How to access the site's database [Advanced, Unsupported]

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:warning: Advanced workflow. You could easily break your site. :warning:

It is possible to connect to your website’s database directly. This is a dangerous and unsupported workflow, which you might want to follow only if you are a Drupal expert.

Prerequisites:

  • Ask :snowflake: the Drupal Infrastructure for elevated permissions on your website.
    • we might not be able to give you our standard level of support if you encounter issues probably caused by your elevated privileges
  • Install the oc command line client, or use the kubectl utility on lxplus8.cern.ch
    • kubectl does not offer a direct equivalent to oc login. You will need to use a token.
  • Install the mysql DB command line client
    • with the connection information, you can use any other client of your choice instead, including graphical clients, a suggested client is https://dbeaver.io/
  • Access the database from inside CERN. The CERN firewall prevents you from connecting to the database while teleworking (workarounds are possible though)
  • Access the Drupal cluster from inside CERN (same reason)

Workflow:

  1. Connect to the Drupal cluster:

    oc login --server=https://api.drupal.okd.cern.ch -u <username>

  2. Get the DB connection string for your website. If your website is called eg MYSITE, run this in a terminal:

    oc -n PROJECT exec -c php-fpm deploy/MYSITE -- drush sql-connect

    Example output:

    mysql --user=0d4f580 --password=hSnc52hSN7C3 --database=0d4f580 --host=dbod-ha-proxy.cern.ch --port=7857 -A

  3. Use the mysql command line directly to connect, or use only the connection info with your favorite client.

    If you want to access with DBeaver:

       1. After installing, select new connection

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       2.  Select MySQL DB

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       3. Set the values retrieved on the previous step (all the points in red)

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       4. For allowing access outside of CERN
   First we select the SSH section (yellow), and then fill the two necessary fields(red), Host/IP is always `lxtunnel.cern.ch`, UserName is your user account.

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       5. Finally, we select the databases on the top left corner and navigate the DB

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Any changes you make to the database you connect to can directly affect your website.