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Freedom251 › Blog › FXServer

How to Set Up a Database for Your RedM Server

By Freedom251 Team · · 13 min read

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To give a RedM server persistent character, inventory, economy, and world data, connect it to a MySQL-compatible database—preferably MariaDB—through oxmysql. Create the database and a restricted user, place the connection string in server.cfg, start oxmysql before your framework, and import every framework or script SQL schema into that same database. Most connection failures come from one of those five steps being missing or performed in the wrong order.

If you are choosing where to run FXServer, Godlike.Host RedM hosting provides its own game panel, SFTP/FTP access, up to three free backups a day with restore, and 24/7 support; you still need to configure the database connection and schemas described here. It is not on Cfx.re’s list of authorized RedM hosts (redm.net, 10 Oct 2026).

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What the database does in a RedM server

RedM resources use a relational database to store information that must survive a server restart. Depending on the framework and scripts you install, that includes player identities, characters, money, jobs, inventories, weapons, owned horses, properties, permissions, logs, and configuration. The game server does not normally write this data directly to a database driver. A database wrapper such as oxmysql provides the connection and query interface that resources call.

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The working chain is:

  • A MariaDB or MySQL-compatible server listens on a host and port, commonly port 3306.
  • A database and login are created for the RedM installation.
  • oxmysql reads a connection string from server.cfg and maintains the connection pool.
  • Your framework and scripts send SQL queries through oxmysql.
  • The tables required by each framework or script are imported into the database named in the connection string.

If any link points somewhere else—for example, the SQL was imported into redm_test while the server connects to redm_live—the resource can connect successfully yet report missing tables or fail to load player data.

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Choose MariaDB, MySQL, self-hosting, or managed hosting

MariaDB is the practical default

The maintained oxmysql guidance says, “MariaDB is highly recommended for compatibility, and improved performance (over all versions of MySQL).” Use a current MariaDB release supported by your operating system and framework. VORP’s cited setup guidance specifically recommends MariaDB 10.11.2. If a framework maintainer names a required version, follow that requirement rather than assuming every release is interchangeable.

MySQL-compatible services can also work, but compatibility is determined by the driver, SQL features, character sets, and the framework’s own queries. Do not switch database engines in the middle of a deployment without checking the framework’s current installation instructions.

Self-hosted database

With self-hosting, MariaDB runs on the same machine as FXServer or on another server you administer. You control the operating-system updates, firewall, backups, accounts, and recovery process.

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Managed database

A managed provider supplies the database host, port, database name, username, and password. You normally do not install MariaDB yourself; instead, copy those values into the connection string. Confirm whether the provider permits connections from the RedM server’s public IP and whether it requires TLS or a non-default port.

Decision area Self-hosted Managed
Control Full control of MariaDB configuration, users, firewall, and upgrades. Provider controls the service layer; available settings depend on the plan.
Maintenance You patch the operating system and database, monitor disk space, and test backups. The provider handles much of the service maintenance, but you still manage schemas, credentials, and application backups.
Network path Localhost connections avoid an external network hop when FXServer and MariaDB share a machine. The RedM server connects over the provider network; firewall and allow-list configuration are required.
Recovery You choose dump locations, retention, and restoration procedures. Automated backups may be available, but retention and restore controls vary; verify them before relying on the service.
Cost There is no separate database-service bill, but the host uses CPU, memory, disk, and administration time. A recurring provider charge may buy backups, monitoring, and support. No reliable universal price applies.
Support You troubleshoot the database, firewall, and operating system. The provider can help with service availability and credentials, while framework and SQL issues remain your responsibility.

For a small private server on one machine, self-hosted MariaDB is often the simplest topology. A managed service is useful when you want provider-managed backups, a separate database host, or less operating-system administration. In either case, keep the database close enough to the game server to avoid avoidable network failures and configure access for only the required source.

