diff --git a/config/dev.exs b/config/dev.exs
--- a/config/dev.exs
+++ b/config/dev.exs
@@ -35,9 +35,9 @@
 
 # Configure your database
 config :kolab_chat, KolabChat.Repo,
-  adapter: Ecto.Adapters.Postgres,
-  username: "postgres",
-  password: "postgres",
+  adapter: Ecto.Adapters.MySQL,
+  username: "root",
+  password: "12345",
   database: "kolab_chat_dev",
   hostname: "localhost",
   pool_size: 10
diff --git a/config/test.exs b/config/test.exs
--- a/config/test.exs
+++ b/config/test.exs
@@ -11,9 +11,9 @@
 
 # Configure your database
 config :kolab_chat, KolabChat.Repo,
-  adapter: Ecto.Adapters.Postgres,
-  username: "postgres",
-  password: "postgres",
+  adapter: Ecto.Adapters.MySQL,
+  username: "root",
+  password: "12345",
   database: "kolab_chat_test",
   hostname: "localhost",
   pool: Ecto.Adapters.SQL.Sandbox
diff --git a/lib/kolab_chat.ex b/lib/kolab_chat.ex
--- a/lib/kolab_chat.ex
+++ b/lib/kolab_chat.ex
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@
     # Define workers and child supervisors to be supervised
     children = [
       # Start the Ecto repository
-      #supervisor(KolabChat.Repo, []),
+      supervisor(KolabChat.Repo, []),
       # Start the endpoint when the application starts
       supervisor(KolabChat.Endpoint, []),
       # Start your own worker by calling: KolabChat.Worker.start_link(arg1, arg2, arg3)
diff --git a/mix.exs b/mix.exs
--- a/mix.exs
+++ b/mix.exs
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@
   def application do
     [mod: {KolabChat, []},
      applications: [:phoenix, :phoenix_pubsub, :phoenix_html, :cowboy, :logger, :gettext,
-                    :phoenix_ecto, :postgrex]]
+                    :phoenix_ecto, :mariaex]]
   end
 
