diff --git a/wherehows-frontend/app/controllers/Application.java b/wherehows-frontend/app/controllers/Application.java
index 6e38476cd7..bafa87d6d5 100644
--- a/wherehows-frontend/app/controllers/Application.java
+++ b/wherehows-frontend/app/controllers/Application.java
@@ -27,7 +27,9 @@ import java.io.FileReader;
 
 import java.lang.reflect.Constructor;
 
+import javax.persistence.EntityManagerFactory;
 import org.apache.commons.lang3.StringUtils;
+import org.hibernate.hikaricp.internal.HikariCPConnectionProvider;
 import play.Logger;
 import play.Play;
 import play.data.DynamicForm;
@@ -38,316 +40,337 @@ import play.mvc.Result;
 import play.mvc.Security;
 import security.AuthenticationManager;
 import utils.Tree;
+import wherehows.dao.ConnectionPoolProperties;
 import wherehows.dao.DaoFactory;
 
 import static play.data.Form.*;
 
+
 public class Application extends Controller {
 
-    private static String TREE_NAME_SUBFIX = ".tree.name";
-    private static final String WHZ_APP_ENV = System.getenv("WHZ_APP_HOME");
-    private static final String APP_VERSION = Play.application().configuration().getString("app.version");
-    private static final String PIWIK_SITE_ID = Play.application().configuration().getString("tracking.piwik.siteid");
-    private static final String PIWIK_URL = Play.application().configuration().getString("tracking.piwik.url");
-    private static final Boolean IS_INTERNAL = Play.application().configuration().getBoolean("linkedin.internal", false);
+  private static String TREE_NAME_SUBFIX = ".tree.name";
+  private static final String WHZ_APP_ENV = System.getenv("WHZ_APP_HOME");
+  private static final String APP_VERSION = Play.application().configuration().getString("app.version");
+  private static final String PIWIK_SITE_ID = Play.application().configuration().getString("tracking.piwik.siteid");
+  private static final String PIWIK_URL = Play.application().configuration().getString("tracking.piwik.url");
+  private static final Boolean IS_INTERNAL = Play.application().configuration().getBoolean("linkedin.internal", false);
+  private static final String DB_WHEREHOWS_URL = Play.application().configuration().getString("db.wherehows.url");
+  private static final String WHZ_DB_DSCLASSNAME =
+      Play.application().configuration().getString("hikaricp.dataSourceClassName");
+  private static final String DB_WHEREHOWS_USERNAME =
+      Play.application().configuration().getString("database.opensource.username");
+  private static final String DB_WHEREHOWS_PASSWORD =
+      Play.application().configuration().getString("database.opensource.password");
+  private static final String DB_WHEREHOWS_DIALECT = Play.application().configuration().getString("hikaricp.dialect");
 
-    public static final DaoFactory daoFactory = createDaoFactory();
+  public static final EntityManagerFactory entityManagerFactory;
 
-    private static DaoFactory createDaoFactory() {
-        try {
-            String className =
-                    Play.application().configuration().getString("dao.factory.class", DaoFactory.class.getCanonicalName());
-            Class factoryClass = Class.forName(className);
-            Constructor<? extends DaoFactory> ctor = factoryClass.getConstructor();
-            return ctor.newInstance();
-        } catch (Exception e) {
-            throw new RuntimeException(e);
-        }
+  static {
+    entityManagerFactory = ConnectionPoolProperties.builder()
+        .providerClass(HikariCPConnectionProvider.class.getName())
+        .dataSourceClassName(WHZ_DB_DSCLASSNAME)
+        .dataSourceURL(DB_WHEREHOWS_URL)
+        .dataSourceUser(DB_WHEREHOWS_USERNAME)
+        .dataSourcePassword(DB_WHEREHOWS_PASSWORD)
+        .dialect(DB_WHEREHOWS_DIALECT)
+        .build()
+        .buildEntityManagerFactory();
+  }
+
+  public static final DaoFactory daoFactory = createDaoFactory();
+
+  private static DaoFactory createDaoFactory() {
+    try {
+      String className = Play.application()
+          .configuration()
+          .getString("dao.entityManagerFactory.class", DaoFactory.class.getCanonicalName());
+      Class factoryClass = Class.forName(className);
+      Constructor<? extends DaoFactory> ctor = factoryClass.getConstructor(EntityManagerFactory.class);
+      return ctor.newInstance(entityManagerFactory);
+    } catch (Exception e) {
+      throw new RuntimeException(e);
+    }
+  }
+
+  /**
+   * Serves the build output index.html for any given path
+   *
+   * @param path takes a path string, which essentially is ignored
+   *             routing is managed client side
+   * @return {Result} build output index.html resource
+   */
+  private static Result serveAsset(String path) {
+    InputStream indexHtml = Play.application().classloader().getResourceAsStream("public/index.html");
+    response().setHeader("Cache-Control", "no-cache");
+
+    return ok(indexHtml).as("text/html");
+  }
+
+  public static Result healthcheck() {
+    return ok("GOOD");
+  }
+
+  public static Result printDeps() {
+    String libPath = WHZ_APP_ENV + "/lib";
+    String commitFile = WHZ_APP_ENV + "/commit";
+    String libraries = "";
+    String commit = "";
+
+    if (WHZ_APP_ENV == null) {
+      return ok("WHZ_APP_HOME environmental variable not defined");
     }
 
