MySQL: Efficient manipulation of large amounts of data

When the MySQL function is selected the first time you would properly be met by the following message:

Status: The MySQL function is not included in your present configuration, it is possible to upgrade to include this function.

You can upgrade to this function.

This means that you didn't choose to install a MySQL database when you ordered your web hotel, it is however possible to perform an upgrade. Click the link and go through the upgrade procedure.

If you have 1 MySQL database (but not using any of them) in your present configuration you will be met by the following message:

Status: There are no MySQL database for this domain

Would you like to add a MySQL database?

A click on "No" brings you back to the main menu, while a click on "Yes" makes the system create an administrative account on the database and assign a password to the account. The information on the newly created database will be shown on the screen - in the example below there are 4 databases installed, 1 for the phpBB, 1 for Typo3, 1 for osCommerce and finally 1 for the PHProjekt web application:

In the listing you can see the database name, administrative user name and password (cleared in the picture above) and what connection types are allowed. It is also possible to delete the database or go to the administration interface for the database (you can create tables, etc.).

Connect from:

Webserver (default):
As standard you can only connect to the database from the web server itself - this means that it is only possible to gain access via a PHP scrips that is on the web server, but this can be changed. You have 2 possible solutions:

Anywhere:
Users with the correct user name and password can connect to the database from absolutely anywhere, as long as you have a working internet connection. This setting can be dangerous, since user names and passwords are send unencrypted between you and the server. This makes it possible to sniff the password and thereby gain access to the database. And since everybody is allowed to connect from anywhere they can sit on the other side of the world and do some very bad things to the database.

Specific hosts:
Here you can put specific IP addresses that are allowed to access the database (example "195.41.114.1"). Notice, that this only opens for the POSSIBILITY to make a connection to the database, you still need the correct user name and password to get full access to the database. With this set all other IP's are denied access, so from a security point of view this is the best solution if you need access from outside the web server.

Please notice: If "Webserver (default)" is chosen again all entered IP addresses under "Specific hosts" are erased!

Options
A click on the "Admin" link starts up phpMyAdmin, a very popular web based administrations application for MySQL.