Create a MySQL server on a Civo Compute Instance

This guide shows how to create and configure a MySQL server on a Civo Compute Instance (virtual machine). It covers creating the instance, installing MySQL, basic hardening, opening firewall ports safely, and creating a database user.

Note: Managed MySQL on Civo may be deprecated; this guide shows how to self-host MySQL on a Civo instance if you need to continue running MySQL 8.0.

Prerequisites

• A Civo account with permission to create compute instances.
• An SSH key added to your Civo account (for SSH access to the instance).
• Basic familiarity with the Linux command line.

Overview

Steps you'll perform:

1. Create a compute instance in the Civo dashboard.
2. SSH into the instance.
3. Install MySQL server.
4. Run the MySQL secure installation and create a database/user.
5. Configure network access and firewall rules.
6. Backup and maintenance tips.

1 — Create a compute instance

Use the Civo dashboard to create a new compute instance (VM):

1. Sign in to the Civo dashboard.
2. Go to Create Instance (or Compute > Create an instance).
3. Choose an image (Ubuntu 22.04 LTS or similar is recommended).
4. Select a size appropriate for your workload (CPU / RAM / disks).
5. Add your SSH key so you can log in.
6. Optionally set a hostname (e.g., mysql-db) and a persistent disk if needed.
7. Create the instance and wait until it is running.

Tip: If you prefer automation, you can create an instance using the Civo CLI. See the Civo compute docs for CLI usage.

2 — SSH into the instance

Copy the public IP from the dashboard and SSH in:

ssh ubuntu@<INSTANCE_IP>

Replace ubuntu with the correct default user for the image you chose (for some images it may be civo or root).

3 — Install MySQL Server

On Ubuntu/Debian based images:

sudo apt update
sudo apt install -y mysql-server

On CentOS/RHEL based images:

sudo dnf install -y @mysql
sudo systemctl enable --now mysqld

Verify MySQL is running:

sudo systemctl status mysql
# or on some distros
sudo systemctl status mysqld

4 — Secure MySQL and create a user

Run the interactive secure installation helper:

sudo mysql_secure_installation

Follow prompts to:

• Set or confirm the root password (if applicable)
• Remove anonymous users
• Disallow remote root login
• Remove the test database
• Reload privilege tables

Connect to MySQL to create a dedicated database and user:

sudo mysql -u root -p

Then inside the MySQL prompt:

CREATE DATABASE your_app_db;
CREATE USER 'appuser'@'%' IDENTIFIED BY 'strong_password_here';
GRANT ALL PRIVILEGES ON your_app_db.* TO 'appuser'@'%';
FLUSH PRIVILEGES;
EXIT;

Notes:

• Using '%' allows connections from any host. For better security, replace % with a specific client IP or subnet.
• Use a strong password and consider using TLS for client-server encryption.

5 — Allow remote access (optional & secure)

By default MySQL binds to localhost. To allow remote connections (only if you need to):

1. Edit MySQL config (Ubuntu example):

sudo nano /etc/mysql/mysql.conf.d/mysqld.cnf
# find the bind-address line and change it to:
# bind-address = 0.0.0.0

2. Restart MySQL:

sudo systemctl restart mysql

3. Configure from the Dashboard a firewall to allow only the IPs that need access to the MySQL port (3306):

• Using Civo firewalls: create or update a firewall rule to allow TCP port 3306 from trusted IPs and attach it to the instance (see the Civo firewall docs).

Important: Never open port 3306 to the entire internet (0.0.0.0/0) unless you have a strict security requirement and additional protections (TLS, VPN, etc.).

6 — Backups and maintenance

Create a dump with mysqldump for old database or migration:

mysqldump -u civo -h <YOUR-DB-HOST> --single-transaction --all-databases -p > alldb.sql

Store backups off-instance (object storage or another safe location). Automate backups with cron and test restores regularly.

Additional hardening and production tips

• Use TLS for MySQL connections (configure server and client certificates).
• Restrict access with firewall rules and use private networking where possible.
• Create a non-root MySQL admin account for day-to-day tasks.
• Monitor disk, CPU, memory, and MySQL metrics; configure alerts.
• Keep the OS and MySQL packages up to date.

Troubleshooting Connection Issues

Can't connect via SSH

If SSH connections timeout:

1. Check that the instance is running in the Civo dashboard
2. Verify the firewall attached to the instance allows SSH (port 22) from your IP
3. Try connecting from a different network to rule out local firewall issues

Can't connect to MySQL

If MySQL connections hang or timeout:

1. Test port connectivity:

   telnet <INSTANCE_IP> 3306
   # or
   nc -zv <INSTANCE_IP> 3306

2. Check if MySQL is listening on the instance:

   ssh ubuntu@<INSTANCE_IP>
   sudo ss -tlnp | grep :3306

3. Common issues and fixes:

   Problem	Cause	Solution
   Connection timeout	Firewall blocking port 3306	Add firewall rule for port 3306 from your IP
   Connection refused	MySQL not configured for remote access	Edit bind-address in MySQL config
   Access denied	User doesn't exist or wrong permissions	Create user with proper host permissions
   SSL/TLS errors	SSL required but not configured	Add --ssl-mode=DISABLED to mysql command (dev only)

4. Quick firewall fix via Civo dashboard:

   • Go to Networking > Firewalls
   • Edit the firewall attached to your instance
   • Add rule: TCP port 3306 from your public IP address
   • Apply the firewall to your instance

5. Test connection step by step:

   # First test SSH
   ssh ubuntu@<INSTANCE_IP>
   
   # Then test local MySQL connection
   sudo mysql -u root -p
   
   # Check MySQL config
   sudo grep bind-address /etc/mysql/mysql.conf.d/mysqld.cnf
   
   # Check if user exists
   SELECT user, host FROM mysql.user WHERE user='civo';

Next steps and references

• Civo compute instance docs: ../../compute/create-an-instance.md
• Civo firewalls: ../../networking/firewalls.md
• MySQL documentation: https://dev.mysql.com/doc/

Need help?

Open a ticket with Civo Support.

Happy self-hosting!