Database Server

Database Server

This documentation can be used as a reference to create your Primary Database Server and optional Replica Database Server on Red Hat Enterprise or CentOS 7 virtual machines.

The hostnames that will be referenced throughout this document will be db01.med.university.eduand db02.med.university.edu. These hostnames should be replaced by your actual DNS hostnames.

Primary Database Server

1. SSH into server and sudo to root:

   ssh [e-mail]
   sudo -s

2. Add the following lines to /etc/hosts file:

   127.0.0.1   db01.med.university.edu

3. Edit the hostname of the virtual machine in the /etc/hostname file:

   db01.med.university.edu

4. Install screen, update RHEL, and reboot:

   yum install screen
   screen
   yum update
   reboot

5. SSH back into server, and install the Inline with Upstream Stable (IUS Community) package.

   ssh [e-mail]
   sudo -s
   screen
   
   yum -y install https://repo.ius.io/ius-release-el7.rpm \
   https://dl.fedoraproject.org/pub/epel/epel-release-latest-7.noarch.rpm

6. Install MariaDB Client, Server, and NTP:

   yum install mariadb104 mariadb104-server ntp

7. Create a new file within the /etc/my.cnf.d/ directory called elentra.cnf , and place the below configuration settings within the file. Do not forget to enter a unique 7-8 digit number (i.e. 1012801) in the server-id variable.

   [mysqld]
   # Innodb
   innodb_buffer_pool_size = 6G                # main memory buffer of Innodb, very imporant
   innodb_log_file_size = 256M                 # transactional journal size
   innodb_flush_method = O_DIRECT              # avoid double buffering with the OS
   innodb_flush_log_at_trx_commit = 2          # writes to OS, fsynced once per second
   innodb_buffer_pool_load_at_startup = on
   innodb_buffer_pool_dump_at_shutdown = on
   innodb_ft_min_token_size = 3
   
   # Basic Settings
   thread_cache_size = 8
   table_open_cache = 4000
   table_definition_cache = 1800
   query_cache_size = 64M
   query_cache_type = 1
   max_allowed_packet = 8388608
   sql_mode = "NO_AUTO_CREATE_USER,NO_ENGINE_SUBSTITUTION"
   
   # MariaDB performance tuning options for more connections. (OPTIONAL)
   #max_connections = 512
   
   # Replication (OPTIONAL)
   #server_id = 1012801 # the ip address of the server is a good idea.
   #log_bin = /var/lib/mysql/mysql-bin
   #expire_logs_days = 14
   #sync_binlog = 4                             # 1: with every transaction 4 or 5: every 4th or 5th transaction.
   
   # Slow Query Logging / Tuning
   slow_query_log = on
   slow_query_log_file = /var/log/mysqld-slow-queries.log
   log_slow_verbosity = 'innodb,query_plan'
   long_query_time = 7
   performance_schema = on

8. The default open_files_limit for MariaDB is too low for the Elentra Platform due to the size of our databases. In order to increase this limit, create a new /usr/lib/systemd/system/mariadb.service.d directory and place the below configuration settings within a new file called limit_nofile.conf:

   mkdir -p /usr/lib/systemd/system/mariadb.service.d
   vim /usr/lib/systemd/system/mariadb.service.d/limit_nofile.conf

   Configuration settings within limit_nofile.conf:

   [Service]
   LimitNOFILE=4096

9. Start MariaDB, and set to start on system startup:

   systemctl daemon-reload
   systemctl enable mariadb
   systemctl start mariadb

10. Run the mysql_secure_installation script included with MariaDB to further lock down your database server.

    /usr/bin/mysql_secure_installation

    Here is an example of a mysql_secure_installation hardening:

    [root@db01]# /usr/bin/mysql_secure_installation
    /usr/bin/mysql_secure_installation: line 379: find_mysql_client: command not found
    
    NOTE: RUNNING ALL PARTS OF THIS SCRIPT IS RECOMMENDED FOR ALL MariaDB
          SERVERS IN PRODUCTION USE!  PLEASE READ EACH STEP CAREFULLY!
    
    In order to log into MariaDB to secure it, we'll need the current
    password for the root user.  If you've just installed MariaDB, and
    you haven't set the root password yet, the password will be blank,
    so you should just press enter here.
    
    Enter current password for root (enter for none): 
    OK, successfully used password, moving on...
    
    Setting the root password ensures that nobody can log into the MariaDB
    root user without the proper authorisation.
    
    Set root password? [Y/n] Y
    New password: 
    Re-enter new password: 
    Password updated successfully!
    Reloading privilege tables..
     ... Success!
    