   # Specifies which paths to compile per environment.
@@ -33,7 +33,7 @@
     [{:phoenix, "~> 1.2.1"},
      {:phoenix_pubsub, "~> 1.0"},
      {:phoenix_ecto, "~> 3.0"},
-     {:postgrex, ">= 0.0.0"},
+     {:mariaex, "~> 0.7.9", override: true},
      {:phoenix_html, "~> 2.6"},
      {:phoenix_live_reload, "~> 1.0", only: :dev},
      {:gettext, "~> 0.11"},
diff --git a/mix.lock b/mix.lock
--- a/mix.lock
+++ b/mix.lock
@@ -1,19 +1,19 @@
 %{"connection": {:hex, :connection, "1.0.4", "a1cae72211f0eef17705aaededacac3eb30e6625b04a6117c1b2db6ace7d5976", [:mix], []},
   "cowboy": {:hex, :cowboy, "1.0.4", "a324a8df9f2316c833a470d918aaf73ae894278b8aa6226ce7a9bf699388f878", [:rebar, :make], [{:cowlib, "~> 1.0.0", [hex: :cowlib, optional: false]}, {:ranch, "~> 1.0", [hex: :ranch, optional: false]}]},
   "cowlib": {:hex, :cowlib, "1.0.2", "9d769a1d062c9c3ac753096f868ca121e2730b9a377de23dec0f7e08b1df84ee", [:make], []},
-  "db_connection": {:hex, :db_connection, "1.1.0", "b2b88db6d7d12f99997b584d09fad98e560b817a20dab6a526830e339f54cdb3", [:mix], [{:connection, "~> 1.0.2", [hex: :connection, optional: false]}, {:poolboy, "~> 1.5", [hex: :poolboy, optional: true]}, {:sbroker, "~> 1.0", [hex: :sbroker, optional: true]}]},
+  "db_connection": {:hex, :db_connection, "1.0.0", "63c03e520d54886a66104d34e32397ba960db6e74b596ce221592c07d6a40d8d", [:mix], [{:connection, "~> 1.0.2", [hex: :connection, optional: false]}, {:poolboy, "~> 1.5", [hex: :poolboy, optional: true]}, {:sbroker, "~> 1.0", [hex: :sbroker, optional: true]}]},
   "decimal": {:hex, :decimal, "1.3.1", "157b3cedb2bfcb5359372a7766dd7a41091ad34578296e951f58a946fcab49c6", [:mix], []},
-  "ecto": {:hex, :ecto, "2.0.5", "7f4c79ac41ffba1a4c032b69d7045489f0069c256de606523c65d9f8188e502d", [:mix], [{:db_connection, "~> 1.0-rc.4", [hex: :db_connection, optional: true]}, {:decimal, "~> 1.1.2 or ~> 1.2", [hex: :decimal, optional: false]}, {:mariaex, "~> 0.7.7", [hex: :mariaex, optional: true]}, {:poison, "~> 1.5 or ~> 2.0", [hex: :poison, optional: true]}, {:poolboy, "~> 1.5", [hex: :poolboy, optional: false]}, {:postgrex, "~> 0.12.0", [hex: :postgrex, optional: true]}, {:sbroker, "~> 1.0-beta", [hex: :sbroker, optional: true]}]},
+  "ecto": {:hex, :ecto, "2.0.6", "9dcbf819c2a77f67a66b83739b7fcc00b71aaf6c100016db4f798930fa4cfd47", [:mix], [{:db_connection, "~> 1.0", [hex: :db_connection, optional: true]}, {:decimal, "~> 1.1.2 or ~> 1.2", [hex: :decimal, optional: false]}, {:mariaex, "~> 0.8.0", [hex: :mariaex, optional: true]}, {:poison, "~> 1.5 or ~> 2.0", [hex: :poison, optional: true]}, {:poolboy, "~> 1.5", [hex: :poolboy, optional: false]}, {:postgrex, "~> 0.12.0", [hex: :postgrex, optional: true]}, {:sbroker, "~> 1.0-beta", [hex: :sbroker, optional: true]}]},
   "fs": {:hex, :fs, "0.9.2", "ed17036c26c3f70ac49781ed9220a50c36775c6ca2cf8182d123b6566e49ec59", [:rebar], []},
-  "gettext": {:hex, :gettext, "0.12.1", "c0624f52763469ef7a3674919ae28b8286d88195b90fa1516180f31bbbd26d14", [:mix], []},
+  "gettext": {:hex, :gettext, "0.13.0", "daafbddc5cda12738bb93b01d84105fe75b916a302f1c50ab9fb066b95ec9db4", [:mix], []},
+  "mariaex": {:hex, :mariaex, "0.7.9", "52f837cf1b0717f95a0e62624bb99707329cba599885cf3bd2fdecc0172a98ad", [:mix], [{:db_connection, "~> 1.0.0-rc", [hex: :db_connection, optional: false]}, {:decimal, "~> 1.0", [hex: :decimal, optional: false]}]},
   "mime": {:hex, :mime, "1.0.1", "05c393850524767d13a53627df71beeebb016205eb43bfbd92d14d24ec7a1b51", [:mix], []},
   "phoenix": {:hex, :phoenix, "1.2.1", "6dc592249ab73c67575769765b66ad164ad25d83defa3492dc6ae269bd2a68ab", [:mix], [{:cowboy, "~> 1.0", [hex: :cowboy, optional: true]}, {:phoenix_pubsub, "~> 1.0", [hex: :phoenix_pubsub, optional: false]}, {:plug, "~> 1.1", [hex: :plug, optional: false]}, {:poison, "~> 1.5 or ~> 2.0", [hex: :poison, optional: false]}]},
   "phoenix_ecto": {:hex, :phoenix_ecto, "3.0.1", "42eb486ef732cf209d0a353e791806721f33ff40beab0a86f02070a5649ed00a", [:mix], [{:ecto, "~> 2.0", [hex: :ecto, optional: false]}, {:phoenix_html, "~> 2.6", [hex: :phoenix_html, optional: true]}, {:plug, "~> 1.0", [hex: :plug, optional: false]}]},
   "phoenix_html": {:hex, :phoenix_html, "2.8.0", "777598a4b6609ad6ab8b180f7b25c9af2904644e488922bb9b9b03ce988d20b1", [:mix], [{:plug, "~> 1.0", [hex: :plug, optional: false]}]},
-  "phoenix_live_reload": {:hex, :phoenix_live_reload, "1.0.5", "829218c4152ba1e9848e2bf8e161fcde6b4ec679a516259442561d21fde68d0b", [:mix], [{:fs, "~> 0.9.1", [hex: :fs, optional: false]}, {:phoenix, "~> 1.0 or ~> 1.2-rc", [hex: :phoenix, optional: false]}]},
+  "phoenix_live_reload": {:hex, :phoenix_live_reload, "1.0.6", "4490d588c4f60248b1c5f1f0dc0a7271e1aed4bddbd8b1542630f7bf6bc7b012", [:mix], [{:fs, "~> 0.9.1", [hex: :fs, optional: false]}, {:phoenix, "~> 1.0 or ~> 1.2-rc", [hex: :phoenix, optional: false]}]},
   "phoenix_pubsub": {:hex, :phoenix_pubsub, "1.0.1", "c10ddf6237007c804bf2b8f3c4d5b99009b42eca3a0dfac04ea2d8001186056a", [:mix], []},
-  "plug": {:hex, :plug, "1.2.2", "cfbda521b54c92ab8ddffb173fbaabed8d8fc94bec07cd9bb58a84c1c501b0bd", [:mix], [{:cowboy, "~> 1.0", [hex: :cowboy, optional: true]}, {:mime, "~> 1.0", [hex: :mime, optional: false]}]},
+  "plug": {:hex, :plug, "1.3.0", "6e2b01afc5db3fd011ca4a16efd9cb424528c157c30a44a0186bcc92c7b2e8f3", [:mix], [{:cowboy, "~> 1.0.1 or ~> 1.1", [hex: :cowboy, optional: true]}, {:mime, "~> 1.0", [hex: :mime, optional: false]}]},
   "poison": {:hex, :poison, "2.2.0", "4763b69a8a77bd77d26f477d196428b741261a761257ff1cf92753a0d4d24a63", [:mix], []},
   "poolboy": {:hex, :poolboy, "1.5.1", "6b46163901cfd0a1b43d692657ed9d7e599853b3b21b95ae5ae0a777cf9b6ca8", [:rebar], []},
-  "postgrex": {:hex, :postgrex, "0.12.1", "2f8b46cb3a44dcd42f42938abedbfffe7e103ba4ce810ccbeee8dcf27ca0fb06", [:mix], [{:connection, "~> 1.0", [hex: :connection, optional: false]}, {:db_connection, "~> 1.0-rc.4", [hex: :db_connection, optional: false]}, {:decimal, "~> 1.0", [hex: :decimal, optional: false]}]},
   "ranch": {:hex, :ranch, "1.2.1", "a6fb992c10f2187b46ffd17ce398ddf8a54f691b81768f9ef5f461ea7e28c762", [:make], []}}
diff --git a/priv/repo/migrations/20161213091438_add_users.exs b/priv/repo/migrations/20161213091438_add_users.exs
new file mode 100644
--- /dev/null
+++ b/priv/repo/migrations/20161213091438_add_users.exs
@@ -0,0 +1,10 @@
+defmodule KolabChat.Repo.Migrations.AddUsers do
+  use Ecto.Migration
+
+  def change do
+    create table(:users) do
+      add :username, :string
+      add :status, :string
+    end
+  end
+end
diff --git a/web/controllers/auth_controller.ex b/web/controllers/auth_controller.ex
--- a/web/controllers/auth_controller.ex
+++ b/web/controllers/auth_controller.ex
@@ -1,6 +1,8 @@
 defmodule KolabChat.AuthController do
   use KolabChat.Web, :controller
 
