Overview

When you request a new MySQL database, the ITS Database team will create an administrative user and a database user. Each of these users will be assigned an initial password that is shared with you in Stache. It is strongly recommended that you update these passwords to a new value. You can also change the password for your administrative user or database user at any time.

You can change your password either through the MySQL command line client or the phpMyAdmin GUI. You can also use some other MySQL client, but you will need to consult its documentation for instructions.

The new MySQL password must meet the following requirements:

• Must be at least 12 characters long.
• Must contain at least 1 numeric character.
• Must contain at least 1 lowercase character.
• Must contain at least 1 uppercase character.
• Must contain at least 1 special (non-alphanumeric) character.

MySQL Command Line Client (CLI)

One way of updating the password is to use the MySQL command line client. The same procedure can be used for both the administrative user and database user. Keep the new password in a safe place, such as Stache.

Note: Access to the ITS MySQL servers is restricted to the UT Campus network and the UT VPN.

To change your password using the MySQL command line client, do the following:

1. Connect to your database (you will be prompted for the current password):
   

   • If your connection does not require SSL:

     mysql -u <user> -p -h <host> -P <port>
     

   • If your connection does require SSL:

     mysql -u <user> -p -h <host> -P <port> --ssl-ca=<path to cert>

2. Change the password (make note of the password requirements listed above):

   ALTER USER '<user>'@'%.utexas.edu' IDENTIFIED BY '<new plaintext password>' REPLACE '<current plaintext password>';
   

3. Log out and then verify you can log in with the new password.
4. Update any applications that may be using the same user to connect to the database.

phpMyAdmin GUI

Another way of changing the password is to use the ITS phpMyAdmin site. The same procedure can be used for both the administrative user and database user. Keep the new password in a safe place, such as Stache.

Note: Access to the ITS phpMyAdmin site is restricted to the UT Campus network and the UT VPN.

To change your password using phpMyAdmin, do the following:

1. Go to the ITS phpMyAdmin site.
2. If prompted with an Enterprise Authentication screen, enter your UT EID and password.
3. On the Welcome to phpMyAdmin screen, enter the current set of credentials. Also select the database environment and instance (port) that your database is in from the Server Choice drop-down menu.
   

   

4. Click the Go button to log in.
5. At the top of the screen, select SQL.
6. In the Run SQL query/queries on server text box, enter the query to change the password (make note of the password requirements listed above):
   

   ALTER USER '<user>'@'%.utexas.edu' IDENTIFIED BY '<new plaintext password>' REPLACE '<current plaintext password>';

7. Click the Go button to execute the query.
8. Log out and then verify you can log in to phpMyAdmin using the new password.
9. Update any applications that may be using the same user to connect to the database.