    By default, a MariaDB installation has an anonymous user, allowing anyone
    to log into MariaDB without having to have a user account created for
    them.  This is intended only for testing, and to make the installation
    go a bit smoother.  You should remove them before moving into a
    production environment.
    
    Remove anonymous users? [Y/n] Y
     ... Success!
    
    Normally, root should only be allowed to connect from 'localhost'.  This
    ensures that someone cannot guess at the root password from the network.
    
    Disallow root login remotely? [Y/n] Y
     ... Success!
    
    By default, MariaDB comes with a database named 'test' that anyone can
    access.  This is also intended only for testing, and should be removed
    before moving into a production environment.
    
    Remove test database and access to it? [Y/n] Y
     - Dropping test database...
     ... Success!
     - Removing privileges on test database...
     ... Success!
    
    Reloading the privilege tables will ensure that all changes made so far
    will take effect immediately.
    
    Reload privilege tables now? [Y/n] Y
     ... Success!
    
    Cleaning up...
    
    All done!  If you've completed all of the above steps, your MariaDB
    installation should now be secure.
    
    Thanks for using MariaDB!

11. Connect to MariaDB as the root user:

    mysql -uroot -p

12. Create the required elentra_auth, elentra_me, and elentra_me_clerkship databases as well as an elentra user that can connect to these databases. DO NOT FORGET that you need to enter a password on the CREATE USER line.

    CREATE DATABASE `elentra_auth` CHARACTER SET utf8 COLLATE utf8_general_ci;
    CREATE DATABASE `elentra_admissions` CHARACTER SET utf8 COLLATE utf8_general_ci;
    CREATE DATABASE `elentra_cpd` CHARACTER SET utf8 COLLATE utf8_general_ci;
    CREATE DATABASE `elentra_me` CHARACTER SET utf8 COLLATE utf8_general_ci;
    CREATE DATABASE `elentra_me_clerkship` CHARACTER SET utf8 COLLATE utf8_general_ci;
    CREATE DATABASE `elentra_cbe` CHARACTER SET utf8 COLLATE utf8_general_ci;
    
    -- DO NOT FORGET to change the password in the following line.
    CREATE USER 'elentra'@'localhost' IDENTIFIED BY 'your-password-needs-to-go-here';
    
    GRANT ALL ON elentra_auth.* TO 'elentra'@'localhost';
    GRANT ALL ON elentra_admissions.* TO 'elentra'@'localhost';
    GRANT ALL ON elentra_cpd.* TO 'elentra'@'localhost';
    GRANT ALL ON elentra_me.* TO 'elentra'@'localhost';
    GRANT ALL ON elentra_me_clerkship.* TO 'elentra'@'localhost';
    GRANT ALL ON elentra_cbe.* TO 'elentra'@'localhost';
    
    FLUSH PRIVILEGES;

13. If you plan to set up the Replica Database Server, then you should create a repl database user that can connect from the db02 server. Do not forget that you need to enter a password on the GRANT REPLICATION SLAVE line.

    GRANT REPLICATION SLAVE ON *.* TO 'repl'@'db02.med.university.edu' IDENTIFIED BY 'your-password-needs-to-go-here';

14. Make note of the master log file (i.e. mysql-bin.000002) as you will need it when configuring the replica.

    SHOW MASTER STATUS \G

Replica Database Server

1. SSH into server and sudo to root:

   ssh [e-mail]
   sudo -s

2. Add the following lines to /etc/hosts file:

   127.0.0.1   db02.med.university.edu

3. Edit the hostname of the virtual machine in the /etc/hostname file:

   db02.med.university.edu

4. Install screen, update RHEL, and reboot:

   yum install screen
   screen
   yum update
   reboot

5. SSH back into the server, and install the Inline with Upstream Stable (IUS Community) package.

   ssh [e-mail]
   sudo -s
   screen
   
   yum -y install https://repo.ius.io/ius-release-el7.rpm \
   https://dl.fedoraproject.org/pub/epel/epel-release-latest-7.noarch.rpm

6. Install MariaDB Client and Server:

   yum install mariadb104 mariadb104-server ntp

7. Create a new file within the /etc/my.cnf.d/ directory called elentra.cnf , and place the below configuration settings within the file. Do not forget to enter a unique 7-8 digit number (i.e. 1012802) in the server-id variable.

