diff --git a/services/backup/src/config.rs b/services/backup/src/config.rs
--- a/services/backup/src/config.rs
+++ b/services/backup/src/config.rs
@@ -1,9 +1,12 @@
+use aws_sdk_dynamodb::{Endpoint, Region};
 use clap::{builder::FalseyValueParser, Parser};
 use once_cell::sync::Lazy;
+use tonic::transport::Uri;
+use tracing::info;
 
 use crate::constants::{
-  DEFAULT_BLOB_SERVICE_URL, DEFAULT_GRPC_SERVER_PORT, DEFAULT_LOCALSTACK_URL,
-  SANDBOX_ENV_VAR,
+  AWS_REGION, DEFAULT_BLOB_SERVICE_URL, DEFAULT_GRPC_SERVER_PORT,
+  DEFAULT_LOCALSTACK_URL, SANDBOX_ENV_VAR,
 };
 
 #[derive(Parser)]
@@ -36,3 +39,21 @@
   // force evaluation of the lazy initialized config
   Lazy::force(&CONFIG);
 }
+
+/// Provides region/credentials configuration for AWS SDKs
+pub async fn load_aws_config() -> aws_types::SdkConfig {
+  let mut config_builder =
+    aws_config::from_env().region(Region::new(AWS_REGION));
+
+  if CONFIG.is_sandbox {
+    info!(
+      "Running in sandbox environment. Localstack URL: {}",
+      &CONFIG.localstack_url
+    );
+    config_builder = config_builder.endpoint_resolver(Endpoint::immutable(
+      Uri::from_static(&CONFIG.localstack_url),
+    ));
+  }
+
+  config_builder.load().await
+}
diff --git a/services/backup/src/constants.rs b/services/backup/src/constants.rs
--- a/services/backup/src/constants.rs
+++ b/services/backup/src/constants.rs
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 // Assorted constants
 
+pub const AWS_REGION: &str = "us-east-2";
 pub const MPSC_CHANNEL_BUFFER_CAPACITY: usize = 1;
 
 // Configuration defaults
diff --git a/services/backup/src/main.rs b/services/backup/src/main.rs
--- a/services/backup/src/main.rs
+++ b/services/backup/src/main.rs
@@ -26,9 +26,9 @@
   Ok(())
 }
 
-async fn run_grpc_server() -> Result<()> {
+async fn run_grpc_server(db: database::DatabaseClient) -> Result<()> {
   let addr: SocketAddr = format!("[::]:{}", CONFIG.listening_port).parse()?;
-  let backup_service = MyBackupService::default();
+  let backup_service = MyBackupService::new(db);
 
   info!("Starting gRPC server listening at {}", addr.to_string());
   Server::builder()
@@ -44,5 +44,8 @@
   config::parse_cmdline_args();
   configure_logging()?;
 
-  run_grpc_server().await
+  let aws_config = config::load_aws_config().await;
+  let db = database::DatabaseClient::new(&aws_config);
+
+  run_grpc_server(db).await
 }
diff --git a/services/backup/src/service/mod.rs b/services/backup/src/service/mod.rs
--- a/services/backup/src/service/mod.rs
+++ b/services/backup/src/service/mod.rs
@@ -4,13 +4,22 @@
 use tonic::{Request, Response, Status};
 use tracing::instrument;
 
+use crate::database::DatabaseClient;
+
 mod proto {
   tonic::include_proto!("backup");
 }
 pub use proto::backup_service_server::BackupServiceServer;
 
-#[derive(Default)]
-pub struct MyBackupService {}
+pub struct MyBackupService {
+  db: DatabaseClient,
+}
+
+impl MyBackupService {
+  pub fn new(db_client: DatabaseClient) -> Self {
+    MyBackupService { db: db_client }
+  }
+}
 
 // gRPC implementation
 #[tonic::async_trait]