MariaDB/MySQL

MariaDB/MySQL is an Open Source RDMS (Relational Database Management System) that uses SQL (Structured Query Language) to process information. It is a widely used application for websites which access databases.

MySQL databases on konsoleH

This list shows you all created MySQL databases and the corresponding account. Click on the arrows to change the sorting of the list.
Click on Show database sizes to display the size of each database. Please note that this function may take some time if there are a large number of databases and/or if they are very large.

Creating a MariaDB/MySQL database

On the main page of the MariaDB/MySQL database manager, you will see your list of databases, in which you can view all databases that currently exist.

How to create a new MariaDB/MySQL database:

Click on "Add".
On the following page, you will see the recommended (random) access details for your database. If you wish, you can provide your own password here.
Select a name for the database as well as a name for the corresponding database user.
The main password is the most important. It provides access to the whole database and allows you to create, change, or delete any database information, column, or row.
The R/W (Read/Write) password only gives you read/write access. This is mostly used by the CMS (Content Management Systems) to add or change database information.
The R/O (Read Only) password allows the application to only read information from the database. Information cannot be altered with this password.
(Optional setting) Require SSL: When this is active, it prohibits all unencrypted connections to the database. This can have a negative effect on the accessibility of the database.
Click on "Save" to create the database.
You should receive a message that you successfully created the MariaDB/MySQL database. Click on "MariaDB/MySQL-Databases" to return to your database list.

Tip: If you receive an error message while creating the database, try to change the database name and/or username.

Three passwords for different access rights

When you create a MariaDB/MySQL database in konsoleH, you do not set just one password. You set three different ones. Each password belongs to the same database user but grants different rights. This lets you precisely control what an application is allowed to do with your database.

Password	Rights	What to use it for
Main password	Full access: read, change, and delete data; create and drop tables; modify the structure	Administrative tasks, e.g. logging in to phpMyAdmin or importing a backup
R/W password (Read/Write)	Read and write data, but cannot change the table structure	Your web application during normal operation, e.g. WordPress, Joomla, your online shop
R/O password (Read Only)	Read only	Analytics and reporting tools, external dashboards, statistics scripts

Why separate passwords make sense

At first glance, it seems easier to use the main password everywhere. In practice, however, separating them is worth it for two reasons:

Security: If the password of your web application falls into the wrong hands, for example through a security vulnerability in the CMS you are using or a compromised server, is the damage is limited. With the R/W password, an attacker can manipulate data but cannot destroy the entire database structure. With the R/O password of a reporting tool, they cannot change any data at all.

Avoiding accidental mistakes: Even without an attack, separate passwords protect you from your own mistakes. A statistics script running with the R/O password cannot delete any data, even if it contains a programming error.

A typical setup

A common scenario for a WordPress website with an external analytics tool looks like this:

WordPress connects with the R/W password. It reads and writes posts, comments, and user data, but does not need to create new tables.
A Matomo or reporting dashboard on another server reads visitor statistics from the database using the R/O password.
For maintenance work, you occasionally log in to phpMyAdmin yourself using the main password, for example to install an update or import a backup.

Note: During a WordPress update that includes database migrations (new tables or changed columns), you temporarily need the main password in wp-config.php. Reset it to the R/W password after the update is complete.

Changing passwords

You can change the passwords at any time in konsoleH under MariaDB/MySQL using the edit icon next to your database. Keep in mind that after a change, you also need to update the connection details in your applications. Otherwise they will no longer be able to reach the database.

Manage your database(s)

In the overview, you can create a new database or modify, delete, back up, and access existing databases via phpMyAdmin.

If you wish to delete a database, konsoleH will require you to confirm that before finally deleting it. Be careful when you confirm it; you can not un-do the deletion.

Encrypted access

You can access your database in an encrypted manner using SSL. We can provide you with a ready-made certificate that you can use to carry out the encryption. Note: The speed of encrypted connections is slower.

The certificate is:

You can save the certificate locally as a text file (for example, as "sqlca.pem"). Once you have done that, you can make an encrypted connection. Unfortunately, however, it is not possible for you to use your own client certificates.

Example commands for encrypted access to MariaDB/MySQL:

MariaDB/MySQL command line

mysql --ssl --ssl-ca sqlca.pem -h HOSTNAME ...

PHP (PDO)

$pdo = new PDO('mysql:host=HOSTNAME;dbname=DBNAME', 'USERNAME', 'PASSWORD', array(PDO::MYSQL_ATTR_SSL_CA=>'sqlca.pem'));

PHP (mysqli)

$db = mysqli_init();
$db->ssl_set(NULL, NULL, 'sqlca.pem', NULL, NULL);
$link = mysqli_real_connect ($db, 'HOSTNAME', 'USERNAME', 'PASSWORD','DBNAME', 3306, NULL, MYSQLI_CLIENT_SSL);

JAVA

For Java, first import the certificate into the keystore. Then you can establish the connection with:

jdbc:mysql://[host][:port]/[database]?useSSL=true&requireSSL=true&trustCertificateKeyStorePassword=<secret>&trustCertificateKeyStoreUrl=file:/path/to/my/keystore

Change MySQL password

Click on the hosting in the product overview and under Services, select MariaDB/MySQL. Then click on the gear-icon. Overwrite the passwords and click on Save. Do this for all databases.

Important note: You may need to also change the new password in the configuration files of the installed MySQL software.

What is phpMyAdmin?

phpMyAdmin is a graphic database administration tool for MariaDB/MySQL. It is a good way to manage the database(s) without learning the SQL language.

Using the graphic interface, you can add, edit, and delete information easily.

For more information about phpMyAdmin, please visit the official website https://www.phpmyadmin.net/ .

For larger databases, we recommend using a query browser. Here are some examples of free query browsers: https://www.mysql.com/products/workbench/, https://www.heidisql.com/

Is a connection via ODBC possible?

Yes, it is possible to connect to databases via an ODBC driver.

Database Repair

It is very often possible to repair corrupt MySQL databases. Follow these steps on konsoleH:

Go to Services → MySQL.
Select the database and click on phpMyAdmin.
Click on Select All in the table overview.
Click on Repair Tables Highlighted.