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The MySQL database service

Information Services Division runs a MySQL database server (release 5.6.14), intended for the use of departmental web developers, primarily through the use of PHP web pages.

MySQL is a widely-used relational database system, available under the GNU General Public Licence (GPL).

It supports ANSI SQL with some extensions.

Eligibility and registration

Separate registration is necessary to establish a MySQL account.

All departmental web accounts (ie ****www and ****w3*) are eligible for MySQL accounts on request.

If you do not have a departmental web account, you should firstly discuss the requirements with your departmental Computer Representative. If your Computer Representative approves:

1. Apply for a web space:

  • Click on 'Websites, Apps & Databases' (at the bottom of the page)
  • Click on 'Departmental web account request' and complete the form

2. Request a MySQL account: email isd.dba.remedyforce@ucl.ac.uk giving the required account name and explaining why you need the account, what data will be collected etc. The MySQL account name must be the same as the UCL userID of the owner.

We will then create a MySQL account with your userid, and create an empty database, whose name will also be your userid.

The account will have full privileges on this database, and will also be able to create new databases whose names begin with the userID.

We will also create a less privileged user account, with the name ending in "_user", for example ucabwww_user - this account will have access to the same database, but with only (SELECT, INSERT, UPDATE, DELETE, EXECUTE) privileges.

For security reasons, we recommend that you use this less privileged account in scripts and PHP web pages that will be used by end-users.

The passwords for the two accounts will be e-mailed to you, and you should immediately change the passwords using the MySQL password change form.

Access methods

The server is mysql-server.ucl.ac.uk. You will be able to connect to it and manipulate data in the tables in your databases from any machine, using the following access methods:

Costs

There is a charge for databases, if you’d like to discuss further please get in touch with the Data Services team at isd.dba.remedyforce@ucl.ac.uk

For more information see Request a database.

Further help

For all queries about the MySQL service, email isd.dba.remedyforce@ucl.ac.uk