You use the Data Management for VMware Tanzu console to provision a database on an Onboarded Cluster. You can also provision a database using the Data Management for VMware Tanzu API.

When you configure a database for provisioning, you specify:

  • The database engine type and version.
  • The amount of CPU, memory, and storage resources to allot to the database.
  • Backup and software update management rules and policies.
  • Database-engine-specific runtime properties including the server port number, administrative user credentials, time zone, and connection limits.

You can configure the database yourself, or you can choose to create a database using the default database configuration. In some cases, the configuration properties available and their default values vary depending upon the database engine and version that you select for provisioning.

Note: You are responsible for ensuring that the environment in which you provision the database has enough storage resources; Data Management for VMware Tanzu does not validate this for you.

Prerequisites

Before you provision a database, ensure that you can identify:

  • The host name or IP address of the Data Management for VMware Tanzu console.
  • Your Provider Administrator, Organization Administrator, or Organization User user credentials for the Data Management for VMware Tanzu console.
  • The vSphere environment that represents the Onboarded Cluster on which you will provision the database.
  • The data storage configuration for the database VM.
  • The network on which client applications will access the database.

You must perform this task on a host that has network connectivity to the Data Management for VMware Tanzu console.

Other Considerations

Also consider and be prepared to identify:

  • The database engine type that you want to provision, and the version.
  • The amout of CPU, memory, and disk resources you want to allot to the database.
  • Which of the backup, update, and maintenance window management policies you wish to opt-in to, under what schedule, and with what rules.
  • Certain runtime characteristics of the database, including the default database name, server port number, and the administrative user credentials.
  • Security requirements for the database and clients.

Procedure

Perform the following procedure to provision a database with Data Management for VMware Tanzu.

  1. Log in to the Data Management for VMware Tanzu console.
  2. Configure the database.
  3. Monitor database creation.

Logging In

Perform the following procedure to log in to the Data Management for VMware Tanzu console:

  1. Open a browser window, and enter the Data Management for VMware Tanzu console URL. For example, if the service is running on a host with IP address10.10.10.11 enter:

    https://10.10.10.11/login

    The login screen displays.

    Login Screen of VMware Data Services Manager
    Figure 8. Login Screen of VMware Data Services Manager

  2. Log in to the Data Management for VMware Tanzu console using your assigned Provider Administrator, Organization Administrator, or Organization User credentials. If this is your first time logging in, Data Management for VMware Tanzu will prompt you to change your password and re-log in.

    The User Dashboard or Provider Dashboard displays. See About the User Console or About the Provider Consolefor more information about the metrics and information available on these views.

Configuring the Database

When you configure a database, you must identify the database engine type and version, the Onboarded Cluster in which to provision the database, and a name for the database. After you select or enter these values, you can choose to configure the individual database settings yourself, or you can choose to invoke the Data Management for VMware Tanzu quick create, a single-click action that creates the database for you using the default configuration.

Note: The Create Database Configuration Reference describes each of the database configuration properties and provides the default value for each.

Perform these steps to configure the database:

  1. Click Databases in the left navigation pane of the console.

    The Databases view opens. This page displays a list of the provisioned databases, and provides information about the database engine type, version, and environment, as well as the status of each database.

  2. Click the CREATE DB button located in the upper right-hand corner of the view.

    This action displays the Create Database form, and automatically expands the Select Database [Database and Version] configuration pane.

    You identify the database engine type, name the database, and identify the Onboarded Cluster vSphere environment and the database version by setting or selecting values for these properties:

    Property Name Value
    Database Choose either MySQL, PostgreSQL, or SQL Server.
    Database Version Use the dropdown menu to select from the available template versions of the database.
    VM Name Enter a unique name for this database VM, or retain the default name.
    Namespace Use the dropdown menu to select the Namespace that will be used to provision the database.
    Tags Select one or more tags from the list of created tags or type the name of a new tag, and then click the Create New Tag button that appears below the dropdown menu.

    You must set or select a value for each property identified above.

  3. At this point, you either choose to create the database with the default configuration, or you can configure the individual database settings yourself.

    1. If you choose to create the database with the default configuration, click CREATE DB WITH DEFAULT CONFIGURATION, and skip ahead to Monitoring Database Creation.

      Note: When you create a database with the default configuration, Data Management for VMware Tanzu uses default values for certain database-specific configuration parameters. Refer to:

      for more information about these settings. (You can change these settings after database deployment as described in Changing Database Options.)

    2. If you choose to configure the database settings yourself, continue on to the next step.

  4. Click VM SETTINGS to expand the Resource Configuration [vCPU, Memory and Storage Configuration] pane, and then use the sliders or enter the values to set the vCPU (Cores), Memory (GBs), and Storage (GBs) size settings that best represent your database resource requirements.

    1. Use the sliders or the dropdown menu to select the vCPU and Memory settings that best represent your database resource requirements.
    2. Use the slider to select the disk Storage size (GBs) for the database.

