Web Hosting Talk : Web Hosting Main Forums : Hosting Security and Technology : Separate webserver and sql (Remote mySQL Host Setup)

[JohnGJ]

Hi,

I was wondering if anyone had any experience with using a remote sql server and setting it up via WHM. I tried to search, but didn't find much on the subject.

The current server isn't capable anymore of running the webserver and database together anymore, so it was time to buy another server for the databases.

Quick server specs:

Current (will only be used as a webserver with litespeed installed)
- Dual Intel Xeon Harpertown E5405
- 16 GB FB-DIMM
- 2x 300GB SAS 15,000 RPM - 16MB Cache
- 100 Mb/s Unmetered

New server (database)
- Dual Quad Core Xeon Nehalem 5520 - 2.26GHz 16MB cache w/HT
- 24 GB DDR3 1333Mhz RAM
- 2x 147GB SAS 15,000 RPM - 16MB Cache

* Both servers has a 1 Gbps private network connection and is stored within the same facilities, so they will communicate via LAN.
* The webserver has WHM/cPanel installed, but the new DB server does not.

Both servers are ready to go now, but I was hoping anyone could answer the following question before I started.

1) Can I use the "Remote mySQL Host Setup" option in WHM on the webserver to contact the new DB server even though it does not have WHM/cPanel installed, and will it automatically move/create all current databases and user accounts?

2) Do I need to change the connection strings on all the database files, or will the webserver now interpret "localhost" (when it comes to the databases) as the database server?

3) Do I need to install phpmyadmin or any other web based database administration software on the database server, or does cPanel now know that it's supposed to communicate with the database server?

In advance, thanks
JohnGJ

[activelobby4u]

Originally Posted by JohnGJ

1) Can I use the "Remote mySQL Host Setup" option in WHM on the webserver to contact the new DB server even though it does not have WHM/cPanel installed, and will it automatically move/create all current databases and user accounts?

2) Do I need to change the connection strings on all the database files, or will the webserver now interpret "localhost" (when it comes to the databases) as the database server?

3) Do I need to install phpmyadmin or any other web based database administration software on the database server, or does cPanel now know that it's supposed to communicate with the database server?

1. Yes you can, however the databases and the users will need to be migrated across (will not take much time)
2. Yes you will need to change the connection strings for the code and localhost will still be localhost
3. Phpmyadmin will recognize the new remote server as the db server and will connect automatically. Even if it fails, the conf can be adjusted to make it in that way

[JohnGJ]

Thank you for your prompt reply Sandy!

So do I have to mysqldump everything and manually add the 20+ user accounts, or is there an easier way to migrate everything?

I was hoping that the WHM "Remote mySQL Host Setup" did that as it asks for ssh/server access key, but perhaps I need WHM on both servers to do that. There's about 20 user accounts and 100+ million rows in total.

[activelobby4u]

you can simply script the process and automate the database backup and restore.

As far as 20 user accounts are concerned, it would'nt be a problem recreating it manually