Using the MySQL server installed on the Cornell Stack

The Cornell Stack now offers customers access to their own installation of MySQL. This differs from previous LAMP offerings at Cornell, where the MySQL server was on a shared server, with limited access for customers.

Setting up a database on the Cornell Stack

• When you request your new Cornell Stack VM be sure to include that you want MySQL installed as well.
• Once you receive your new VM information from Webservices, you'll need to log into the Hosting Dashboard, click on the Servers button, and find the new VM (will be named like "webhost###.serverfarm.cornell.edu).
• Click on the VM name which will take you to the VM status page. About halfway down you should see a link for "Database Admin Page" - if you do not, please contact webservices@cornell.edu to open a ticket to get the MySQL access enabled.
  
• The next screen should allow you to click the link "Create Database". Take note that the VM name is listed at the top so you know what VM and what MySQL server this will occur on.
• The Create Database link will allow you to:
  • Create a database name - no more the 16 characters
  • It will also automatically create a user for you
  • After you click "Create" button, the screen will come back with the following information:
    • Database Name: <what you entered previously>
    • Database Host: localhost
    • Database User: <default user created for you>
    • Database password: <password created for you>
  • You can now go to phpMyAdmin from your Instance Splash page and login to the MySQL server and use your new database.

NOTE: If you currently use the shared server from CIT (known as lampdbprod.cit.cornell.edu or mustang01.serverfarm.cornell.edu), customers are requested to move your database info from the shared server to your own MySQL instance (either on a Cornell Stack VM or a customer-provided MySQL server).

Using Cornell Stack for MySQL server only (no web server/instance installed).

Some customers may only want to use the Cornell Stack for hosting a MySQL server with no Apache/web server initiated. This is possible, but there are caveats to this:

• With no Instance created (with Apache) on the VM, customer will not have phpMyAdmin available to use for Administration. You will need to work with webservices@cornell.edu to allow access from another system/server with firewall rule changes.
  • You will also need to notify them which applications/websites will be connecting to it for database services.
• The VM status page will not show any services nor will it have the "Database Admin Page" link. You will need to go directly to the database page with a url that looks like:

  https://dashboard.hosting.cornell.edu/db/webhost###.serverfarm.cornell.edu - where webhost### equates to the VM name given to you when you received your Cornell Stack information from Webservices

  • The above page should allow you to create databases and users as it would have if you linked to it from the status page.
• Contact webservices@cornell.edu if you need root level mysql access or additional grants added to users.

Database backups

The MySQL database server performs a nightly mysqldump for backup purposes. These dump files are then backed up to tape by the TSM Backup that runs on each VM. If you find you need to go back to a previous MySQL backup dump file, please contact webservices@cornell.edu and provide the following info:

• VM Name the mysql server is running on (webhost###.serverfarm.cornell.edu)
• Date of the backup you need
• Any additional info (table names, etc) that will be helpful or needed. DO NOT send database credentials via email to webservices! Webservices will contact you if the username/password is needed.

Root access to MySQL

Some customers may find they need to have root privileges to the MySQL server. Please submit this request to webservices@cornell.edu and someone will get back to you for more information.