How to Install MongoDB on Your CentOS 9 VPS or Dedicated Server: Easy Steps and Screenshots

MongoDB is an advanced nonrelational database management system. It is designed for extensive databases, data analytics, Big Data, gaming, and more. If youâ€™re in any of those industries and youâ€™re thinking of upgrading your database, MongoDB might be the answer.

NoSQL database systems like MongoDB were developed because RDBMS systems (based on SQL) did not support the rapid development or scale needed by modern applications. NoSQL is a broad term that includes document-based databases like MongoDB, in-memory databases, columnar databases, and more.

In this article, weâ€™ll look at how to install MongoDB on your CentOS 9 dedicated server or VPS. Stick around to learn how MongoDB can improve your database.

What is MongoDB?

MongoDB is a NoSQL database management system used for high-volume data storage. It is infinitely faster than traditional databases like RDMS thanks to the JSON-like files it uses to store its data.

MongoDB makes use of collections and documents. The collections are made up of sets of documents and functions, which is comparable to tables in relational database management systems. On the other hand, documents then consist of key-value pairs, which are the basic units of data.

What is CentOS 9?

CentOS 9 is the latest version of CentOS Stream, an open-source operating system built on the Linux kernel and based on the Red Hat Enterprise Linux source code. Itâ€™s stable software that is used in various industries from small businesses to high-end corporate IT applications.

What is a VPS?

A VPS (Virtual Private Server) is a virtual environment that runs somewhere on a physical server. VPS providers use special virtualization software to partition resources in the server into multiple VPS.

Therefore, unlike shared hosting, VPS users have absolute control over their virtual server (including software and root access.) A VPS is the best solution for organizations that have outgrown shared hosting but still canâ€™t sustain a dedicated server.

SInce a VPS basically works the same way as a dedicated server, installing MongoDB will be the same for CentOS dedicated servers and VPS.

Why You Need MongoDB on Your Centos 9 VPS or Dedicated Server

Many database experts prefer to use MongoDB for several reasons. Here are the main ones:

Itâ€™s a document-oriented database: Since MongoDB is a NoSQL database, it stores the data in documents instead of having them in a relational type format. This makes MongoDB more flexible and adaptable to real-world business applications.
Flexible Query model: MongoDB allows the user to index some segments of a document or query based on regular expressions, attribute values or ranges, and have as many properties per object as the application layer requires.
Load balancing: MongoDB splits data across different instances using the concept of shading. MongoDB can run over different servers, balancing the load, or duplicating the data to keep the system stable in case of a hardware failure.
Replication: With MongoDB, you can create replica sets. A replica set consists of multiple MongoDB instances. Any instance in the replica set can play primary or secondary roles at any time. The primary replica is the main server which interacts with clients and performs all Read/Write operations. The secondary replicas, on the other hand, keep a copy of the data.

Requirements

Before you install MongoDB on your CentOS 9 server, ensure you meet the following requirements:

A CentOS 9 VPS or dedicated server. We recommend a fresh OS install to prevent potential bugs or issues.
Access to an admin account with root privileges.

Note

Note: In this guide, weâ€™ll be installing MongoDB 6, Community Edition. Installing a different version of the MongoDB community might be slightly different.

Step 1: Updating the System

Before you install MongoDB on a CentOS 9 server, youâ€™ll need to update the system. You can do this by typing the command below:

yum update â€“y

As of September 2022, thereâ€™s no official repo of MongoDB for CentOS 9 so weâ€™ll have to use the repo for CentOS 9. To do that, weâ€™ll need to update the crypto policies and set them to LEGACY to avoid compatibility issues. Type the command below:

update-crypto-policies --set LEGACY

In case the command is not available, you can type the one below to install it:

yum -y install crypto-policies-scripts

Type the first command to see if itâ€™s been installed.

Then, reboot with the following command:

reboot

After the reboot, check if the crypto policies are now LEGACY with the command below:

update-crypto-policies --show

Now we need to create a file for the MongoDB repo weâ€™ll use to install the packages. First, create the file /etc/yum.repos.d/mongodb-org6.0.repo using the command below:

vi /etc/yum.repos.d/mongodb-org-6.0.repo

Now, enter edit mode by pressing i

Copy and paste the following content:

[mongodb-org-6.0]
name=MongoDB Repository
baseurl=https://repo.mongodb.org/yum/redhat/8/mongodb-org/6.0/x86_64/
gpgcheck=1
enabled=1
gpgkey=https://www.mongodb.org/static/pgp/server-6.0.asc

Press ESC to exit edit mode then type 😡 to save and quit

Alternatively, if you donâ€™t want to use vi, you can type the following command and fill the file in one line without a script:

cat > /etc/yum.repos.d/mongodb-org-6.0.repo << EOF
[mongodb-org-6.0]
name=MongoDB Repository
baseurl=https://repo.mongodb.org/yum/redhat/8/mongodb-org/6.0/x86_64/
gpgcheck=1
enabled=1
gpgkey=https://www.mongodb.org/static/pgp/server-6.0.asc
EOF

Confirm if the repo is available and configured using the command below:

yum repolist

Step 2: Installing MongoDB 6

With the update out of the way, we can now proceed to install MongoDB 6 from the repository. Type the command below:

yum install mongodb-org â€“y

We can now start the MongoDB service with the command below:

systemctl start mongod

Then, we can check if itâ€™s running with the next command:

systemctl status mongod

We can now check to see which port and IPS is listening:

ss -ntlp|grep mongo

Then we can check if startup is enabled:

systemctl is-enabled mongod; echo $?