+  alias KolabChat.User
+
   @doc """
   Handler for the default logon form
   """
@@ -10,13 +12,34 @@
     cond do
       is_nil(user) or user == "" ->
         conn
-        |> put_flash(:error, gettext("Invalid username"))
+        |> put_flash(:error, gettext("Invalid username!"))
         |> redirect(to: "/")
       true ->
+        changeset = User.changeset(%User{}, %{username: user})
+        signin(conn, changeset)
+    end
+  end
+
+  defp signin(conn, changeset) do
+    case insert_or_update_user(changeset) do
+      {:ok, user} ->
         conn
-        |> put_flash(:info, gettext("Successfully authenticated"))
-        |> put_session(:user, user)
+        |> put_flash(:info, gettext("Signed in!"))
+        |> put_session(:user_id, user.id)
         |> redirect(to: "/")
+      {:error, _reason} ->
+        conn
+        |> put_flash(:error, gettext("Error signing in"))
+        |> redirect(to: "/")
+    end
+  end
+
+  defp insert_or_update_user(changeset) do
+    case Repo.get_by(User, username: changeset.changes.username) do
+      nil ->
+        Repo.insert(changeset)
+      user ->
+        {:ok, user}
     end
   end
 
diff --git a/web/controllers/plugs/set_user.ex b/web/controllers/plugs/set_user.ex
--- a/web/controllers/plugs/set_user.ex
+++ b/web/controllers/plugs/set_user.ex
@@ -1,11 +1,16 @@
 defmodule KolabChat.Plugs.SetUser do
   import Plug.Conn
 
+  alias KolabChat.Repo
+  alias KolabChat.User
+
   def init(params), do: params
 
   def call(conn, _params) do
+    user_id = get_session(conn, :user_id)
+
     cond do
-      user = get_session(conn, :user) ->
+      user = user_id && Repo.get(User, user_id) ->
         assign(conn, :user, user)
       true ->
         assign(conn, :user, nil)
diff --git a/web/models/user.ex b/web/models/user.ex
new file mode 100644
--- /dev/null
+++ b/web/models/user.ex
@@ -0,0 +1,14 @@
+defmodule KolabChat.User do
+  use KolabChat.Web, :model
+
+  schema "users" do
+    field :username, :string
+    field :status, :string
+  end
+
+  def changeset(struct, params \\ %{}) do
+    struct
+    |> cast(params, [:username])
+    |> validate_required([:username])
+  end
+end