MySQL Overview
MySQL is an open source relational database management system that utilizes the SQL database language. It is a multi-user, multi-threaded database server that provides speed, robustness and ease of use. At Hostway, MySQL databases (available on our Linux Website Hosting platform) are hosted on a dedicated MySQL platform to ensure better database processing and faster performance.
You can request a MySQL database using SiteControl. Depending on your plan, you may receive MySQL databases without cost (you can request more at additional cost). Please note that even if a database is included in your plan, you must still request its activation using SiteControl.
When you request a MySQL database, you will be prompted for:
- Database Name. The database name must be between 2 and 14 characters long, and must only contain lowercase letters or numbers.
- Database Username. Your database username must be between 5 and 16 characters long, must contain at least two numbers, must only contain letters or numbers and cannot start with a number.
- Database Password. Your database password must be 6 to 20 characters, must start with a letter, and must contain at least one digit or punctuation symbol (e.g. My-Pa55word). Also it must not contain quotes, underscores, % and backslashes.
Once you submit your order, you will receive the following information:
Database server name. The hostname will look like mysql-[databasename].yourdomainname.tld For example, “mysql-mydatabase.example.com “.
If you are a Web hosting customer, you may activate MySQL in SiteControl.
To activate MySQL:
- Sign in to SiteControl.
- Go to Manage Services tab.
- Go to Website section.
- Scroll down, find and click the MySQL link. You can also click MySQL in the left navigation panel in SiteControl.
- On MySQL Overview page, select the proper domain name from the Currently Managing drop-down menu.
- Click Activate on Activate MySQL window. In case you would like to activate another database click Create Another Database.
- The MySQL page appears. Enter your Database Name, Username and your Password.
- Click Add Database Now.
- An activation notice appears explaining that it can take 24-48 hours to set up your MySQL database.
Accessing Your MySQL Database
You can access your database using either SSH or phpMyAdmin, a web-based database manager.
To access your database via SSH, you must first connect to your Web server using your Master User account and then connect to your database from the command prompt (our MySQL platform will not accept direct external connections for security reasons).
The shell command to connect is:
mysql -h mysql-[databasename].[domainname.com] -u [username] -p [databasename]
To use phpMyAdmin, repeat Steps 1 through 5. On the MySQL Overview page click Edit Database.
At the bottom of the next page, click Administer.