---
title: Configuring Policy Editor database service connections
description: You can configure the pooling mechanism and add allowed drivers for database service connections when developing and testing such services in external policy decision point (PDP) mode.
component: pingauthorize
version: 11.0
page_id: pingauthorize:pingauthorize_server_administration_guide:paz_config_pe_database_services
canonical_url: https://docs.pingidentity.com/pingauthorize/11.0/pingauthorize_server_administration_guide/paz_config_pe_database_services.html
revdate: June 27, 2024
section_ids:
  about-this-task: About this task
  steps: Steps
  example: Example:
  example-2: Example:
---

# Configuring Policy Editor database service connections

You can configure the pooling mechanism and add allowed drivers for database service connections when developing and testing such services in [external policy decision point](paz_config_external_pdp.html) (PDP) mode.

## About this task

A database pool is a cache of database connections that PingAuthorize uses to manage system performance. Instead of establishing a new connection each time the server needs to retrieve policy information from the database, PingAuthorize leverages an existing connection from the database pool. PingAuthorize creates a database pool for each database service you define, and the pool configuration specified in the Policy Editor will apply to each pool.

## Steps

1. Make a copy of the default options file:

   ```shell
   $ cp config/options.yml my-options.yml
   ```

2. In the `databasePools` section of the new `options` file, modify the following database pool properties:

   | Property                  | Description                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    |
   | ------------------------- | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
   | `connectionTimeoutMillis` | Specifies the maximum number of milliseconds that a connection request waits for an available connection in the database pool.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 |
   | `validationTimeoutMillis` | Specifies the maximum number of milliseconds that a database pool tests a connection for aliveness.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            |
   | `maximumLifetimeMillis`   | Specifies the maximum number of milliseconds that a connection stays in the database pool. The database pool will only remove a connection if the maximum lifetime elapses and the connection is no longer active.Setting this property to any value between 0 and 30000 will have no effect.Setting this property to 0 makes the maximum lifetime indefinite. |
   | `maximumSize`             | Specifies the maximum number of connections in a database pool.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                |
   | `readOnly`                | Specifies whether the database pools are read-only. Some database types do not support the read-only mode. If the database type does not support the read-only mode, the database pools will be read-write regardless of the value of this property.                                                                                                           |

3. To add a database driver other than PostgreSQL or Oracle, in the `allowedDatabaseDrivers` section of the new options file, add a new driver in the form of a key-value pair.

   The key must be in the format `.driver`, and the value must be the fully qualified Java class name of the driver.

   ### Example:

   ```
   postgresql.driver: "org.postgresql.Driver"
   oracle.driver: "oracle.jdbc.driver.OracleDriver"
   ```

4. Stop the Policy Editor.

   ```shell
   $ bin/stop-server
   ```

5. Run `setup` using the `--optionsFile` argument and customize all other options as needed.

   ### Example:

   ```shell
   $ bin/setup demo \
     --adminUsername admin \
     --generateSelfSignedCertificate \
     --decisionPointSharedSecret pingauthorize \
     --hostname  <pap-hostname>  \
     --port  <pap-port>  \
     --adminPort  <admin-port>  \
     --licenseKeyFile  <path-to-license>  \
     --optionsFile my-options.yml
   ```

6. Start the Policy Policy Editor.

   ```shell
   $ bin/start-server
   ```