-    /**
-     * Serves the build output index.html for any given path
-     *
-     * @param path takes a path string, which essentially is ignored
-     *             routing is managed client side
-     * @return {Result} build output index.html resource
-     */
-    private static Result serveAsset(String path) {
-        InputStream indexHtml = Play.application().classloader().getResourceAsStream("public/index.html");
-        response().setHeader("Cache-Control", "no-cache");
-
-        return ok(indexHtml).as("text/html");
+    try {
+      BufferedReader br = new BufferedReader(new FileReader(commitFile));
+      commit = br.readLine();
+    } catch (IOException ioe) {
+      Logger.error("Error while reading commit file. Error message: " + ioe.getMessage());
     }
 
-    public static Result healthcheck() {
-        return ok("GOOD");
+    //get all the files from a directory
+    File directory = new File(libPath);
+    for (File file : directory.listFiles()) {
+      if (file.isFile()) {
+        libraries += file.getName() + "\n";
+      }
     }
 
-    public static Result printDeps() {
-        String libPath = WHZ_APP_ENV + "/lib";
-        String commitFile = WHZ_APP_ENV + "/commit";
-        String libraries = "";
-        String commit = "";
+    return ok("commit: " + commit + "\n" + libraries);
+  }
 
-        if (WHZ_APP_ENV == null) {
-            return ok("WHZ_APP_HOME environmental variable not defined");
-        }
+  /**
+   * index Action proxies to serveAsset
+   *
+   * @param path takes a path string which is either index.html or the path segment after /
+   * @return {Result} response from serveAsset method
+   */
+  public static Result index(String path) {
+    return serveAsset("");
+  }
 
-        try {
-            BufferedReader br = new BufferedReader(new FileReader(commitFile));
-            commit = br.readLine();
-        } catch (IOException ioe) {
-            Logger.error("Error while reading commit file. Error message: " +
-                    ioe.getMessage());
-        }
+  /**
+   * Creates a wrapping ObjectNode containing config information
+   *
+   * @return Http Result instance with app configuration attributes
+   */
+  public static Result appConfig() {
+    ObjectNode response = Json.newObject();
+    ObjectNode config = Json.newObject();
 
-        //get all the files from a directory
-        File directory = new File(libPath);
-        for (File file : directory.listFiles()) {
-            if (file.isFile()) {
-                libraries += file.getName() + "\n";
-            }
-        }
+    config.put("appVersion", APP_VERSION);
+    config.put("isInternal", IS_INTERNAL);
+    config.put("tracking", trackingInfo());
+    response.put("status", "ok");
+    response.put("config", config);
 
-        return ok("commit: " + commit + "\n" + libraries);
+    return ok(response);
+  }
+
+  /**
+   * @return Json object containing the tracking configuration details
+   */
+  private static ObjectNode trackingInfo() {
+    ObjectNode trackingConfig = Json.newObject();
+    ObjectNode trackers = Json.newObject();
+    ObjectNode piwik = Json.newObject();
+
+    Integer siteId = null;
+    try {
+      siteId = Integer.parseInt(PIWIK_SITE_ID);
+    } catch (NumberFormatException e) {
+      Logger.error("Piwik site ID must be an integer");
     }
 
+    piwik.put("piwikSiteId", siteId);
+    piwik.put("piwikUrl", PIWIK_URL);
+    trackers.put("piwik", piwik);
+    trackingConfig.put("trackers", trackers);
+    trackingConfig.put("isEnabled", true);
 
