1. Objective

It is the goal of the Office of Information Technology (OIT) to provide enterprise-quality relational database hosting to any campus unit needing that capability. OIT currently supports three database platforms:

• MySQL
• MariaDB
• PostgreSQL

Both platforms are implemented using disk mirroring and replication technologies to provide a highly available, redundant service for the University community's use.

Due to the resource requirements of this service, it is necessary that it be provided on a “for charge” basis, while OIT subsidizes a significant share of the cost.

2. Glossary

For the purpose of clarity, the following terms have these specified meanings:

• Database Service: a program that houses data and accepts SQL commands to store and retrieve that data (e.g., the MySQL, MariaDB, or PostgreSQL server process).
• Database Engine: the specific database platform selected by the customer — MySQL, MariaDB, or PostgreSQL.
• Server: a computer on which one or more databases and database engines reside.
• OIT Shared Services: the group that supports this service.

3. Terms

• All servers are connected to the NC State campus fiber backbone via Ethernet connections.
• The database service is owned, provided, and operated by OIT.
• The data or content delivered by the database service is owned by the customer.
• The customer selects one database engine (MySQL, MariaDB, or PostgreSQL) per database instance at provisioning time; migrating an existing instance between engines is treated as a new provisioning request.

4. Details of Service Agreement

4.1 OIT Responsibilities

OIT will be responsible for:

• Implementing a MySQL, MariaDB, or PostgreSQL database, per the customer's selection, that will house the customer's data and respond to SQL commands submitted by the customer or the customer's programs.
• Providing the customer with a database and configuring two database accounts able to:
  • Access the database for read-only purposes
  • Access the database for read and write purposes
• Performing change requests — requested through the email address oit_mysql@help.ncsu.edu — implemented within 3 business days of receipt.
• Backing up the customer's database(s):
  • On a daily basis
  • Retained for 28 days
• Restoring the customer's database upon request within 3 business days.
• Monitoring database services for availability.
• Taking immediate action to correct issues when service availability falls below an acceptable level.
• OS and application (database engine) maintenance within specified Established Maintenance Window (EMW) periods.
• Communicating to campus by posting the following at the NC State Service Portal:
  • Announcing any upcoming changes
  • Announcing any planned outages
  • Providing information regarding any unplanned outages that may have occurred

4.2 OIT Will Not Be Responsible For

• Maintaining or creating any content to be delivered by the service.
• Granting access or creating database accounts for individuals. All access will be via the accounts provided.
• Any copyright infringements caused by unauthorized use of copyrighted material.
• Providing ODBC connectivity or support to the database service or server.
• Providing SQL, PHP, ColdFusion, or other application-language support or training.
• Supporting database engines, versions, or extensions other than those listed in Section 5.

4.3 Customer Responsibilities

The customer will be responsible for:

• Controlling the distribution of the database user IDs provided.
• Designing and implementing the database schema and any associated tables.
• Loading data into all required database tables.
• Creating and maintaining any content or scripts that access the service.
• Implementing business practices that minimize OIT Shared Services recovery or repair requests.
• Abiding by REG 08.00.02 Computer Use Regulation.
• Ensuring the application and data storage comply with:
  • Requirements of University policies
  • FERPA, HIPAA, GLBA, ECPA, CFAA, and all other applicable federal and state laws regarding confidentiality of information
• Ensuring the service will not contain any system components that are in either PCI DSS primary or secondary scope:
  • Primary PCI scope includes any system component that processes, transmits, and/or stores payment card numbers (including the Card Security Code)
  • Secondary PCI scope is any system component that either provides services to primary-scope components or attaches to the primary scope directly
• Providing OIT Shared Services with the names, phone numbers, and email addresses of critical contact personnel.
• Renewing the annual SLA before the due date and providing complete renewal information.

5. Supported Database Versions

OIT supports the following major versions at any given time. Versions are re-evaluated annually and updated to track each project's upstream end-of-life (EOL) schedule; customers are notified at least 90 days before a supported version reaches EOL under this service.

Engine	Currently Supported Versions	Notes
MySQL	8.0 (LTS)	5.7 accepted for migration support only
MariaDB	10.6, 10.11 (LTS)	Version fixed at provisioning; upgrades on request
PostgreSQL	17, 18	Follows the PostgreSQL major-version annual release cycle

Engine-specific notes:

• MySQL/MariaDB: default storage engine is InnoDB. Two accounts are provisioned per database (read-only and read/write), scoped to that database.
• PostgreSQL: one dedicated database is provisioned per customer within a shared cluster; two roles are provisioned per database (read-only and read/write). Customers may request standard extensions (e.g., PostGIS, pgcrypto, uuid-ossp) via a change request; extensions are enabled at OIT's discretion based on resource impact.
• Cross-engine features (replication into a customer-managed downstream server, logical decoding, foreign data wrappers) are considered out of standard scope and are evaluated case by case.

6. Communicating with OIT

Communications between the customer and OIT Shared Services staff will be through the email address oit_mysql@help.ncsu.edu, which covers all supported engines (MySQL, MariaDB, and PostgreSQL). This address delivers mail to a problem-tracking system that enables OIT Shared Services staff to quickly and easily respond to requests and questions.

7. Other Notes

This Agreement is in force until the end of the current fiscal year (June 30).

OIT Shared Services can provide very limited assistance with database design.

OIT reserves the right to revoke access to the database and database server if, in the opinion of the Executive Director of Shared Services (or a designate):

• There appear to be application(s) that are misbehaving, run-away, or consuming excessive CPU resources on the database server or associated web server(s).
• There appear to be programs that access file space not directly associated with the application or other unit/division/department.

If, in the opinion of OIT's Executive Director of Shared Services (or a designate), the number of restoration requests becomes excessive, OIT may pursue remedies, including but not limited to:

• Charging on a per-request basis
• Requesting justification for restoration

OIT will send renewal notification 45 calendar days before the database needs to be renewed, using the contact information provided. If no response is received from the customer by the due date, OIT will, at the discretion of the Executive Director of Shared Services (or a designate), shut down and decommission the corresponding database. All data in the database will not be recoverable beyond the regular database backup retention period.

8. Cost of Service

This service is provided on a partial cost-recovery basis. The details of the costing methodology will be provided upon request.

The cost of this service is $300 per year per database instance, regardless of database engine (MySQL, MariaDB, or PostgreSQL). If applicable, the cost is pro-rated from the date the service is initiated until the end of the fiscal year, June 30.

9. VM Pricing and Billing

[Reserved — to be completed with current VM pricing tiers and billing cycle details.]