Connecting to a database on your database server

Last updated 16th September 2020

Objective

You can access your database’s content via an interface. There are several ways you can connect to it.

This guide explains how to connect to your database on your database server.

Requirements

• a Private SQL Web Hosting plan or a Cloud Database
• access to the OVHcloud Control Panel

Instructions

Logging in to a MySQL or MariaDB database

With OVHcloud phpMyAdmin (for Private SQL only)

Log in to your OVHcloud Control Panel and select Web Cloud in the top navigation bar. Click Databases in the services bar on the left-hand side, then choose the SQL instance concerned.

In the General information tab, you will find the access link in the Database administration box, under “User interface”.

You will land on the phpMyAdmin login page.

• Server: Enter the host name of your server, which you can view in the General information tab, in the Database administration box, under “Host name” in the SQL section.
• User: Enter the username you created in the Users and rights tab of your database server.
• Password: Enter the password for the user concerned.
• Port: Enter the port listed in the General information tab, in the Database administration box, under “Port” in the SQL section. (This box appears only for Private SQL servers)

If the connection succeeds, the next page of phpMyAdmin will appear.

In case of error #1045

If error #1045 occurs, it means that the identification is incorrect. You will need to check your username and/or password.

In case of error #2005

If you get error #2005, we recommend checking the server name, and whether it is working properly.

Connecting to the database outside the Control Panel

To connect to your database, please ensure that you have the following information:

• Server: the host name of your server is visible in the General information tab of your database server, in the Database administration box under “Host name” in the SQL section.
• User: The user name you created in the Users and rights tab of your database server.
• Password: The password associated with the connecting user.
• Port: The port is visible in the General information tab of your database server, in the Database administration box, under “Port” in the SQL section.
• Database Name:: The databases are listed in the Databases tab of your database server.

1. Connecting via the command line

mysql --host=server --user=username --port=port --password=password database_name

2. Connecting via PHP script

1. <?php
2. $db = new PDO('mysql:host=host;port=port;dbname=dbname', 'username', 'password');
3. ?>

3. Connecting via software (SQuirreL)

• Launch SQuirreL and click Aliases, then +

• Fill in the fields below and confirm by clicking OK:
  • Name: Select a name.
  • Driver: Choose "MySQL Driver".
  • URL: Enter the server address and port as jdbc:mysql://server:port.
  • User Name: Enter the username.
  • Password: Enter the password.

• Confirm again with the Connect button.

You are now connected to your database.

4. Connecting with phpMyAdmin

You can use your own phpMyAdmin interface to access the contents of your database. To do this, install phpMyAdmin on your own server or Web Hosting plan. During this installation, make sure that the information for your database server and database is correctly configured so that phpMyAdmin can connect to it.

Logging in to a PostgreSQL database

To connect to your database, please ensure that you have the following information:

• Server: the host name of your server is visible in the General information tab of your database server, in the Database administration box under “Host name” in the SQL section.
• User: The user name you created in the Users and rights tab of your database server.
• Password: The password associated with the connecting user.
• Port: The port is visible in the General information tab of your database server, in the Database administration box, under “Port” in the SQL section.
• Database name: The databases are listed in the Databases tab of your database server.

Connecting via the command line

psql --host=server --port=port --user=username --password=password database_name

Connecting via PHP script

1. <?php
2. $myPDO = new PDO('pgsql:host=host;port=port;dbname=dbname', 'username', 'password');
3. ?>

Connecting via software (SQuirreL)

• Launch SQuirreL and click Aliases, then +

• Fill in the fields below and confirm by clicking OK:
  • Name: Select a name.
  • Driver: Choose "PostgreSQL".
  • URL: Enter the server address and port as jdbc:postgresql://server:port/database.
  • User Name: Enter the username.
  • Password: Enter the password.

• Confirm again with the Connect button.

You are now connected to your database.

Go further

Join our community of users on https://community.ovh.com.

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