-    /**
-     * index Action proxies to serveAsset
-     *
-     * @param path takes a path string which is either index.html or the path segment after /
-     * @return {Result} response from serveAsset method
-     */
-    public static Result index(String path) {
-        return serveAsset("");
+    return trackingConfig;
+  }
+
+  @Security.Authenticated(Secured.class)
+  public static Result lineage() {
+    String username = session("user");
+    if (username == null) {
+      username = "";
+    }
+    return serveAsset("");
+  }
+
+  @Security.Authenticated(Secured.class)
+  public static Result datasetLineage(int id) {
+    String username = session("user");
+    if (username == null) {
+      username = "";
     }
 
-    /**
-     * Creates a wrapping ObjectNode containing config information
-     *
-     * @return Http Result instance with app configuration attributes
-     */
-    public static Result appConfig() {
-        ObjectNode response = Json.newObject();
-        ObjectNode config = Json.newObject();
+    return serveAsset("");
+  }
 
-        config.put("appVersion", APP_VERSION);
-        config.put("isInternal", IS_INTERNAL);
-        config.put("tracking", trackingInfo());
-        response.put("status", "ok");
-        response.put("config", config);
-
-        return ok(response);
+  @Security.Authenticated(Secured.class)
+  public static Result metricLineage(int id) {
+    String username = session("user");
+    if (username == null) {
+      username = "";
     }
 
-    /**
-     * @return Json object containing the tracking configuration details
-     */
-    private static ObjectNode trackingInfo() {
-        ObjectNode trackingConfig = Json.newObject();
-        ObjectNode trackers = Json.newObject();
-        ObjectNode piwik = Json.newObject();
+    return serveAsset("");
+  }
 
-        Integer siteId = null;
-        try {
-            siteId = Integer.parseInt(PIWIK_SITE_ID);
-        } catch (NumberFormatException e) {
-            Logger.error("Piwik site ID must be an integer");
-        }
-
-        piwik.put("piwikSiteId", siteId);
-        piwik.put("piwikUrl", PIWIK_URL);
-        trackers.put("piwik", piwik);
-        trackingConfig.put("trackers", trackers);
-        trackingConfig.put("isEnabled", true);
-
-        return trackingConfig;
+  @Security.Authenticated(Secured.class)
+  public static Result flowLineage(String application, String project, String flow) {
+    String username = session("user");
+    if (username == null) {
+      username = "";
+    }
+    String type = "azkaban";
+    if (StringUtils.isNotBlank(application) && (application.toLowerCase().indexOf("appworx") != -1)) {
+      type = "appworx";
     }
 
-    @Security.Authenticated(Secured.class)
-    public static Result lineage() {
-        String username = session("user");
-        if (username == null) {
-            username = "";
-        }
-        return serveAsset("");
+    return serveAsset("");
+  }
+
+  @Security.Authenticated(Secured.class)
+  public static Result schemaHistory() {
+    String username = session("user");
+    if (username == null) {
+      username = "";
     }
 
-    @Security.Authenticated(Secured.class)
-    public static Result datasetLineage(int id) {
-        String username = session("user");
-        if (username == null) {
-            username = "";
-        }
+    return serveAsset("");
+  }
 
-        return serveAsset("");
+  @Security.Authenticated(Secured.class)
+  public static Result scriptFinder() {
+    String username = session("user");
+    if (username == null) {
+      username = "";
     }
 
-    @Security.Authenticated(Secured.class)
-    public static Result metricLineage(int id) {
-        String username = session("user");
-        if (username == null) {
-            username = "";
-        }
+    return serveAsset("");
+  }
 
-        return serveAsset("");
+  @Security.Authenticated(Secured.class)
+  public static Result idpc() {
+    String username = session("user");
+    if (username == null) {
+      username = "";
+    }
+    return serveAsset("");
+  }
+
+  @Security.Authenticated(Secured.class)
+  public static Result dashboard() {
+    String username = session("user");
+    if (username == null) {
+      username = "";
+    }
+    return serveAsset("");
+  }
+
+  public static Result login() {
+    //You cann generate the Csrf token such as String csrfToken = SecurityPlugin.getInstance().getCsrfToken();
+    String csrfToken = "";
+    return serveAsset("");
+  }
+
+  @BodyParser.Of(BodyParser.Json.class)
+  public static Result authenticate() {
+    JsonNode json = request().body().asJson();
+    // Extract username and password as String from JsonNode,
+    //   null if they are not strings
+    String username = json.findPath("username").textValue();
+    String password = json.findPath("password").textValue();
+
+    if (username == null || StringUtils.isBlank(username)) {
+      return badRequest("Missing or invalid [username]");
+    }
+    if (password == null || StringUtils.isBlank(password)) {
+      return badRequest("Missing or invalid [credentials]");
     }
 