   [mysqld]
   
   # Innodb
   innodb_buffer_pool_size = 6G                # main memory buffer of Innodb, very imporant
   innodb_log_file_size = 256M                 # transactional journal size
   innodb_flush_method = O_DIRECT              # avoid double buffering with the OS
   innodb_flush_log_at_trx_commit = 2          # writes to OS, fsynced once per second
   innodb_buffer_pool_load_at_startup = on
   innodb_buffer_pool_dump_at_shutdown = on
   innodb_ft_min_token_size = 3
   
   # Basic Settings
   thread_cache_size = 8
   table_open_cache = 4000
   table_definition_cache = 1800
   query_cache_size = 64M
   query_cache_type = 1
   max_allowed_packet = 8388608
   sql_mode = "NO_AUTO_CREATE_USER,NO_ENGINE_SUBSTITUTION"
   
   # MariaDB performance tuning options for more connections. (OPTIONAL)
   #max_connections = 512
   
   # Replication (OPTIONAL)
   #server_id = 1012802 # the ip address of the server is a good idea.
   #log_bin = /var/lib/mysql/mysql-bin
   #expire_logs_days = 14
   #sync_binlog = 4                             # 1: with every transaction 4 or 5: every 4th or 5th transaction.
   
   # Slow Query Logging / Tuning
   slow_query_log = on
   slow_query_log_file = /var/log/mysqld-slow-queries.log
   log_slow_verbosity = 'innodb,query_plan'
   long_query_time = 7
   performance_schema = on

8. The default open_files_limit for MariaDB is too low for the Elentra Platform due to the size of our databases. In order to increase this limit, create a new /usr/lib/systemd/system/mariadb.service.d directory and place the below configuration settings within a new file called limit_nofile.conf:

   mkdir -p /usr/lib/systemd/system/mariadb.service.d
   vim /usr/lib/systemd/system/mariadb.service.d/limit_nofile.conf

   Configuration settings within limit_nofile.conf:

   [Service]
   LimitNOFILE=4096

9. Start MariaDB, and set to start on system startup:

   systemctl daemon-reload
   systemctl enable mariadb
   systemctl start mariadb

10. Run the mysql_secure_installation script included with MariaDB to further lock down your database server.

    /usr/bin/mysql_secure_installation

    Here is an example of a mysql_secure_installation hardening:

    [root@db02]# /usr/bin/mysql_secure_installation
    /usr/bin/mysql_secure_installation: line 379: find_mysql_client: command not found
    
    NOTE: RUNNING ALL PARTS OF THIS SCRIPT IS RECOMMENDED FOR ALL MariaDB
         SERVERS IN PRODUCTION USE!  PLEASE READ EACH STEP CAREFULLY!
    
    In order to log into MariaDB to secure it, we'll need the current
    password for the root user.  If you've just installed MariaDB, and
    you haven't set the root password yet, the password will be blank,
    so you should just press enter here.
    
    Enter current password for root (enter for none): 
    OK, successfully used password, moving on...
    
    Setting the root password ensures that nobody can log into the MariaDB
    root user without the proper authorisation.
    
    Set root password? [Y/n] Y
    New password: 
    Re-enter new password: 
    Password updated successfully!
    Reloading privilege tables..
    ... Success!
    
    By default, a MariaDB installation has an anonymous user, allowing anyone
    to log into MariaDB without having to have a user account created for
    them.  This is intended only for testing, and to make the installation
    go a bit smoother.  You should remove them before moving into a
    production environment.
    
    Remove anonymous users? [Y/n] Y
    ... Success!
    
    Normally, root should only be allowed to connect from 'localhost'.  This
    ensures that someone cannot guess at the root password from the network.
    
    Disallow root login remotely? [Y/n] Y
    ... Success!
    
    By default, MariaDB comes with a database named 'test' that anyone can
    access.  This is also intended only for testing, and should be removed
    before moving into a production environment.
    
    Remove test database and access to it? [Y/n] Y
    - Dropping test database...
    ... Success!
    - Removing privileges on test database...
    ... Success!
    
    Reloading the privilege tables will ensure that all changes made so far
    will take effect immediately.
    
    Reload privilege tables now? [Y/n] Y
    ... Success!
    
    Cleaning up...
    
    All done!  If you've completed all of the above steps, your MariaDB
    installation should now be secure.
    
    Thanks for using MariaDB!

11. Connect to MariaDB as the root user:

    mysql -uroot -p

12. Tell the replica server to replicate from your db01 master, then start the slave. Do not forget that you need to enter the password on the CHANGE MASTER line.

    CHANGE MASTER TO MASTER_HOST='db01.med.university.edu', MASTER_USER='repl', MASTER_PASSWORD='your-password-needs-to-go-here', MASTER_LOG_FILE='mysql-bin.000002';
    START SLAVE;