Why is my app server stranding on the db default recipe?

Overview

When launching an application server based on a Rightscale PHP App server template (or another similar template) and using an Ubuntu 12.04 image, it might strand when booting and running the db::default recipe.

You may see an error similar to this in the audit entries -

*ERROR> 15:19:48: gem_package[mysql] (/var/cache/rightscale/cookbooks/default/2e15d7b020c4d7e48516846feaef5d6a/cookbooks/db_mysql/providers/default.rb:330:in `class_from_file') had an error:
    gem_package[mysql] (/var/cache/rightscale/cookbooks/default/2e15d7b020c4d7e48516846feaef5d6a/cookbooks/db_mysql/providers/default.rb line 330) had an error: RightScale::Exceptions::Exec: "/opt/rightscale/sandbox/bin/gem install mysql -q --no-rdoc --no-ri -v "2.7" -- --build-flags --with-mysql-config" exited with 1, expected 0.

Resolution

This issue is related to using an Ubuntu image on your applicatoin server along with the 'Database Provider Type' input set to db_mysql_5.1.

The input in question is found on the app server and looks like so:

Our Ubuntu 12.04 image on our app server templates do not support using the db_mysql_5.1 database provider type. If you are using our latest application server template (for example, PHP App Server (v13.3)), and you have a MySQL 5.1 server and wish to use the db_mysql_5.1 provider type, you MUST use a Centos image on the application server, or you MUST upgrade to using a MySQL 5.5 template for your database server and switch the provider type input to db_mysql_5.5.

In short, using an Ubuntu 12.04 image with the db_mysql_5.1 database provider type input is not supported on our v13.x infinity lineage templates.

Questions? Concerns?

Feel free to open a ticket in the Rightscale dashboard under the Support -> Email link in the top right corner, or call us at (866) 787-2253 and we will be happy to assist.