  5. Click MANAGEMENT SETTINGS to expand the Management Configuration [Monitoring, Backup, and Notifications] pane. You configure these properties to select the level of monitoring Data Management for VMware Tanzu performs on the database, to opt in or opt out of certain database management and backup policies, and to activate or deactivate email notifications for database. (You configure the rules for each opted-in policy in the next step.)

    In the Database Management section, select the monitoring level, and opt in or out of management policies as desired:

    Property Name Value Default
    Monitoring Type Use the slider to choose either NORMAL or ENHANCED monitoring. ENHANCED
    Enable Automated Backups Click the checkbox to activate or deactivate automated database backups. Selected
    Enable Auto Minor Version Upgrade Click the checkbox to activate or deactivate automated minor version software updates to the database. Selected

    Note: Click the tooltip next to a value checkbox for additional information about that property.

    In the Email Notification section, select the configuration of email notifications for status change of the database and operation failure of the database, as desired:

    Property Name Value Default
    Email Address Email ID of the owner of the database. Email ID of the owner of the database.
    Emails for Database Status Change Click the checkbox to activatle or deactivate email notification to notify change of status of the database to WARNING, CRITICAL, LOST CONNECTIVITY, or FATAL. Selected
    Emails for Database Operation Failure Click the checkbox to activate or deactivate email notification to notify any operation failure of the databasee. Seected

    Note: For failure of database operation, the email notification is sent to the initiator of the operation and the owner of the database. For change of status of a database, the email notification is sent only to the owner of the database.

  6. Click ADDITIONAL SETTINGS to expand the Additional Configuration [Database, Environment & Backup Configuration] pane. Several configuration categories are represented in this pane, and certain categories will be present only if you opted-in to the related management policy in MANAGEMENT SETTINGS.

    1. Database Configuration - Configure the default database, server port number and administrator credentials for the database.

      Set these properties for your database:

      Property Name Value
      Database Name The name of the database.
      Database Port No The port number on which the database server runs. (Read-only)
      Username The database administrator user name.
      Password The password for the database adminstrator.

      Note: The default values for these properties are provided through the user interface, but you should change them as required.Data Management for VMware Tanzu does not support changing the Admin Password from the console or API. You must change this password using a database client. If you change the password in this manner, the new password is not reflected in Data Management for VMware Tanzu.

    2. Backup Configuration - Configure the backup schedule and retention policies for the database if you opted in to Enable Automated Backups.

      Set or select each property value as specified:

      Property Name Value
      Daily Backup Time Use the dropdown menus to select the time of day to back up the database.
      Local Backup Retention Use the dropdown menu to specify the number of days to retain a backup on local storage.
      Remote Backup Retention Use the dropdown menu to specify the number of days to retain a backup on cloud/remote storage.

    3. Maintenance Configuration - Configure the maintenance window for software updates for the database.

      Set or select each property value as specified:

      Property Name Value
      Start Day Use the dropdown menus to select the maintenance window day of the week.
      Start Time Use the dropdown menus to select the time of day in which to start the maintenance window.
      Duration Use the dropdown menu to specify the duration of the maintenance window (hours).

      If you do not set the values to configure the maintenance window, default values are set and the maintenance window is configured as 6 hours starting each Saturday at 23:59.

    4. TLS Configuration - Configure the TLS requirements for database clients.

      If you want the database to reject non-secure connections and require Transport Layer Security certificate verification for clients, enable by clicking the Require Client TLS checkbox.

      Note: TLS configuration is not supported in SQLSERVER currently, and by default, it is deactivated.

    5. DB Options Configuration - Configure database engine-specific options:

    6. Click SUMMARY to review the configuration of your database.

    7. Finally, click CREATE DATABASE in the bottom left of the Summary pane to create and provision the database.

    Data Management for VMware Tanzu generates a management operation of type CREATE_DB.

    Note: Creating and provisioning a database may take some time.

Monitoring Database Creation

Monitor the status of the database creation and provisioning operation in the Operations view:

  1. Locate the CREATE_DB operation type.
  2. The Status progress bar displays the subtasks that Data Management for VMware Tanzu performs for the operation.
  3. Click the CREATE_DB operation type.
  4. Select the State History tab to view the subtasks and their status.

Results

If Data Management for VMware Tanzu encounters an error when provisioning the database, the Operations view Status for the CREATE DB operation displays FAILED, and error information is returned in the Error Info tab.

When Data Management for VMware Tanzu successfully provisions a database, the Operations view Status for the CREATE DB operation displays SUCCESS, and the Databases view Status for the database is ONLINE. Additionally, Data Management for VMware Tanzu automatically takes a full local and cloud backup of the database. As described in the monitoring section above, you can similarly examine the BACKUP DB operation details.

Note: In some cases, creating a new database with Enable Data Protection set to on does not actually enable automated backups for the database. Be sure to examine the status of all operations and tasks associated with the creation of the database, and enable protection after provisioning if required.

Next Steps

You successfully created and provisioned a database. Next, you may want to:

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