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Database server
The Department runs a MySQL database server for use by our Researchers when their application requires one. This service is not meant to be used for teaching purposes, or as part of a high performance production system.
Requesting a database instance
To request a MySQL instance, please contact IST by submitting a request through the Staff Service Centre portal.
In your request to the help desk please provide:
- A name for your database
- It is important to pick a name for your database that is not too generic, the database server is a shared resource and IST reserves the right to refuse any name that is overly generic
- Please note the same rules about generic names apply to the database accounts
- In addition, we will only grant a account name that is the same as a CCID if the person requesting the database username owns the corresponding CCID
- A list of accounts and what level of access to the database each account should have
- i.e., SELECT, INSERT, UPDATE, DELETE, etc.
- Explain you are a Computing Science Researcher or whom your supervisor is.
Note: For security reasons we do not give GRANT permission, or permission to export or import from the filesystem as the database server does not allow general login.
Because mysql accounts and passwords are often stored in plain text files or code for applications, do not use your CCID password or any other important password. If IST discovers a database password that is the same as your CCID we will require a password change.
Accessing your database
Once you receive the information from IST about your new database it can be accessed from any of the department's linux machines using the mysql client command.
For example:
mysql -u your_db user_name -h warburg.cs.ualberta.ca -p database_name
The -p tells the client to prompt for the password, it is generally not a good idea to supply the password as a command line argument to any program as it may be visible to other users as part of the output of various process listing commands.
When IST creates a database username they will send you a temporary password which you should change as soon as possible. Additionally if at any other time you need to change the password it can be done by using the above command to connect to the database and using:
SET PASSWORD = PASSWORD ('your new password');