
+
+def downgrade() -> None:
+    # ### commands auto generated by Alembic - please adjust! ###
+    op.drop_table('uuidv5_index')
+    op.drop_table('metadata_objects')
+    op.drop_table('hosttable')
+    op.drop_table('hostmapping')
+    op.drop_table('hash_index')
+    op.drop_table('dummy')
+    # ### end Alembic commands ###
diff --git a/ui/medashare/cli.py b/ui/medashare/cli.py
index ad3f5de..31a4d19 100644
--- a/ui/medashare/cli.py
+++ b/ui/medashare/cli.py
@@ -284,13 +284,35 @@ class ObjectStore(object):
 	# looking up the UUIDv5 for FileObjects.
 
 	def __init__(self, engine, created_by_ref):
-		orm.Base.metadata.create_all(engine)
+		#orm.Base.metadata.create_all(engine)
 
 		self._engine = engine
 		self._ses = sessionmaker(engine)
 
 		self._created_by_ref = created_by_ref
 
+		self._handle_migration()
+
+	def _handle_migration(self):
+		'''Handle migrating the database to a newer version.'''
+
+		# running commands directly:
+		# pydoc3 alembic.config.Config
+		# pydoc3 alembic.commands
+
+		# inspecting the scripts directly:
+		# alembic/script/base.py:61
+
+		from alembic import command
+		from alembic.config import Config
+
+		config = Config()
+		config.set_main_option("script_location", "medashare:alembic")
+
+		with self._engine.begin() as connection:
+			config.attributes['engine'] = self._engine
+			command.upgrade(config, 'head')
+
 	def get_host(self, hostuuid):
 		hostuuid = _makeuuid(hostuuid)
 
diff --git a/ui/setup.py b/ui/setup.py
index ba2f069..36e1b5d 100644
--- a/ui/setup.py
+++ b/ui/setup.py
@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@ setup(
     long_description=open('README.md').read(),
     python_requires='>=3.8',
     install_requires=[
+	'alembic',
 	'base58',
 	'cryptography',
         'databases[sqlite]',