Database Configuration — ownCloud 7 Server Administration Manual 7.0 documentation

# ownCloud 7 Server Administration Manual

# Database Configuration

ownCloud requires a database in which administrative data is stored. The following databases are currently supported:

- MySQL / MariaDB
- SQLite
- PostgreSQL
- Oracle

The MySQL or MariaDB databases are the recommended database engines. However, because it is a file based database with the least administrative overhead, SQLite is chosen by default.

Note

Because SQLite does not handle large datasets or large numbers of users well, we recommend that it be used only for single user ownCloud installations, or for simple testing setups.

## Requirements

Choosing to use MySQL / MariaDB, PostgreSQL, or Oracle as your database requires that you install and set up the server software first.

Note

The steps for configuring a third party database are beyond the scope of this document. Please refer to the documentation for your specific database choice for instructions.

## Parameters

For setting up ownCloud to use any database, use the instructions in Installation Wizard. You should not have to edit the respective values in the `config/config.php`. However, in special cases (for example, if you want to connect your ownCloud instance to a database created by a previous installation of ownCloud), some modification might be required.

### Configuring a MySQL or MariaDB Database

If you decide to use a MySQL or MariaDB database, ensure the following:

- That you have installed and enabled the MySQL extension in PHP
- That the mysql.default_socket points to the correct socket (if the database runs on same server as ownCloud).

Note

MariaDB is backwards compatible with MySQL. All instructions work for both. You will not need to replace mysql with anything.

The PHP configuration in `/etc/php5/conf.d/mysql.ini` could look like this:

    # configuration for PHP MySQL module
    extension=pdo_mysql.so
    extension=mysql.so

    [mysql]
    mysql.allow_local_infile=On
    mysql.allow_persistent=On
    mysql.cache_size=2000
    mysql.max_persistent=-1
    mysql.max_links=-1
    mysql.default_port=
    mysql.default_socket=/var/lib/mysql/mysql.sock  # Debian squeeze: /var/run/mysqld/mysqld.sock
    mysql.default_host=
    mysql.default_user=
    mysql.default_password=
    mysql.connect_timeout=60
    mysql.trace_mode=Off

Now you need to create a database user and the database itself by using the MySQL command line interface. The database tables will be created by ownCloud when you login for the first time.

To start the MySQL command line mode use:

    mysql -uroot -p

Then a mysql> or MariaDB [root]> prompt will appear. Now enter the following lines and confirm them with the enter key:

    CREATE USER 'username'@'localhost' IDENTIFIED BY 'password';
    CREATE DATABASE IF NOT EXISTS owncloud;
    GRANT ALL PRIVILEGES ON owncloud.* TO 'username'@'localhost' IDENTIFIED BY 'password';

You can quit the prompt by entering:

    quit

An ownCloud instance configured with MySQL would contain the hostname on which the database is running, a valid username and password to access it, and the name of the database. The `config/config.php` as created by the Installation Wizard would therefore contain entries like this:

    <?php

      "dbtype"        => "mysql",
      "dbname"        => "owncloud",
      "dbuser"        => "username",
      "dbpassword"    => "password",
      "dbhost"        => "localhost",
      "dbtableprefix" => "oc_",

### SQLite Database

If you decide to use a SQLite database make sure that you have installed and enabled the SQLite extension in PHP. The PHP configuration in `/etc/php5/conf.d/sqlite3.ini` could look like this:

    # configuration for PHP SQLite3 module
    extension=pdo_sqlite.so
    extension=sqlite3.so

It is not necessary to create a database and a database user in advance because this will automatically be done by ownCloud when you login for the first time.

An ownCloud instance configured to use sqlite only needs to contain the reference to a writable data directory (which is required for successful operation of ownCloud in general anyway). The `config/config.php` as created by the Installation Wizard could therefore contain entries like this:

    <?php

      "dbtype"        => "sqlite",
      "dbname"        => "owncloud",
      "dbuser"        => "",
      "dbpassword"    => "",
      "dbhost"        => "",
      "dbtableprefix" => "",
      "datadirectory" => "/var/www/html/owncloud/data",

### PostgreSQL Database

If you decide to use a PostgreSQL database make sure that you have installed and enabled the PostgreSQL extension in PHP. The PHP configuration in `/etc/php5/conf.d/pgsql.ini` could look like this:

    # configuration for PHP PostgreSQL module
    extension=pdo_pgsql.so
    extension=pgsql.so

    [PostgresSQL]
    pgsql.allow_persistent = On
    pgsql.auto_reset_persistent = Off
    pgsql.max_persistent = -1
    pgsql.max_links = -1
    pgsql.ignore_notice = 0
    pgsql.log_notice = 0

The default configuration for PostgreSQL (at least in Ubuntu 14.04) is to use the peer authentication method. Check `/etc/postgresql/9.3/main/pg_hba.conf` to find out which authentication method is used in your setup. To start the postgres command line mode use:

    sudo -u postgres psql -d template1

Then a template1=# prompt will appear. Now enter the following lines and confirm them with the enter key:

    CREATE USER username CREATEDB;
    CREATE DATABASE owncloud OWNER username;

You can quit the prompt by entering:

    \q

An ownCloud instance configured with PostgreSQL would contain the path to the socket on which the database is running as the hostname, the system username the php process is using, and an empty password to access it, and the name of the database. The `config/config.php` as created by the Installation Wizard would therefore contain entries like this:

    <?php

      "dbtype"        => "pgsql",
      "dbname"        => "owncloud",
      "dbuser"        => "username",
      "dbpassword"    => "",
      "dbhost"        => "/var/run/postgresql",
      "dbtableprefix" => "oc_",

Note

The host actually points to the socket that is used to connect to the database. Using localhost here will not work if postgreSQL is configured to use peer authentication. Also note, that no password is specified, because this authentication method doesn’t use a password.

If you use another authentication method (not peer), you’ll need to use the following steps to get the database setup: Now you need to create a database user and the database itself by using the PostgreSQL command line interface. The database tables will be created by ownCloud when you login for the first time.

To start the postgres command line mode use:

    psql -hlocalhost -Upostgres

Then a postgres=# prompt will appear. Now enter the following lines and confirm them with the enter key:

    CREATE USER username WITH PASSWORD 'password';
    CREATE DATABASE owncloud TEMPLATE template0 ENCODING 'UNICODE';
    ALTER DATABASE owncloud OWNER TO username;
    GRANT ALL PRIVILEGES ON DATABASE owncloud TO username;

You can quit the prompt by entering:

    \q

An ownCloud instance configured with PostgreSQL would contain the hostname on which the database is running, a valid username and password to access it, and the name of the database. The `config/config.php` as created by the Installation Wizard would therefore contain entries like this:

    <?php

      "dbtype"        => "pgsql",
      "dbname"        => "owncloud",
      "dbuser"        => "username",
      "dbpassword"    => "password",
      "dbhost"        => "localhost",
      "dbtableprefix" => "oc_",

### Oracle Database

If you are deploying to an Oracle database make sure that you have installed and enabled the Oracle extension in PHP. The PHP configuration in `/etc/php5/conf.d/oci8.ini` could look like this:

    # configuration for PHP Oracle extension
    extension=oci8.so

Make sure that the Oracle environment has been set up for the process trying to use the Oracle extension. For a local Oracle XE installation this can be done by exporting the following environment variables (eg. in `/etc/apache2/envvars` for Apache)

    export ORACLE_HOME=/u01/app/oracle/product/11.2.0/xe
    export LD_LIBRARY_PATH=$LD_LIBRARY_PATH:$ORACLE_HOME/lib

Installing and configuring Oracle support for PHP is way out of scope for this document. The official Oracle documentation called The Underground PHP and Oracle Manual should help you through the process.

Creating a database user for ownCloud can be done by using the sqlplus command line interface or the Oracle Application Express web interface. The database tables will be created by ownCloud when you login for the first time.

To start the Oracle command line mode with a DBA account use:

    sqlplus system AS SYSDBA

After entering the password a SQL> prompt will appear. Now enter the following lines and confirm them with the enter key:

    CREATE USER owncloud IDENTIFIED BY password;
    ALTER USER owncloud DEFAULT TABLESPACE users
                        TEMPORARY TABLESPACE temp
                        QUOTA unlimited ON users;
    GRANT create session
        , create table
        , create procedure
        , create sequence
        , create trigger
        , create view
        , create synonym
        , alter session
       TO owncloud;

Note

In Oracle creating a user is the same as creating a database in other RDBMs, so no `CREATE DATABASE` statement is necessary.

You can quit the prompt by entering:

    exit

An ownCloud instance configured with Oracle would contain the hostname on which the database is running, a valid username and password to access it, and the name of the database. The `config/config.php` as created by the Installation Wizard would therefore contain entries like this:

    <?php

      "dbtype"        => "oci",
      "dbname"        => "XE",
      "dbuser"        => "owncloud",
      "dbpassword"    => "password",
      "dbhost"        => "localhost",

Note

This example assumes you are running an Oracle Express Edition on `localhost`. The `dbname` is the name of the Oracle instance. For Oracle Express Edition it is always `XE`.

## Troubleshooting

### How can I find out if my MySQL/PostgreSQL server is reachable?

To check the server’s network availability, use the ping command on the server’s host name (db.server.com in this example):

    ping db.server.dom

    PING db.server.dom (ip-address) 56(84) bytes of data.
    64 bytes from your-server.local.lan (192.168.1.10): icmp_req=1 ttl=64 time=3.64 ms
    64 bytes from your-server.local.lan (192.168.1.10): icmp_req=2 ttl=64 time=0.055 ms
    64 bytes from your-server.local.lan (192.168.1.10): icmp_req=3 ttl=64 time=0.062 ms

For a more detailed check whether the access to the database server software itself works correctly, see the next question.

### How can I find out if a created user can access a database?

The easiest way to test if a database can be accessed is by starting the command line interface:

SQLite:

    sqlite3 /www/htdocs/owncloud/data/owncloud.db

    sqlite> .version
    SQLite 3.7.15.1 2012-12-19 20:39:10 6b85b767d0ff7975146156a99ad673f2c1a23318
    sqlite> .quit

MySQL:

Assuming the database server is installed on the same sytem you’re running, the command from, use:

    mysql -uUSERNAME -p

To acess a MySQL installation on a different machine, add the -h option with the respective host name:

    mysql -uUSERNAME -p -h HOSTNAME

    mysql> SHOW VARIABLES LIKE "version";
    +---------------+--------+
    | Variable_name | Value  |
    +---------------+--------+
    | version       | 5.1.67 |
    +---------------+--------+
    1 row in set (0.00 sec)
    mysql> quit

PostgreSQL:

Assuming the database server is installed on the same sytem you’re running the command from, use:

    psql -Uusername -downcloud

To acess a MySQL installation on a different machine, add the -h option with the respective host name:

    psql -Uusername -downcloud -h HOSTNAME

    postgres=# SELECT version();
    PostgreSQL 8.4.12 on i686-pc-linux-gnu, compiled by GCC gcc (GCC) 4.1.3 20080704 (prerelease), 32-bit
    (1 row)
    postgres=# \q

Oracle:

On the machine where your Oracle database is installed, type:

    sqlplus username

    SQL> select * from v$version;

    BANNER
    --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Oracle Database 11g Express Edition Release 11.2.0.2.0 - 64bit Production
    PL/SQL Release 11.2.0.2.0 - Production
    CORE  11.2.0.2.0      Production
    TNS for Linux: Version 11.2.0.2.0 - Production
    NLSRTL Version 11.2.0.2.0 - Production

    SQL> exit

### Useful SQL commands

Show Database Users:

    SQLite    : No database user is required.
    MySQL     : SELECT User,Host FROM mysql.user;
    PostgreSQL: SELECT * FROM pg_user;
    Oracle    : SELECT * FROM all_users;

Show available Databases:

    SQLite    : .databases (normally one database per file!)
    MySQL     : SHOW DATABASES;
    PostgreSQL: \l
    Oracle    : SELECT name FROM v$database; (requires DBA privileges)

Show ownCloud Tables in Database:

    SQLite    : .tables
    MySQL     : USE owncloud; SHOW TABLES;
    PostgreSQL: \c owncloud; \d
    Oracle    : SELECT table_name FROM user_tables;

Quit Database:

    SQLite    : .quit
    MySQL     : quit
    PostgreSQL: \q
    Oracle    : quit