phpMyAdmin at SoIC
How to access phpMyAdmin
For phpMyAdmin, use a web browser (Chrome, Firefox, Edge, Safari, Chromium, etc.) to connect to a URL starting with https:// followed by the name of the server, then /phpmyadmin/
For example:
https://in-info-web4.informatics.iupui.edu/phpmyadmin/
or
https://deeplearn.luddy.iupui.edu/phpmyadmin/
Log in using CAS
On first connecting to phpmyadmin, your browser will redirect to one of IU’s single sign-on systems (CAS or IU Login). Here, you will enter your standard IU credentials.
Once you are at the phpMyAdmin login page which looks like:
You will now be connecting to the MySQL database via phpMyAdmin. The MySQL database uses different credentials because they must sometimes be stored in files readable by other users on the system (php or python files). Each user has credentials created for them via a script which randomly chooses their passphrase.
- The student’s username will be their standard IU username (e.g. jawzjaguar)
- The student’s database name will be their IU username with _db appended (e.g. jawzjaguar_db).
- Instructors and TAs are usually given privileges to select from the student databases (read only access).
- The password is randomly generated and placed within a file in the student’s home directory on the server,
/home/students/username/username-mysql-password (e.g. /home/students/jawzjaguar/jawzjaguar-mysql-password) which is only readable by the student.
To access the password file, the student must first connect to the server via SFTP or SSH. Using a graphical SFTP program like WinSCP or Cyberduck is recommended, as it is the most intuitive; you connect to the remote computer (e.g. in-info-web4.informatics.iupui.edu) , navigate through the remote filesystem to your home directory (which is usually the default location that opens), then open the mysql credentials file. The passphrase found within can be used to log in via the phpMyAdmin page.
Connecting via SSH (command line) or SFTP (file transfer):
Before connecting via SSH/SFTP, you will first need to have a campus IP address by either being physically on campus (using campus wireless or wired connection) or using the VPN if you’re off campus or using a non-IU Internet connection while on campus. Once you have installed and activated the VPN software, your computer will be seen as part of the campus network.
SSH/SFTP Software
Command line versions of ssh and sftp are installed by default on Windows 10, Linux, and MacOSX.
Graphical versions are also available via IUware.
Windows:
OSX:
Connect using graphical SSH/SFTP
- Enter the server fully qualified domain name as the host name (e.g. in-info-web4.informatics.iupui.edu or deeplearn.luddy.iupui.edu)
- Make sure that the port number is 22
If you are using FileZilla, make sure that your protocol is SFTP by prepending sftp:// to the host name. This is critical as FileZilla will normally default to the unencrypted FTP protocol which will send your username and passphrase over the Internet in clear text. There are several other graphical file transfer programs which allow multiple protocols. We highly suggest using an SFTP exclusive program.
Command line SSH/SFTP
If you don’t have the option to download and install a graphical SFTP program, then you’ll need to use SSH or SFTP via the command line. At this point, SSH is actually the more straightforward to use.
First you will need to open a command prompt or terminal session on your local computer:
Windows 10:
- From the Start Menu, Click Start, type PowerShell, and then click Windows PowerShell. or
- From the Start menu, click Start, click All Programs, click Accessories, click the Windows PowerShell folder, and then click Windows PowerShell.
- https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/powershell/scripting/windows-powershell/starting-windows-powershell
OSX:
- Click the Launchpad icon in the Dock, type Terminal in the search field, then click Terminal. or
- In the Finder , open the /Applications/Utilities folder, then double-click Terminal.
- https://support.apple.com/guide/terminal/open-or-quit-terminal-apd5265185d-f365-44cb-8b09-71a064a42125/mac
Linux:
Due to the ubiquity of user interfaces, the most likely way to get a command prompt is to use a virtual terminal from ctl-alt-F4 or similar. To return to your graphical display, it’s usually ctl-alt-F7 or occasionally ctl-alt-F1. If neither of these work, cycle through all the ctl-alt-F# keys. One of them is bound to have your X session.
Next, you will type the following at this command prompt:
ssh yourusername@theServerToWhichYouAreConnecting
( e.g. ssh jawzjaguar@in-info-web4.informatics.iupui.edu )
You will see a response similar or identical to:
The authenticity of host ‘in-info-web4.informatics.iupui.edu (134.68.246.118)’ can’t be established.
ECDSA key fingerprint is SHA256:i+GIv+KvV1xr56iWkAmONNT5L7ybmZzzfTP4BauWdUo.
Are you sure you want to continue connecting (yes/no/[fingerprint])?
Type “yes” to continue, then it will ask for your IU passphrase.
Once entered, you will have a command prompt on the server which will look like this:
jawzjaguar@in-info-web4:~$
From here you can type
cat /home/students/jawzjaguar/jawzjaguar-mysql-password
like so:
jawzjaguar@in-info-web4:~$ cat /home/students/jawzjaguar/jawzjaguar-mysql-password
DB username: jawzjaguar
DB databasename: jawzjaguar_db
DB password: [PASSPHRASE REDACTED]