Prepare the information and access you need

Before editing files, collect these values in a password manager or protected provider panel:

  • Database host, such as 127.0.0.1, localhost, or the managed provider’s hostname.
  • Database port, normally 3306 unless the administrator or provider specifies another port.
  • Database name, for example redm.
  • Database username and password.
  • Permission to create the database and import SQL, or a provider-created database with those permissions.
  • Access to the RedM server’s files, especially the resources directory and server.cfg.
  • The SQL files supplied by your framework and each database-backed script.

For a self-hosted installation, also decide whether MariaDB will accept only local connections or a connection from a separate RedM host. Local-only access is safer when both services run on one machine. If a remote connection is required, allow the RedM server’s address in the database account and firewall rather than opening the database to every internet address.

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Install and secure MariaDB for a self-hosted server

Install the server package

Install MariaDB using your operating system’s supported package or the vendor’s installation method, then enable the database service and confirm that it is running. The exact package commands differ by Linux distribution and Windows installation method, so use the procedure appropriate to your host. VORP’s setup guidance names MariaDB 10.11.2 and HeidiSQL as its reference combination for database administration.

Create a separate database and user

Do not run a public RedM server with the database administrator account. Connect to MariaDB with an administrative account once, create an application database, and grant the RedM login access only to that database. The following SQL illustrates the pattern; replace the names and password with unique values:

CREATE DATABASE redm CHARACTER SET utf8mb4 COLLATE utf8mb4_unicode_ci;
CREATE USER 'redm_user'@'localhost' IDENTIFIED BY 'use-a-long-unique-password';
GRANT ALL PRIVILEGES ON redm.* TO 'redm_user'@'localhost';
FLUSH PRIVILEGES;

If FXServer runs on a different machine, create the account for the specific RedM server address instead of using a wildcard host. The database account’s host permission and the operating-system firewall must both allow the connection. Ask your hosting provider for its required source-IP allow-list format when you do not administer the database host.

Check the character set

Using utf8mb4 for a new database accommodates the full Unicode range used in player names and text. A framework’s supplied SQL may define its own table or collation settings; import it as supplied unless the maintainer documents a required change.

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Install oxmysql in the RedM resources directory

  1. Download a current oxmysql release from its official distribution source.
  2. Extract the resource so the folder containing its resource manifest is directly under your RedM resources directory. Avoid an accidental nested path such as resources/oxmysql/oxmysql/.
  3. Open server.cfg and add ensure oxmysql.
  4. Place the connection variable before the ensure line and before every framework or script that sends database queries.
  5. Restart the server and watch the console for the connection result before troubleshooting dependent resources.

oxmysql supports URI and semicolon-separated connection strings. Choose one format and keep it consistent with the credentials supplied by your database host.

Set mysql_connection_string correctly

URI format

Use this form when your credentials and host can be represented safely in a URI:

set mysql_connection_string "mysql://user:password@localhost:3306/redm?charset=utf8mb4"

Replace user, password, localhost, 3306, and redm with the actual values. The charset=utf8mb4 parameter requests the Unicode character set for the connection.

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Key/value format

The semicolon-separated form expresses the same information as individual fields:

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set mysql_connection_string "user=root;password=12345;host=localhost;port=3306;database=redm"

The example uses placeholder credentials only. Create a dedicated account rather than using root on a production server.

Handle special characters in passwords

Reserved characters can have meaning in a URI or in a semicolon-separated string. A password containing characters such as @, :, ;, or # can therefore be parsed incorrectly if it is copied without the format’s required escaping. The safest operational choice is a long, randomly generated password made from characters accepted by your chosen connection format. If your provider requires punctuation, use the provider’s documented URI-encoding or key/value escaping method and test the resulting string.

Put the setting before dependent resources

A reliable order in server.cfg looks like this:

set mysql_connection_string "mysql://redm_user:[email protected]:3306/redm?charset=utf8mb4"

ensure oxmysql
ensure vorp_core
# or the RSG framework core
ensure framework_modules
ensure your_database_backed_scripts

The framework name and module names differ by installation. The important dependency order is the connection variable, then oxmysql, then the framework core and its modules, then scripts that query framework tables. A resource that starts before its database dependency may fail during boot even though the database itself is healthy.

