--- name: databases-for-redis-getting-started title: Getting started with Databases for Redis description: This tutorial guides you through the steps to quickly start using IBM Cloud® Databases for Redis deployment. last-updated: 2025-06-05 --- > ## Documentation Index > The table of contents for this documentation set is at https://cloud.ibm.com/docs/databases-for-redis?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. # Getting started with Databases for Redis {: #getting-started} {: toc-content-type="tutorial"} {: toc-completion-time="30m"} This tutorial guides you through the steps to quickly start using IBM Cloud® Databases for Redis deployment. Follow these steps to complete the tutorial: {: ui} * [Before you begin](#prereqs) * [Step 1: Provision through the console](#provision_instance_ui) * [Step 2: Set your Admin password](#admin_pw) * [Step 3: Connect to your instance](#redis_connect) * [Step 4: Use Redis](#using-redis) * [Next steps](#next_steps) * [Things to remember](#remember_important) {: ui} Follow these steps to complete the tutorial: {: cli} * [Before you begin](#prereqs) * [Step 1: Provision through the CLI](#provision_instance_cli) * [Step 2: Set your Admin password](#admin_pw) * [Step 3: Connect to your instance](#redis_connect) * [Step 4: Use Redis](#using-redis) * [Next steps](#next_steps) * [Things to remember](#remember_important) {: cli} ## Before you begin {: #prereqs} {: ui} - You need an [IBM Cloud account](https://cloud.ibm.com/registration){: external}. - Download and install the [IBM Cloud CLI](https://cloud.ibm.com/docs/cli?topic=cli-install-ibmcloud-cli&format=markdown) and the [Cloud Databases CLI plugin](https://cloud.ibm.com/docs/databases-cli-plugin?topic=databases-cli-plugin-cdb-reference&format=markdown). Use the IBM Cloud CLI tool to communicate with IBM Cloud from your terminal or command line, and the plugin contains communication commands for your database deployments. - Download and install [Redli](#downloading-installing-redli){: external}. ## Before you begin {: #prereqs} {: cli} - You need an [IBM Cloud account](https://cloud.ibm.com/registration){: external}. - Download and install the [IBM Cloud CLI](https://cloud.ibm.com/docs/cli?topic=cli-install-ibmcloud-cli&format=markdown) and the [Cloud Databases CLI Plugin](https://cloud.ibm.com/docs/databases-cli-plugin?topic=databases-cli-plugin-cdb-reference&format=markdown). Use the IBM Cloud CLI tool to communicate with IBM Cloud from your terminal or command line, and the plugin contains communication commands for your database deployments. - Download and install [Redli](#downloading-installing-redli){: external}. ## Download and install Redli {: #downloading-installing-redli} Redli is a Go-based alternative to the official Redis-cli application. Connect, Send and Receive data with Redis, by connecting with a CLI client. All IBM Cloud Databases use TLS/SSL secured connections, so use a Redis CLI client that supports TLS/SSL, like [Redli](https://github.com/IBM-Cloud/redli){: .external}. To install Redli, [download](https://github.com/IBM-Cloud/redli/releases){: .external} and install the package for your system. Uncompress the files, give the binary executable permissions, and move it to your path. For example, to install it on a Mac, download the `redli....darwin_amd64.tar.gz` file and run a command like this one: ```sh tar zxvf .tar example: tar zxvf redli_0.13.0_darwin_amd64.tar chmod +x sudo cp /usr/local/bin ``` {: pre} ## Step 1: Provision through the console {: #provision_instance_ui} {: ui} 1. Log in to the [IBM Cloud console](https://cloud.ibm.com/login){: external}. 1. Click the [IBM Cloud® Databases for Redis service](https://cloud.ibm.com/databases/databases-for-redis/create){: external} in the **Catalog**. 1. Follow [these steps](https://cloud.ibm.com/docs/databases-for-redis?topic=databases-for-redis-provisioning&interface=ui&format=markdown) to provision a IBM Cloud® Databases for Redis instance. 1. When your instance is provisioned, click on the instance name to view more information. ## Step 1: Provision through the CLI {: #provision_instance_cli} {: cli} 1. You can provision a IBM Cloud® Databases for Redis instance by using the CLI. If you don't already have it, you need to install the [IBM Cloud CLI](https://cloud.ibm.com/docs/cli?topic=cli-getting-started&format=markdown){: external}. 