PDA

View Full Version : vB, MySQL, Linux: Groups, Owners, Permission


Detlef
Mon 11th Dec '00, 5:57pm
Hi,
how can I backup my vBulletin 'Forum3' -- who can tell?

I have rented webspace from an ISP (Linux, Apache). The access through FTP and TELNET is fine, MySQL (3.22.32?) works fine. The database files of my 'Forum3' reside on that server in the folder
var/mysql/Forum3
and wait for me that I come and draw backups.
But the ISP technician sais: “I cannot give you access to that folder, BECAUSE:
The folder has to belong to the user 'mysql', because 'mysql' needs to read in and write to that folder.
IF we would allow user 'detlef' to access your folder, I would have to withdraw the permission from 'mysql', and 'mysql' cannot read or write any longer.
WE COULD set the permissions of that folder 'Forum3' to 777,
THEN 'detlef' and 'mysql' can read and write, BUT anybody else can read and write as well; so that is NOT A GOOD SOLUTION.”

I tried to argue:
“Put 'mysql' and 'detlef' into one group and give our folder 'Forum3' as a property to this group.”

But the server technician answered something like this:
“Groups in Linux are strict hierarchical – if two users belong to the same group than they are either dependent (president and member) or two members of this same group; a user cannot be free on the one hand side and at the same time belong to different groups (like football team and rowing club and being a free man in the rest of the week).”

I said, I do not believe this, because other ISPs CAN give access to the 'mysql' folder.
“May be”, the ISP technician said, “but I do not know.”

Now my question to all you wise vB-Technicians:
Does someone know how to access one folder from two users?

[Edited by Detlef on 12-11-2000 at 05:02 PM]

werehere
Mon 11th Dec '00, 6:11pm
Can you not backup the forum using telnet?

Martin
Mon 11th Dec '00, 7:57pm
all they have to do is add full permissions for your DB Username. it's not that difficult a thing...

Detlef
Tue 12th Dec '00, 4:52am
@werehere wrote:
> Can you not backup the forum using telnet? <
Yes, that is right and that is exactly what I want to,
but when I try to access the folder,
the server replies: Error 500, No Permission.

@Martin wrote:
> all they have to do is add full permissions for your DB Username. it's not that difficult a thing... <
I would like to agree! But what is the truth?
THE TECHNICIAN says: “I can give the ownership (access right) ONLY to 'mysql' OR 'detlef', NOT BOTH.”
BUT YOU say “add full permissions for your DB Username ('detlef')” AND leave the full permission for the user 'mysql'.
What is right -- BOTH or NOT BOTH?
I know, I have to convince that guy; are you sure that BOTH is possible?


[Edited by Detlef on 12-12-2000 at 03:55 AM]

Martin
Tue 12th Dec '00, 5:36am
you can grant full permissions on a database to as many people as you want. It's not that hard a thing to do. Tell your ISP guy to read a little in his mySQL manual. If he has a searchable one, tell him to search GRANT and he'll find all the info he needs.

Martin
Tue 12th Dec '00, 5:40am
http://www.mysql.com/documentation/mysql/commented/manual.php?section=Adding_users

that should get him headed down the right path...

werehere
Tue 12th Dec '00, 1:16pm
I would like to agree! But what is the truth?
THE TECHNICIAN says: “I can give the ownership (access right) ONLY to 'mysql' OR 'detlef', NOT BOTH.”
BUT YOU say “add full permissions for your DB Username ('detlef')” AND leave the full permission for the user 'mysql'.
What is right -- BOTH or NOT BOTH?
I know, I have to convince that guy; are you sure that BOTH is possible?

All you need is full enough permissions for whatever user you log into telnet with (and your probably not logging into telnet with the mysql user).

Martin
Tue 12th Dec '00, 6:23pm
hmmmmmmmm

mebbe I'm misreading? I thought he was talking about database permissions. is he talking about server permissions?

Detlef
Tue 12th Dec '00, 7:14pm
@Martin:
Yes, Martin, this is right. This mainly seems to be a question of *s*e*r*v*e*r *p*e*r*m*i*s*s*i*o*n*, a question of Linux.

@werehere:
All you need is full enough permissions for whatever user you log into telnet with (and your probably not logging into telnet with the mysql user).
Yes, I'm not logging in with the mysql user; I don't have a password for that.
The ISP technician won't give me 'enough permission' to the folder 'var/mysql/Forum1' because – that's what he said – then 'mysql' would not have any longer a right to access the folder.
Apparently he is not able to give TWO users access to ONE folder and keep the rest of the world out.
(What he did right now: set the permission to dwrxwrxwrx; that is fine for testing, but not good for security!)