Import framework and script SQL schemas

Installing the driver does not create the tables your framework needs. Every framework and database-backed script normally ships one or more .sql files. Import each file into the database named in mysql_connection_string.

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Import with HeidiSQL

  1. Open HeidiSQL and create a session using the database host, port, username, and password.
  2. Connect and select the intended database—such as redm—in the left-hand tree.
  3. Open the framework’s supplied SQL file in the query editor, or use HeidiSQL’s import function when the file is large.
  4. Run the file and review the messages for syntax errors, duplicate objects, or permission failures.
  5. Refresh the database tree and verify that the expected tables exist.
  6. Repeat the process for scripts that provide their own schema, following their documented order when migrations are numbered.

VORP’s cited guidance calls the main schema MariaDB.sql and instructs administrators to run it with MariaDB and HeidiSQL. Use the current file supplied by the framework rather than an SQL dump copied from an unrelated release.

Prevent the wrong-database mistake

Before executing a file, compare the selected database in HeidiSQL with the database segment of the connection string. If the SQL contains an explicit USE statement, check that it names the same database. A successful import into the wrong schema is particularly confusing because the import reports no error while the RedM resource still says its tables are missing.

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Handle repeat imports safely

Do not repeatedly run a full schema against a live database simply to clear a startup error. Some files contain CREATE TABLE statements that will produce duplicate-object errors; others may alter or seed data. Keep a backup before applying a migration, read the framework’s migration notes, and run only the version appropriate to your installed release.

Start resources in dependency order

Resource order is part of the database configuration, not just cosmetic organization. A typical sequence is:

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  1. Set mysql_connection_string.
  2. Start oxmysql.
  3. Start the framework core.
  4. Start framework modules that depend on the core.
  5. Start jobs, inventory, housing, economy, logging, and other scripts.

Use ensure so a resource starts on boot and can be restarted by the server manager. If a framework’s recipe specifies a different resource name or an additional dependency, follow that recipe while preserving the same dependency direction.

Use txAdmin without treating it as a database resource

txAdmin is included with FXServer; you do not install it as a separate resource. Its recipes can connect to a database and execute queries, which can simplify a new deployment or framework installation.

Recipe automation does not remove the need to review what it will do. Before deploying a recipe:

  • Inspect the recipe source and confirm that the URL and files are the ones you intended to use.
  • Review the SQL statements and the database name they target.
  • Confirm that the credentials and permissions are appropriate for the destination database.
  • Check which resources the recipe enables and whether it starts oxmysql before framework resources.
  • Back up existing server data and the database before applying changes to an established server.

If a recipe fails, inspect the first failed task and its console output. Verify the source URL, credentials, permissions, and SQL before trying another deployment. Repeatedly redeploying without correcting the first failure can leave partial tables or duplicated resources.

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Framework-specific setup notes

VORP

The cited VORP guidance recommends MariaDB 10.11.2, HeidiSQL, and running MariaDB.sql. Current VORP guidance uses oxmysql. Install the wrapper, configure the connection string, import the supplied schema into that database, and start the VORP core only after oxmysql is ready.

RSG

The RSG guide says txAdmin may configure the database automatically. If it does not, install oxmysql, place it in resources, set the connection string, and start it near the top of server.cfg before the RSG core and its scripts. Confirm whether the current RSG release supplies a separate SQL file or migration step.

Other frameworks and scripts

Read the maintainer’s current installation instructions for the exact resource names, SQL files, and wrapper expectation. Confirm whether the resource expects oxmysql, mysql-async, or ghmattimysql. Do not assume that a script written for one wrapper can call another wrapper’s API without a compatibility layer or code migration.

