How to create a MySQL server running in a Plesk Docker extension container and add it as an external database server in Plesk?

Question

• How to add a MySQL server ran in a docker container as a remote database server?
• How to create a MySQL server running in a Plesk Docker extension container and add it as an external database server in Plesk?

Answer

1. Log into your server via SSH
2. Create the directory /var/docker/mysql by executing the following command:

   # mkdir -p /var/docker/mysql/

3. Log into Plesk
4. Go to Docker
5. Type mysql in the search box

   Note: The steps here are for a Docker container running MySQL version 8.3.0

6. Press Run (local)
   
7. Check the Automatic start after system reboot box
8. Uncheck the Automatic port mapping box
9. Uncheck a private port on the host, set external port 3306 to external port 3307 and internal port 33060 to external port 33070
   

   Note:

   Make sure ports 3307 and 33070 are open in all firewalls for your Plesk server's public IP address

10. Set Volume mapping for Container to /var/lib/mysql and to Host to /var/docker/mysql

    Warning: Not mapping /var/lib/mysql  to /var/docker/mysql creates risk of losing data on the container's recreation.

    

11. Add MYSQL_ROOT_PASSWORD as a new Environment variable (in order to set a new password for the root user of MySQL in this container) and enter a password that you would like to use as the Value:
    

12. Press OK

13. When the container starts, log into via the server SSH terminal and fix the issue outlined on this page: mysql - Authentication plugin 'caching_sha2_password' cannot be loaded - Stack Overflow

    # docker exec -it mysql bash
    # mysql -p
    # mysql> ALTER USER 'root'@'localhost' IDENTIFIED WITH mysql_native_password BY 'YOUR_MYSQL_SERVER_PASSWORD';
    # mysql> exit

14. Add your MySQL Docker container as an external database in Plesk by using the information on the following page of the Plesk Obsidian documentation:

    Note: Make sure you use the public IP of the server and the external port that you have used (3307 in this example)

    Adding Remote Database Servers to Plesk | Adding and Removing Database Servers | Plesk Obsidian documentation

15. If you are planning to use this DB server as Default, go to Tools & Settings > Database Servers > Settings > Default settings for remote access of database users, and make sure access from remote servers is allowed. (This server would be a remote DB server even though it is hosted on the same VM).