Overview

This document describes the functions performed by a Vertica database administrator (DBA). Perform these tasks using only the dedicated database administrator account that was created when you installed <DBMS>. The examples in this documentation set assume that the administrative account name is dbadmin.

• To perform certain cluster configuration and administration tasks, the DBA (users of the administrative account) must be able to supply the root password for those hosts. If this requirement conflicts with your organization's security policies, these functions must be performed by your IT staff.
• If you perform administrative functions using a different account, Vertica encounters file ownership problems.
• If you share the administrative account password, make sure that only one user runs the Administration Tools at any time. Otherwise, automatic configuration propagation does not work correctly.

  The tools needed for administering a Vertica database are provided in the form of a graphical user interface that allows you to perform various tasks quickly and easily. The tools also provide a convenient way to connect to a database using vsql. Always run the Administration Tools on the Administration Host if possible.

  vsql is the Vertica implementation of psql, a character-based, interactive, front-end that is part of PostgreSQL and used by other database management systems. It allows you to type in SQL statements and see the results. It also provides a number of meta-commands and various shell-like features to facilitate writing scripts and automating a wide variety of tasks.

  $ /opt/vertica/bin/adminTools

  See the Administration Tools Reference for a complete description.