Verify the installation before inviting players

  1. Restart FXServer from a clean boot rather than testing only a manual resource restart.
  2. Confirm that the console shows oxmysql starting before the framework.
  3. Check that the framework reaches its ready state without authentication, table, or query errors.
  4. Join with a test account and create or load a character.
  5. Change a small piece of persistent data, such as a character setting or inventory item, then restart the server.
  6. Join again and verify that the change survived the restart.
  7. Inspect the database for the expected row and review the console for failed queries.

A successful connection test proves only that the login can reach the server. The restart test verifies the complete path: correct database selection, imported schema, framework queries, write permissions, and read-back behavior.

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Troubleshoot the common failures

Symptom Likely cause Checks and fix
Access denied for user Wrong username, password, database name, or account host permission. Copy the values again from the provider or account definition. Confirm that the MariaDB user is permitted from the RedM server’s host and that it has privileges on the selected database.
Connection refused or timeout MariaDB is stopped, the host or port is wrong, or a firewall blocks the path. Check the database service status, verify the hostname resolves to the intended server, confirm the port, and allow traffic only from the RedM server where possible. A remote account may also need permission tied to the server IP.
Tables are missing The framework SQL was never imported, was imported into another database, or belongs to a different framework release. Compare the selected database with the connection string, import the correct supplied .sql file, refresh the table list, and apply documented migrations in order.
Framework starts before the database The connection variable or ensure oxmysql appears below dependent resources. Move the variable and ensure oxmysql above the framework core and all querying scripts, then perform a full restart.
Queries fail after changing wrappers An older resource expects mysql-async or ghmattimysql, while the server provides only oxmysql. Install the wrapper required by that resource, update the resource to a version supporting oxmysql, or use a documented compatibility layer. The APIs are not automatically interchangeable.
URI parses incorrectly A reserved character in the username or password is being interpreted as part of the connection syntax. Use a format-safe generated credential or apply the connection format’s documented escaping. Test with a temporary credential before changing the production account.
txAdmin recipe fails A task has an invalid source, insufficient permissions, incorrect credentials, or bad SQL. Read the first failed task, correct that specific input, and review the recipe before redeploying. Check for partial changes first.

Secure credentials and protect the data

  • Keep database passwords and server keys in protected configuration files or provider settings.
  • Never publish a complete server.cfg containing live credentials in a forum, repository, screenshot, or support ticket.
  • Use a dedicated database account for the RedM server instead of an administrator login.
  • Restrict remote database access by source address and firewall rule; do not expose port 3306 to the entire internet when a narrower rule is possible.
  • Back up the database and server data before importing schemas, changing recipes, upgrading frameworks, or applying migrations.
  • Test that a backup can actually be restored to a separate database or host. A file that was never restored is not a verified recovery plan.
  • Rotate credentials if they appear in a public log or configuration paste, then update the protected server setting.

Database security does not replace game-server permissions. Limit administrative commands and txAdmin access separately, and review which recipe tasks can execute SQL or write files.

Plan upgrades and migrations

Treat framework upgrades, wrapper changes, and database migrations as separate changes when possible. Record the current framework release, wrapper release, database host, and schema version. Take a dated backup, stop or restrict player access during a destructive migration, apply the documented SQL, start the server, and test character loading and saving before reopening it.

When moving from a legacy wrapper, first inventory the resources that call its API. A server can have a valid MariaDB connection and a working oxmysql process while an older script still fails because its function names and callback behavior are different. Upgrade or adapt those resources deliberately rather than deleting the old wrapper and hoping the calls will resolve.

Reference configuration checklist

  • MariaDB or another MySQL-compatible server is installed or supplied by the host.
  • The database host, port, name, username, and password are known and tested.
  • The application user is limited to the intended database and allowed source host.
  • oxmysql is directly inside the RedM resources tree.
  • mysql_connection_string is set in server.cfg before any dependent ensure line.
  • The framework’s current SQL file and every script migration have been imported into that exact database.
  • ensure oxmysql precedes the framework core, modules, and scripts.
  • A clean restart shows no connection, permission, or missing-table errors.
  • A test character’s data survives a restart.
  • Credentials are private and a tested backup exists.

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