If itâ€™s not enabled, you can enable it with the command below:

systemctl enable mongod

Thatâ€™s it! You now have MongoDB 6 on your CentOS 9 VPS or dedicated server.

Conclusion

MongoDB is an advanced database management system that brings a lot of benefits to the table. Itâ€™s cheap and easy to maintain, user-friendly, it supports integrated caching and itâ€™s highly scalable. If youâ€™ve been thinking of upgrading your database management system, we hope the guide above will help you install MongoDB on your CentOS 9 server.

However, if youâ€™re still using CentOS 7, you can check our guide on how to install MongoDB on your CentOS 7 VPS or dedicated server.

Next Steps: What Now?

Here are a few things you can take away from the article above:

MongoDB is a nonrelational database management system: Instead of using tables to store data like SQL databases, MongoDB stores data in JSON-like documents. This makes it more flexible and adaptable to real-world business applications.
A VPS is a great upgrade from shared hosting: While VPS and shared hosting are similar in that they host multiple users in one physical server, VPS providers used virtualization software to partition server resources and give more control to VPS users.
Itâ€™s advisable to install the operating system afresh before installing MongoDB: This is to avoid any bugs or compatibility issues.

FAQs

Do you still have some unanswered questions about installing MongoDB on a CentOS 9 server? Here are some of the most frequently asked questions on the subject.

What Are NoSQL Databases?

NoSQL databases (also known as Not only SQL databases) are databases that store their data in other ways other than relational tables. There are various types of NoSQL databases based on their data models. The main types include:

Wide-column databases: These types of databases store data in tables, rows, and dynamic columns.
Key value databases: These are simpler types of databases where each object contains a value and a key.
Document databases: These types of databases store data in documents similar to JSON (JavaScript Object Notation) objects. Each document has pairs of values and fields. The values can be various types including strings, booleans, numbers, arrays, or objects.
Graph databases: These databases store data in nodes and edges.Nodes typically store data about places, things and people, while edges store information about the relationships between the nodes.

While there are many differences between NoSQL and RDBMS databases, the key contrasts are in data modeling.

Whatâ€™s the Difference Between MongoDB and MySQL?

While both MongoDB and MySQL are popular database management systems, there are significant differences between them. MongoDB is an object-based (non-relational) database management system, designed to supersed the MySQL structure as an easier way to work with data.

MySQL on the other hand, is an open-source relational (or table based) database management system. As the name suggests, it uses Structured Query Language (SQL) for database access. The data-based design is the data query for search, which means you can search and access data in relation to another data point.

Who Should Use MongoDB?

MongoDB is an excellent non relational database management system. While itâ€™s great for most database applications, there are some instances where it can make noticeable differences.

For instance, it works best with unstructured data, which makes it ideal for MapReduce applications, Big Data systems, and social networking applications. Try MongoDB:

If youâ€™re using cloud computing: Cloud-based computing needs to distribute data among several servers, which MongoDB does perfectly.
If you need your data to be quickly accessible: MongoDB is perfect for performance-critical applications. The system offers high data availability and quick data recovery.
If youâ€™re using Agile methodologies for development: Relational databases are not agile and will hinder your productivity. On the other hand, NoSQL databases like MongoDB donâ€™t require the level of preparation its competitors demand.
If you donâ€™t have a database administrator: If youâ€™re a small startup without the resources for a dedicated database administrator, MongoDB is a great option because itâ€™s so low maintenance, the absence of an administrator will be more bearable.
If you have schema issues: If you have undefined or unstable schema, try MongoDB.

Does My Business Need a Dedicated Server?

A dedicated server means a website has a whole server all to itself. It offers premium power, speed and flexibility, but also costs a premium. Therefore, itâ€™s important to know of you really need one.

Here are a few instances when a dedicated server would make sense for a business:

Your website is growing at astronomical speeds: If you anticipate that your website will outgrow its shared hosting, it might be time to get a dedicated server. For instance, if your websiteâ€™s performance drops significantly when traffic spikes, you should think about dedicated hosting.
If security or privacy is a concer for your site: Security is important for every site, but especially to sites that handle sensitive information. If you have such a website, you can get a dedicated server to have absolute control over your siteâ€™s security.
Having control over the server is important to you: With shared hosting, you have little control over the serverâ€™s resources and software. Therefore, if youâ€™d like complete control over the server, you should consider getting a dedicated server. You can install your preferred operating system, and anything else youâ€™d like to work with.

That said, if you canâ€™t afford a dedicated server, a VPS is the next best thing. While the resources will be quite limited, you will have absolute control over your share.