---
name: databases-for-mongodb-cert-faq
title: Certificates FAQ
description: Cloud Databases certificates are authenticated by unique TLS certificates. To verify this, you can inspect the certificate that your service presents when opening a connection. The certificate contains the hostname for a single instance. Cloud Databases data plane clusters possess their own distinctive root certificate. When you're engaged in certificate validation procedures, exercise caution and select the correct root certificate for each instance. For more information, see Connecting an external application.
last-updated: 2025-12-04
---

> ## Documentation Index
> The table of contents for this documentation set is at https://cloud.ibm.com/docs/databases-for-mongodb?format=markdown
> The index for all IBM Cloud docs is at: https://cloud.ibm.com/docs/llms.txt
> Use these files to discover more information as needed.

# Certificates FAQ
{: #faq-cert}
{: faq}
{: support}

Cloud Databases certificates are authenticated by unique TLS certificates. To verify this, you can inspect the certificate that your service presents when opening a connection. The certificate contains the hostname for a single instance. Cloud Databases data plane clusters possess their own distinctive root certificate. When you're engaged in certificate validation procedures, exercise caution and select the correct root certificate for each instance. For more information, see [Connecting an external application](#faq-cert-external-app).

## Connecting an external application documentation
{: #faq-cert-external-app}
{: faq}
{: support}

Choose the appropriate service documentation for connecting an external application:

- [Databases for PostgreSQL](https://cloud.ibm.com/docs/databases-for-postgresql?topic=databases-for-postgresql-external-app&format=markdown){: external}
- [Databases for MongoDB](https://cloud.ibm.com/docs/databases-for-mongodb?topic=databases-for-mongodb-mongodb-external-app&format=markdown){: external}
- [Databases for Redis](https://cloud.ibm.com/docs/databases-for-redis?topic=databases-for-redis-external-app&format=markdown){: external}
- [Databases for Elasticsearch](https://cloud.ibm.com/docs/databases-for-elasticsearch?topic=databases-for-elasticsearch-external-app&format=markdown){: external}
- [Databases for MySQL](https://cloud.ibm.com/docs/databases-for-mysql?topic=databases-for-mysql-external-app&format=markdown){: external}
- [Messages for RabbitMQ](https://cloud.ibm.com/docs/messages-for-rabbitmq?topic=messages-for-rabbitmq-external-app&format=markdown){: external}

## Mutual TLS
{: #faq-cert-mutual-tls}
{: faq}
{: support}

Cloud Databases does not support mutual TLS for client connections. Presenting client certificates or configuring trusted root certificate authorities (CAs) for client certificates is not supported.