---
title: "Configuring the VAST Cluster for Database Access"
slug: "configuring-the-vast-cluster-for-database-access"
tags: ["5.5"]
updated: 2026-10-27T23:00:54Z
published: 2026-10-27T23:00:54Z
canonical: "docs.vastdata.com/configuring-the-vast-cluster-for-database-access"
---

> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.vastdata.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Configuring the VAST Cluster for Database Access

Complete the following steps:

- (Recommended) Create a virtual IP pool dedicated to VAST Database.
- Set up a database owner user.
- Create at least one database and a schema.

## Creating a Dedicated Virtual IP Pool

It is recommended to create a dedicated virtual IP pool containing only the CNodes which you want to dedicate for servicing VAST Database workloads. This prevents any performance implications for other VAST Cluster services.

- In VAST Web UI, choose Network Access -> Virtual IP Pools and click the + Create VIP Pool button. In the dialog that opens, complete the fields and click Create. For a complete virtual IP pool creation procedure, see [Managing Virtual IP Pools](/docs-5-5/docs/managing-virtual-ip-pools).
- If using VAST CLI, run the `vippool create` command.

## Setting Up a Database Owner User

1. Choose an existing VAST Cluster user or create a new one. For instructions on how to create a VAST Cluster user, see [Managing Local Users](/docs-5-5/docs/vast-providers#managing-local-users).
2. Ensure that the user is allowed to create S3 buckets:

  - In VAST Web UI, open the Update User dialog (User Management -> Users -> edit a user) and verify that the Allow Create Bucket option is enabled.
  - If using VAST CLI, run the `user query --context local --uid UID` command and verify that the `allow_create_bucket` property is set to `True`.
3. Ensure that the user has an S3 access key pair defined and enabled.

  - To check if S3 access keys exist for a user, log in to VAST CLI and run the `user query --context local --uid UID` command.

> [!NOTE]
> Note
> 
> Existing S3 access keys cannot be viewed via VAST Web UI.
  - To generate a new S3 access key pair for a user via VAST Web UI, open the Update User dialog (User Management -> Users -> edit a user) and click the Create new key button.
  - To generate a new S3 access key pair via VAST CLI, run the `user generate-key` command.

## Creating a Database and a Schema

By creating a VAST database, you create an Element Store view where database tables will be stored. A Database-enabled view must have a policy and the *Database* protocol type. You can [manage](/docs-5-5/docs/managing-views) Database-enabled views in the same way as other views.

> Caution
> 
> A VAST database table created on an Element Store view looks like a file on a filesystem. Ensure that you have proper access policies in place to prevent non-authorized access to or manipulation of database tables.

A database can have one or more schemas. A schema contains one or more tables which store data.

### Creating a Database and Schema using the VAST Web UI

To create a database and a schema via VAST Web UI:

1. Choose DataBase -> VAST DB.
2. In the VAST DB page that opens, click + New Database.
3. In the New Database dialog, enter the following required settings:

  - Database Name: Enter the name for your database. Database naming requirements are the same as for S3 bucket names.
  - Policy name: Select a policy. This policy should match the policy chosen for the Database-enabled view.
  - Path: Specify a path for the database.
  - Database owner: Specify the name of the database owner user.
4. Click Create.

The new database is displayed in the database tree.
5. Select the newly created database in the database tree and click + Add Schema.
6. In the Add Schema dialog that opens, enter a name for the schema. Schema naming requirements are the same as for S3 object names.
7. Click Create.

The new schema is displayed under the database in the database tree.

### Creating a Database and Schema using the VAST CLI

Follow these steps to create a database and schema using the VAST CLI

1. Select a view policy for the database. Run this command to show a list of all policies.

```plaintext
vcli: admin> viewpolicy list
+----+-------------------+---------------------------+-----------+-------------+
| ID | Name              | Cluster                   | Flavor    | Auth-source |
+----+-------------------+---------------------------+-----------+-------------+
| 1  | default           | sales-devvm               | NFS       | RPC         |
| 3  | s3_default_policy | sales-devvm               | S3_NATIVE | RPC         |
+----+-------------------+---------------------------+-----------+-------------+
```

Select from the list an S3 policy to be associated with the new database.
2. To create a database, run this command:

```plaintext
vcli: admin> view create --path /vast-db --protocols S3,DATABASE --create-dir --bucket vast-db --bucket-owner <owner> --policy-id <id>
```

Where <id> is the policy ID for the policy selected in the previous step (in the example in the previous step, this is 3).
3. To create a schema, run this command:

```plaintext
vcli: admin> schema create --name <schema-name> --database-name <db-name>
```