Setting up MySQL 5.x in CentOS/Debian 6.x

After you've installed MySQL and its required dependencies in your server, configure it using the following steps.

1. Start the MySQL service:

/etc/init.d/mysql start; 

2.  Log into your MySQL service, the password should be empty:

mysql -u root -p;

3. Update the password for the user account root of your MySQL service:

UPDATE mysql.user SET Password=PASSWORD('password') WHERE User='root';

FLUSH PRIVILEGES;

4. Create a new MySQL database for testing purposes:

CREATE DATABASE <db name>;

5. Add a new user account for accessing your new MySQL database:

INSERT INTO mysql.user (User,Host,Password) VALUES('user name','host',PASSWORD('password'));

FLUSH PRIVILEGES;

6. Grant all access to the database <db name>:

GRANT ALL PRIVILEGES ON <db name>.* to <user name>@<host>;

FLUSH PRIVILEGES;

7. Change the default runlevels for your MySQL service:

chkconfig --levels 35 mysql on;

8. Automatically start your MySQL service on boot up:

update-rc.d  mysql <options>;

9. Edit the file "/etc/hosts.allow" that's the hosts access control list for allowing access to services on your server from specific hostnames, IP addresses, networks, and FQDNs:

<service or wildcard>: <hostname> <ip address>/<subnet mask> <fqdn>

10. Edit the file "/etc/hosts.deny" that's the hosts access control list for denying access to services on your server from specific hostnames, IP addresses, networks, and FQDNs:

<service or wildcard>: <hostname> <ip address>/<subnet mask> <fqdn>

11.  Allow incoming and outgoing client connections to your MySQL service through your firewall:

iptables -A INPUT -i <interface> -p tcp --dport 3306 -j ACCEPT

iptables -A OUTPUT -o <interface> -p tcp --sport 3306 -j ACCEPT

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