-    @Security.Authenticated(Secured.class)
-    public static Result flowLineage(String application, String project, String flow) {
-        String username = session("user");
-        if (username == null) {
-            username = "";
-        }
-        String type = "azkaban";
-        if (StringUtils.isNotBlank(application) && (application.toLowerCase().indexOf("appworx") != -1)) {
-            type = "appworx";
+    session().clear();
 
-        }
-
-        return serveAsset("");
+    // Create a uuid string for this session if one doesn't already exist
+    //   to be appended to the Result object
+    String uuid = session("uuid");
+    if (uuid == null) {
+      uuid = java.util.UUID.randomUUID().toString();
+      session("uuid", uuid);
     }
 
-    @Security.Authenticated(Secured.class)
-    public static Result schemaHistory() {
-        String username = session("user");
-        if (username == null) {
-            username = "";
-        }
-
-        return serveAsset("");
+    try {
+      AuthenticationManager.authenticateUser(username, password);
+    } catch (Exception e) {
+      return badRequest("Invalid credentials");
     }
 
-    @Security.Authenticated(Secured.class)
-    public static Result scriptFinder() {
-        String username = session("user");
-        if (username == null) {
-            username = "";
-        }
+    // Adds the username to the session cookie
+    session("user", username);
+    // Construct an ObjectNode with the username and uuid token to be sent with the response
+    ObjectNode data = Json.newObject();
+    data.put("username", username);
+    data.put("uuid", uuid);
 
-        return serveAsset("");
+    // Create a new response ObjectNode to return when authenticate request is successful
+    ObjectNode response = Json.newObject();
+    response.put("status", "ok");
+    response.set("data", data);
+    return ok(response);
+  }
+
+  public static Result signUp() {
+    DynamicForm loginForm = form().bindFromRequest();
+    String username = loginForm.get("inputName");
+    String firstName = loginForm.get("inputFirstName");
+    String lastName = loginForm.get("inputLastName");
+    String email = loginForm.get("inputEmail");
+    String password = loginForm.get("inputPassword");
+    String errorMessage = "";
+    try {
+      errorMessage = UserDAO.signUp(username, firstName, lastName, email, password);
+      if (StringUtils.isNotBlank(errorMessage)) {
+        flash("error", errorMessage);
+      } else {
+        flash("success", "Congratulations! Your account has been created. Please login.");
+      }
+    } catch (Exception e) {
+      flash("error", e.getMessage());
     }
 
-    @Security.Authenticated(Secured.class)
-    public static Result idpc() {
-        String username = session("user");
-        if (username == null) {
-            username = "";
-        }
-        return serveAsset("");
+    return serveAsset("");
+  }
+
+  public static Result logout() {
+    session().clear();
+    return ok();
+  }
+
+  public static Result loadTree(String key) {
+    if (StringUtils.isNotBlank(key) && key.equalsIgnoreCase("flows")) {
+      return ok(FlowsDAO.getFlowApplicationNodes());
+    } else if (StringUtils.isNotBlank(key) && key.equalsIgnoreCase("metrics")) {
+      return ok(MetricsDAO.getMetricDashboardNodes());
     }
+    return ok(Tree.loadTreeJsonNode(key + TREE_NAME_SUBFIX));
+  }
 
-    @Security.Authenticated(Secured.class)
-    public static Result dashboard() {
-        String username = session("user");
-        if (username == null) {
-            username = "";
-        }
-        return serveAsset("");
-    }
+  public static Result loadFlowProjects(String app) {
+    return ok(FlowsDAO.getFlowProjectNodes(app));
+  }
 
-    public static Result login() {
-        //You cann generate the Csrf token such as String csrfToken = SecurityPlugin.getInstance().getCsrfToken();
-        String csrfToken = "";
-        return serveAsset("");
-    }
+  public static Result loadFlowNodes(String app, String project) {
+    return ok(FlowsDAO.getFlowNodes(app, project));
+  }
 
