VPS for central database server

melp57

I have mostly vps's from RackNerd (4) and want to use just one of them for a dedicated database server based from lamp stack. That part is simple to install and get up running.

I want to be able to use this, from any of my other vps's, to connect and use the database.
Connection never works, even after making sure firewall is setup to allow, and correct ports are open.

Any suggestions where I can learn what I'm doing wrong, or if this is a provider problem?
Thanks in advance.

yoursunny

Is your database server listening on the public network interface, instead of 127.0.0.1 only?
Run ss -an to find out.

Is your database user configured to have the IP address of the client machine?
For MySQL, user1@localhost and [email protected] are different users.

Daniel15

Please make sure you enable SSL (and enforce it for the users being used), and ideally use a VPN between the servers rather than just directly connecting over the internet. WireGuard works well for a point-to-point VPN like this.

Connection never works

What does this mean? Does the connection fail? Does it time out? Do you get an error message?

melp57

@Daniel15 said:
Please make sure you enable SSL (and enforce it for the users being used), and ideally use a VPN between the servers rather than just directly connecting over the internet. WireGuard works well for a point-to-point VPN like this.

Connection never works

What does this mean? Does the connection fail? Does it time out? Do you get an error message?

Error, can't connect

melp57

@yoursunny said:
Is your database server listening on the public network interface, instead of 127.0.0.1 only?
Run ss -an to find out.

Is your database user configured to have the IP address of the client machine?
For MySQL, user1@localhost and [email protected] are different users.

Good information, I'll look at this, thanks.

Daniel15

@melp57 said: Error, can't connect

What's the exact error message?

Are you testing using the mysql CLI?

JabJab

Another user pwn3d by mariadb/mysql listening on 127.0.0.1 by default, but "hey, ports are open!".

Please listen to Daniel15 and use wireguard between servers (It's easy!) or at least make sure all your users (even built in, especially root) have password set.

Daniel15

@JabJab said: at least make sure all your users (even built in, especially root) have password set.

For root it's usually a good idea to use unix_socket authentication which means you have to be logged in to the server as root (or using sudo) to connect. Of course, this means you can't connect as root over the network, but that's really not a good idea anyways