Getting Started with Database
Table of Contents
- What Database is
- Choosing a plan
- Creating a database, step by step
- Choosing a password
- Beginner Pitfalls
1. What Database is
Database is a managed database service on Cloud+. You pick an engine, a size, and a password; Cloud+ provisions and runs the server for you, so you don't install, patch, or host anything yourself. Four engines are offered:
- MySQL
- MongoDB
- PostgreSQL
- MariaDB
This chapter creates a PostgreSQL instance, but every step except the version list is identical for the other engines.
If you want the SQL itself rather than the hosting, the SQL & Relational Databases series covers it — and its setting up PostgreSQL chapter does the same job locally that this chapter does in the cloud.
2. Choosing a plan
A plan fixes the CPU, RAM, and disk size of one database server. Plans are priced per month in KHR:
| Plan | Price (KHR/mo) | CPU | RAM | Size | Per extra cluster (KHR/mo) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Developer | 40,000 | 1 core | 1 GB | 5 GB | 36,000 |
| Starter | 60,000 | 1 core | 1 GB | 15 GB | 54,000 |
| Basic | 100,000 | 1 core | 2 GB | 25 GB | 90,000 |
| Standard | 240,000 | 2 cores | 4 GB | 60 GB | 228,000 |
| Premium | 480,000 | 4 cores | 8 GB | 120 GB | 456,000 |
| Pro | 800,000 | 8 cores | 16 GB | 150 GB | 760,000 |
| Enterprise | 1,600,000 | 12 cores | 64 GB | 200 GB | 1,520,000 |
Prices and plan lists change, so treat this table as a snapshot and confirm against the dashboard before you pay. The plans appear in a carousel; use the left and right arrows to see them all.
Each plan card also has a Cluster stepper (- / +), defaulting to
1. A cluster is one database server; the small price under the
stepper is the cost per cluster, so raising the number multiplies
your bill. Start with 1.
Which plan for learning? Developer or Starter is plenty for a tutorial, a side project, or a staging database. Move up when you see real load, not before.
3. Creating a database, step by step
-
From the top menu go to Cloud → Database. With no subscription yet you see an empty state — "Looks like you don't have subscription yet! Let's CREATE one." — click CREATE.
-
Account Verification — your Phone Number and Email must both show Verified. Click NEXT.
-
Plans — pick a plan (previous section) and a cluster count, then click NEXT.
-
Payment — the Order Summary shows a Sub-total and Total. A KHR / BG toggle switches the currency between Khmer Riel and Business Gold (BG). For example, the Starter plan shows as
600 BG /moin BG. Click PAY NOW.Your balances (Total Khmer Riel and Business Gold) are shown in the header, and the amount is deducted from the one you chose.
-
Database Information — fill in the instance details:
Field What to enter DB Type Click MySQL, MongoDB, PostgreSQL, or MariaDB. Name A name for the instance (it defaults to the engine name). Version Pick from the dropdown (e.g. 18.4for PostgreSQL).IP Whitelists Optional — who may connect. See the next chapter. Back Up Optional — paid, automatic backups. See chapter 10. DB Administrator Fixed to root(greyed out; you can't change it).Password Your administrator password — see below. -
Click CREATE. Provisioning takes a moment; when it finishes your database appears on the Database page with a Running status.
4. Choosing a password
When you click into the Password field, a panel lists what it must have, ticking each rule off as you satisfy it, with a Strength meter underneath (from very weak upward):
- at least one number
- at least one uppercase letter
- at least one lowercase letter
- at least 8 characters
- no special characters (letters and digits only)
The last rule surprises people: many databases happily take !@#, but
this form rejects them. That's actually convenient later, because a
password with no special characters can go straight into a connection
string without URL-encoding.
Under the field, a note says: "Remember your database password. We are
not responsible for it." Take it literally — save the password in a
password manager now. The dashboard shows <password> as a
placeholder in connection strings (next chapter), not the real value.
5. Beginner Pitfalls
- Picking a plan by the headline price only. The cluster count multiplies the cost. Check the Order Summary total before PAY NOW.
- Looking for a way to rename the admin user.
rootis fixed; only the password is yours. - Using
!or@in the password. Special characters are rejected; use a longer password of letters and digits instead. - Losing the password. The dashboard won't show it back to you.
- Leaving IP Whitelists unconfigured on purpose to "keep it simple". Read the next chapter first — the whitelist is your main access control.
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