-    @BodyParser.Of(BodyParser.Json.class)
-    public static Result authenticate() {
-        JsonNode json = request().body().asJson();
-        // Extract username and password as String from JsonNode,
-        //   null if they are not strings
-        String username = json.findPath("username").textValue();
-        String password = json.findPath("password").textValue();
-
-        if (username == null || StringUtils.isBlank(username)) {
-            return badRequest("Missing or invalid [username]");
-        }
-        if (password == null || StringUtils.isBlank(password)) {
-            return badRequest("Missing or invalid [credentials]");
-        }
-
-        session().clear();
-
-        // Create a uuid string for this session if one doesn't already exist
-        //   to be appended to the Result object
-        String uuid = session("uuid");
-        if (uuid == null) {
-            uuid = java.util.UUID.randomUUID().toString();
-            session("uuid", uuid);
-        }
-
-        try {
-            AuthenticationManager.authenticateUser(username, password);
-        } catch (Exception e) {
-            return badRequest("Invalid credentials");
-        }
-
-        // Adds the username to the session cookie
-        session("user", username);
-        // Construct an ObjectNode with the username and uuid token to be sent with the response
-        ObjectNode data = Json.newObject();
-        data.put("username", username);
-        data.put("uuid", uuid);
-
-        // Create a new response ObjectNode to return when authenticate request is successful
-        ObjectNode response = Json.newObject();
-        response.put("status", "ok");
-        response.set("data", data);
-        return ok(response);
-    }
-
-    public static Result signUp() {
-        DynamicForm loginForm = form().bindFromRequest();
-        String username = loginForm.get("inputName");
-        String firstName = loginForm.get("inputFirstName");
-        String lastName = loginForm.get("inputLastName");
-        String email = loginForm.get("inputEmail");
-        String password = loginForm.get("inputPassword");
-        String errorMessage = "";
-        try {
-            errorMessage = UserDAO.signUp(username, firstName, lastName, email, password);
-            if (StringUtils.isNotBlank(errorMessage)) {
-                flash("error", errorMessage);
-            } else {
-                flash("success", "Congratulations! Your account has been created. Please login.");
-            }
-        } catch (Exception e) {
-            flash("error", e.getMessage());
-        }
-
-        return serveAsset("");
-    }
-
-    public static Result logout() {
-        session().clear();
-        return ok();
-    }
-
-    public static Result loadTree(String key) {
-        if (StringUtils.isNotBlank(key) && key.equalsIgnoreCase("flows")) {
-            return ok(FlowsDAO.getFlowApplicationNodes());
-        } else if (StringUtils.isNotBlank(key) && key.equalsIgnoreCase("metrics")) {
-            return ok(MetricsDAO.getMetricDashboardNodes());
-        }
-        return ok(Tree.loadTreeJsonNode(key + TREE_NAME_SUBFIX));
-    }
-
-    public static Result loadFlowProjects(String app) {
-        return ok(FlowsDAO.getFlowProjectNodes(app));
-    }
-
-    public static Result loadFlowNodes(String app, String project) {
-        return ok(FlowsDAO.getFlowNodes(app, project));
-    }
-
-    public static Result loadMetricGroups(String dashboard) {
-        return ok(MetricsDAO.getMetricGroupNodes(dashboard));
-    }
-
-    public static Result loadMetricNodes(String dashboard, String group) {
-        return ok(MetricsDAO.getMetricNodes(dashboard, group));
-    }
+  public static Result loadMetricGroups(String dashboard) {
+    return ok(MetricsDAO.getMetricGroupNodes(dashboard));
+  }
 
+  public static Result loadMetricNodes(String dashboard, String group) {
+    return ok(MetricsDAO.getMetricNodes(dashboard, group));
+  }
 }
diff --git a/wherehows-frontend/conf/application.conf b/wherehows-frontend/conf/application.conf
index 56ad67c386..5933ce4ff5 100644
--- a/wherehows-frontend/conf/application.conf
+++ b/wherehows-frontend/conf/application.conf
@@ -60,6 +60,16 @@ database.opensource.username = ${WHZ_DB_USERNAME}
 database.opensource.password = ${WHZ_DB_PASSWORD}
 database.opensource.url = ${WHZ_DB_URL}
 
+# Hibernate HIKARICP connection driver name
+# HikariCP is an open source JDBC connection pooling library
+hikaricp.dataSourceClassName = "com.mysql.jdbc.jdbc2.optional.MysqlDataSource"
+hikaricp.dataSourceClassName = ${?WHZ_DB_DSCLASSNAME}
+
+# dialect for DB
+# example values for different db: org.hibernate.dialect.MySQL5InnoDBDialect, org.hibernate.dialect.H2Dialect
+hikaricp.dialect = "org.hibernate.dialect.MySQL5InnoDBDialect"
+hikaricp.dialect = ${?WHZ_DB_DIALECT}
+
 search.engine = "default"
 search.engine = ${?WHZ_SEARCH_ENGINE}
 
@@ -80,4 +90,5 @@ lineage.look.back.time = ${?LINEAGE_LOOK_BACK_TIME}
 
 # Tracking
 tracking.piwik.siteid = ${?PIWIK_SITE_ID}
-tracking.piwik.url = ${?PIWIK_URL}
\ No newline at end of file
+tracking.piwik.url = ${?PIWIK_URL}
+