You use the VMware Data Services Manager console to provision a database on a vSphere cluster.

When you configure a database for provisioning, you specify:

  • The database engine type, number of replicas, and version.
  • The amount of CPU, memory, and storage resources to allot to the database.
  • Backup and maintenance parameters.
  • Database-engine-specific runtime properties.

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.

Prerequisites

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

  • The host name or IP address of the VMware Data Services Manager console.
  • Appropriate credentials for the VMware Data Services Manager console.
  • The vSphere environment that represents the cluster on which you will provision the database.
  • Infrastructure policies and other resources configured 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 VMware Data Services Manager console. To connect to the VMware Data Services Manager console, see Accessing the VMware Data Services Manager Console.

Other Considerations

Also consider and be prepared to identify:

  • The database engine type that you want to provision, and the version.
  • The amount of CPU, memory, and disk resources you want to allot to the database.
  • Topology to use for the database.
  • Which of the backup and maintenance window management policies you wish to opt-in to, and under what schedule.

Configure the Database in VMware Data Services Manager

When you configure a database VMware Data Services Manager, you must identify such values as the database engine type and version, a name for the database, and infrastructure policies to associate with the database.

Note:

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

Procedure

  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 such as database engine type, version, and infrastructure details, as well as the status of each database.
  2. Click the CREATE DATABASE button located in the upper right-hand corner of the view.
    This action displays the Create Database form, and automatically expands the Basic Information configuration pane.
  3. On the Basic Information pane, set these properties:
    Property Name Value
    Database Engine Choose either PostgreSQL or MySQL.
    Database Version Use the dropdown menu to select from the available template versions of the database.
    Note: Availability of template versions depends on whether your data service is enabled in full or limited preview mode. For more information, see Activate Data Services in VMware Data Services Manager.
    Instance Name (PostgreSQL) or Group Name (MySQL) Enter a unique instance name.
    Replica Mode

    Configure the number of nodes to create for this cluster. Select one of the following:

    • Single Server - One node with no replicas. You can use vSphere HA.

    • Single vSphere Cluster - Multiple nodes co-located on a single vSphere cluster providing node resiliency.

      A three-node topology (1 replica) is supported for all database engines.
    Topology Specify configuration for the database nodes appropriate for the type of database and the replica mode you selected.
    Database Name (PostgreSQL) Enter a unique name for this database, or retain the default name.
    Admin Username (PostgreSQL) Enter a unique username for this database, or retain the default username.
    Admin Password (PostgreSQL) Provide an admin user password. If omitted, the system autogenerates it. You can later change the password. See Change Password of a PostgreSQL Administrator in VMware Data Services Manager.
    Enable Directory Service Authentication If you configured a directory service, activate directory service authentication. For information, see Configuring a Directory Service in VMware Data Services Manager.
    DNS Names Enter comma separated FQDNs. The DNS names are used in the Subject Alternative Name (SAN) fields of the TLS certificate.
  4. Click NEXT to expand the Infrastructure pane, and then use the options to configure the following items.
    Note: If you are making changes to the database infrastructure, you cannot perform scale operations, such as change a VM class from small to medium, if underlying ESXi hosts have active CPU or memory alarms. These alarms might indicate that the host does not have enough resources for workload cluster nodes. Make sure to address these alarms before performing scale operations.
    Property Name Value
    Infrastructure Policy Select an infrastructure policy from the list of preconfigured policies.
    Select Placement Enable this option and select a cluster. If you don't specify the placement, the system automatically places the database under random cluster or resource pool.
    Storage Policy From the list of storage policies associated with the infrastructure policy, select a storage policy for the database VM storage placement.
    VM Class Depending on your database resource requirements for vCPU and memory, select an appropriate VM class.
    Disk Size Set the disk size.
  5. Click NEXT to expand the Backup and Maintenance pane.
    You configure these properties to select the level of monitoring VMware Data Services Manager performs on the database, to opt in or opt out of certain database management and backup policies, and to set automatic maintenance policy.
    1. Enable backups and configure backup details.
      Property Name Value
      Enable Backups Use the slider to opt-in for automated backups. If you opt-in for automated backups, you have to set the Backup Location.
      Backup Location Select the location for the backups to be stored.
      Backup Retention Specify the number of days to retain a backup on the selected storage location.
      Daily Backup Time Use the dropdown menus to select the time of day to backup the database.
      Backup Schedule Specify if you want to use default or customized backup schedule:
      • Use Default Backup Schedule - Use the schedule provided by the system.
      • Add Customized Backup Schedule - Specify whether you want the backup to be full or incremental. Set up the start time and the frequency of the backup.
    2. Configure the maintenance window of software updates for the database.
      Property Name Value
      Enable Maintenance Window Use the slider to opt-in for automatic upgrade to the next minor versions during the maintenance window that you configure.
      Day of the Week Use the dropdown menu to select the maintenance window's 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).
      Note: 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.
  6. Click NEXT to expand the Advanced Settings pane.
    You can use this pane to add engine-specific parameters. It is a free text field, and you can add any database parameter supported by the engine.

    For some of the examples of these parameters, see the following topics:

    1. PostgreSQL DB Options Configuration
    2. MySQL DB Options Configuration
  7. Click NEXT and review the configuration of the database in the Summary pane.
  8. Click CREATE DATABASE in the bottom left of the Summary pane to create and provision the database.
    VMware Data Services Manager generates a management operation of type CREATE DATABASE CLUSTER.
    Creating and provisioning a database may take some time.

Monitor Database Creation

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

Procedure

  1. Click Operations in the left navigation pane of the console.
  2. Locate the CREATE DATABASE CLUSTER operation type and check its status.

Results

If VMware Data Services Manager encounters an error when provisioning the database, the Operations view Status for the CREATE DATABASE CLUSTER operation displays FAILED.

When VMware Data Services Manager successfully provisions a database, the Status for the CREATE DATABASE CLUSTER operation displays SUCCESS, and the Databases view Status for the database is READY.

Additionally, VMware Data Services Manager automatically takes a full backup of the database.

What to do next

You successfully created and provisioned a database. Next, you can perform one of these tasks: