Step-by-Step Guide: Setting Up MariaDB on AlmaLinux

MariaDB is an open-source, popular, and free database management system and is a compatible drop-in replacement for the popular MySQL database management system. This system is compatible with most operating systems like Linux, Mac, and Windows. We suppose you have basic knowledge of Linux and will try to show a step-by-step guide for setting up MariaDB on AlmaLinux.

Steps to Setup MariaDB on AlmaLinux

Here, we will go through step-by-step instructions to have a successful installation process of MariaDB on AlmaLinux.

System Requirements for Installing MariaDB on AlmaLinux

Here are the requirements that you should mention before the installation process:

– A Linux VPS with the AlmaLinux operating system

– A root user account or non-root sudo user (a non-root user is recommended)

– SSH access to the server

– Minimum 1 GB RAM and 10 GB free disk space

– 1GHz CPU

Installing MariaDB on AlmaLinux

To start the installation of the MariaDB management system on AlmaLinux, you have to be sure that your system is up-to-date. Use the following command to update your system:

sudo dnf clean all
sudo dnf update
sudo dnf groupinstall "Development Tools"

As a default, MariaDB is available on the AlmaLinux base repository. So, the installation is really easy using the dnf command:

sudo dnf install mariadb-server mariadb

When you finish the installation step, you need to start and then enable the database server service to start the system automatically with the reboot:

sudo systemctl start mariadb
sudo systemctl enable mariadb
sudo systemctl status mariadb

Well done! you finished the installation successfully.

Configuring MariaDB on AlmaLinux

MariaDB is presented with default settings, but since these settings make MariaDB weak, an additional step can be taken to increase its security. To do this and improve the security of the Mariadb engine, you need to apply the following script. Then you will encounter a series of prompts that will require you to make changes to the security options:

sudo mysql_secure_installation

Follow the instructions below carefully to secure MariaDB and set a root password, delete anonymous users, permit remote root login, and remove the test database. Type Y then press enter to confirm all these prompts:

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Creating a Database in MariaDB

It would be an easy process to create or add a database in MariaDB. First of all, you should log in to the MariaDB server:

mysql -u root -p

Now create a database using the command below:

Tip: We chose new_db as our new database name.

CREATE DATABASE new_db;

Managing Users and Permissions in MariaDB

If you decide to create a new user, you should enter the MariaDB shell as the root user and execute the following command:

CREATE USER 'new_user'@'localhost' IDENTIFIED BY 'password';

Use the command below to grant permissions for your new user:

GRANT ALL PRIVILEGES ON new_db.* TO 'new_user'@'localhost' IDENTIFIED BY 'password';

At last save or flush privileges:

FLUSH PRIVILEGES;

Backing Up and Restoring MariaDB Databases

You can use mysqldump methods for backing up and restoring MariaDB databases on your operating system.

If you decide to Backup the application database, you should create a dump file by mysqldump tool. The name of the application should be exchanged with the name of the database you wish to export:

mysqldump -u root -p neuronvm_app > backup.sql

But if you decide to backup all databases, use the command below:

mysqldump -A -u root -p > backup.sql

Depending on the database size, the operation will take some time.

After you finish the backup process, you can use the command below to restore the data:

mysql -u root -p < backup.sql

But if you want to restore to a specific database, insert the database name in the commands shown below:

mysql -u root -p -D neuronvm_app < backup.sql

Troubleshooting Common Issues with MariaDB on AlmaLinux

Here, we will analyze some issues related to Mariadb on AlmaLinux:

1- Database Corruption: In MariaDB, there are cases where database corruption can occur which leads to data integrity issues. This may be caused by power outages, disk errors, or other factors. So, backup your database regularly and use tools like mysqlcheck to check and repair corrupted tables.

2- Performance bottlenecks problem: Slow query processing or poor overall performance can be caused by a variety of factors, such as missing indexes, inefficient queries, insufficient hardware resources, or misconfigured MariaDB settings. So you can analyze slow query reporting, optimize queries, and change configuration parameters such as innodb_buffer_pool_size and key_buffer_size based on your workload and system resources.

3- Security vulnerability problems: Like any other program, MariaDB may have security vulnerabilities. These vulnerabilities should be fixed quickly. So, avoid potential risks with the latest security patches and upgrades for AlmaLinux and MariaDB.

Best Practices for Using MariaDB on AlmaLinux

You should consider some critical practices for using MariaDB on AlmaLinux. These factors are:

Update your AlmaLinux operating system regularly and also, the MariaDB installation for optimizing performance and fixing problems, and security patches.
Pay attention to the security of your MariaDB installation and follow standard security practices.
Determine a strong password to prevent unauthorized access.
It is recommended to configure a firewall on your AlmaLinux system.
Configure and enable MariaDB’s logging.
Monitoring the performance of your MariaDB system using tools like MariaDB monitor.
Setting up regular backups to save your data.
Performing maintenance tasks regularly.

Conclusion

This article was presented to show the way to install and configure the MariaDB database management system. Also, you learned how to backup databases and troubleshoot some problems that are related to MariaDB usage on AlmaLinux. This was a complete guide to help you understand and use MariaDB on your AlmaLinux operating system. We hope you enjoy this content.