You can view any MySQL database on an OIT Web Hosting website using many different GUI based applications. Below are a few implementations that have been used by members of our community:
General Instructions
OIT has an FAQ entry explaining how to connect to your hosting database, which also discusses using phpMyAdmin to view your database(s) from your hosting control panel (which doesn't require any additional software).
Rochester University has a nice tutorial on using phpMyAdmin with MySQL.
Elsewhere in this handbook is a more in-depth post on SSH tunneling.
The general information you'll need, if you choose to connect with a more graphical software application, is:
- the domain name of the site your database uses (example: mydepartment.gatech.edu)
- the SSH or FTP Login account name and password for this site
- the host your database lives on: for OIT Web Hosting, use "mysql.localhost" instead of plain "localhost".
- the database account's username and password (this will be different from the SSH/FTP login account and password)
- the port for your database: 3306
MySQL Workbench
Andrew Dugenskei (a member of the GT Drupal community) has a preference for MySQL Workbench.
Fortunately, MySQL Workbench (available for Mac OSX and Windows) makes it very easy to communicate with OIT web hosted databases and it is free. If you're on campus, no other software is needed. If you're off campus, you just need to first make sure you are connected to the VPN.
Below is a screen capture from the Workbench connection manager with some pseudo values. Once the correct values are entered, connecting to an OIT databases is a just a click away.
From the above screen capture and based on the Workbench Installation Guide, you can use these settings.
Under the Connection Tab, Choose "Standard TCP/IP over SSH" and then enter these parameters for your site:
- SSH Hostname: mydepartment.gatech.edu (port name ":22" at end is optional)
- SSH Username: myFTPaccount (for your SSH or "Local FTP" account on Web Hosting)
- SSH Password: myFTPpassword (for your SSH or "Local FTP" account on Web Hosting)
- MySQL Hostname: mysql.localhost (for web hosting, just use this instead of worrying about which server you're on)
- MySQL Server Port (leave same): 3306
- Username: database_user (for this database only)
- Password: database_password (for this database only)
- Default Schema: leave blank
Navicat (Mac, Windows, Linux)
Mike Alberghini (a member of the GT Drupal community) has a preference for Navicat because the software:
- Has a good GUI
- Handles multiple databases well,
- Has Mac OS X support
- Is 40% off for educational users
- Saves connection info for ssh tunnels and start them as needed to connect to servers
Screenshots of a successful Web hosting database connection with Navicat are below.
For Navicat, use the following settings on the "General" tab:
- Connection Name = My Department Site
- Hostname/IP Address = mysql.localhost (this is important for you to connect to Web Hosting)
- Port (leave same) = 3306
- User name = This is the username for your DATABASE's user.
- Password = This is the password for your DATABASE's user.
To finish your connection with Navicat, use the following settings on the "SSH" tab:
- Use SSH tunnel = check YES
- Hostname/IP Address = mydepartment.gatech.edu
- Port (leave same) = 22
- Username = This is the username of the web hosting FTP account for this site.
- password = This is the password for the web hosting FTP account for this site.
Sequel Pro (Mac)
Adam Arrowood (a member of the GT Drupal community) has a preference for Sequel Pro because the product:
- Has a nice GUI, ssh tunneling, etc. as found in other similar products.
- Runs (only) on Mac OS X.
- Is a free product.