1. Follow [these steps](https://cloud.ibm.com/docs/databases-for-redis?topic=databases-for-redis-provisioning&interface=cli&format=markdown) to provision a IBM Cloud® Databases for Redis instance. ## Step 2: Set your Admin password {: #admin_pw} ### The admin user {: #admin_pw_admin_user} When you provision a IBM Cloud® Databases for Redis deployment, an `admin` user is automatically created. Set the `admin` password before using it to connect to IBM Cloud® Databases for Redis. {: important} ### Set the admin password through the UI {: #admin_pw_set_ui} {: ui} Set your `admin` password through the UI by selecting your instance from the [IBM Cloud Resource list](https://cloud.ibm.com/resources){: external}. Then, select **Settings**. Next, select **Change Database Admin Password**. Refer [Managing Users and Roles](https://cloud.ibm.com/docs/databases-for-redis?topic=databases-for-redis-user-management&interface=ui&format=markdown#user-management-set-admin-password-ui){: external} to know more. ### Set the admin password through the CLI {: #admin_pw_set_cli} {: cli} Use the `cdb user-password` command from the IBM Cloud CLI Cloud Databases plug-in to set the `admin` password. For example, use the following command: ```sh ibmcloud cdb user-password admin ``` {: pre} Refer [Managing users and roles](https://cloud.ibm.com/docs/databases-for-redis?topic=databases-for-redis-user-management&interface=cli&format=markdown#user-management-set-admin-password-cli){: external} to know more. ## Step 3: Connect to your instance {: #redis_connect} You can easily connect to Redis through the IBM Cloud CLI using Redli to store and retrieve data with your IBM Cloud® Databases for Redis deployment. ### Connect through the IBM Cloud CLI {: #connecting-ibm-cloud-cli} Now that you've installed and set up Redli, the IBM Cloud CLI tool, and the IBM Cloud Databases plugin, connect to your deployment. Log in with `ibmcloud login`, and connect with `ibmcloud cdb cxn -s`, for example: ```sh ibmcloud cdb cxn -s ``` {: pre} Provide `admin` password when prompted and it uses _REDLI_ to connect. You can explore other options to connect to IBM Cloud® Databases for Redis using [Connecting through the command-line interface (CLI)](https://cloud.ibm.com/docs/databases-for-redis?topic=databases-for-redis-connecting-cli-client&format=markdown){: external}. ## Step 4: Use Redis {: #using-redis} Your connection is now open, which looks like: ```text > ``` {: pre} You can start storing and retrieving data. ```sh > set foo bar OK > get foo "bar" > ``` {: pre} ## Next steps {: #next_steps} * If you are using Redis for the first time, read the [official Redis documentation](https://redis.io/documentation){: .external}, [an introduction to Redis data types and abstractions](https://redis.io/topics/data-types-intro){: .external}, and a [Command reference](https://redis.io/commands/){: .external} to learn about Redis. * Implement IBM Cloud® Databases for Redis best practices, read [Best practices for Redis on the IBM Cloud](https://cloud.ibm.com/docs/databases-for-redis?topic=databases-for-redis-best-practices&format=markdown){: .external}. * To use IBM Cloud® Databases for Redis with your applications, see [Connecting an external application](https://cloud.ibm.com/docs/databases-for-redis?topic=databases-for-redis-external-app&format=markdown) and [Connecting an IBM Cloud application](https://cloud.ibm.com/docs/databases-for-redis?topic=databases-for-redis-ibmcloud-app&format=markdown). * To ensure the stability of your applications and your database, see [High-availability](https://cloud.ibm.com/docs/databases-for-redis?topic=databases-for-redis-redis-ha-dr&format=markdown) and [Performance](https://cloud.ibm.com/docs/databases-for-redis?topic=databases-for-redis-performance&format=markdown). * For more information on migrating your existing data to Databases for Redis, see [A how-to for migrating Redis to IBM Cloud Databases for Redis](https://cloud.ibm.com/docs/databases-for-redis?topic=databases-for-redis-migrating&interface=ui&format=markdown). ## Things to remember {: #remember_important} * IBM Cloud® Databases for Redis deployments are set by default as [**persistence**](https://cloud.ibm.com/docs/databases-for-redis?topic=databases-for-redis-redis-ha-dr&format=markdown#ha-feature), however, you can change it as [**Cache**](https://cloud.ibm.com/docs/databases-for-redis?topic=databases-for-redis-redis-cache&interface=cli&format=markdown). * Integrate IBM Cloud® Databases for Redis with [IBM Cloud® Monitoring](https://cloud.ibm.com/docs/databases-for-redis?topic=databases-for-redis-monitoring&format=markdown) and [IBM® Cloud Logs Routing](https://cloud.ibm.com/docs/logs-router?topic=logs-router-about&format=markdown) services to observe trends in your usage and right size your instance.