Dynamic database connection in CakePhp

I encountered this scenario at work wherein I have the same logic, same structure but using different brands. The problem is their database name and connection is different. Below is the solution I found:

Step 1: Create your database connection in database.php

var $brandXConfig = array(
 'driver' => 'postgres',
 'persistent' => false,
 'host' => 'localhost',
 'login' => 'root',
 'password' => '',
 'database' => 'brand_x',
 'prefix' => '',
 //'encoding' => 'utf8',
);


var $brandYConfig = array(
 'driver' => 'postgres',
 'persistent' => false,
 'host' => 'localhost',
 'login' => 'root',
 'password' => '',
 'database' => 'brand_y',
 'prefix' => '',
 //'encoding' => 'utf8',
);

Step 2: Add this function to app_model.php

Class AppModel extends Model
{
     function changeDataSource($newSource)  {
          parent::setDataSource($newSource);
          parent::__construct();
     }
}

Step 3: Add this function to app_controller.php

Class AppController extends Controller
{
     function changeDbSource($database = 'default') {
          $db = ConnectionManager::getInstance();
          $connected = $db->getDataSource($database);
          if($connected->isConnected()) 
                return true;
          return false;
     }
}

Step 4: Add this to your model

function changeMyDb($brand)
{
     if($brand == 'brandX') {
          $this->changeDataSource('brandXConfig');
     }
     else if($brand == 'brandY') {
          $this->changeDataSource('brandYConfig');
     }
}

After doing this, you'd be able to change your database connection as needed.

Change username or password of database

Database security concerns the use of a broad range of information security controls to protect databases (potentially including the data, the database applications or stored functions, the database systems, the database servers and the associated network links) against compromises of their confidentiality, integrity and availability.

One of the things you should do to secure your data is to change the username and password of your database. It is quite easy to do, just remember that if you change it, make sure to also change your settings in your application.
I am using wamp server and mysql as my database. Here are the steps to do this:

1. Open config.inc.php. Mine is located at C:\wamp\apps\phpmyadmin3.2.0.1
2. Change the settings for username and password. By default, it is set to 'root' and empty for password. In the figure below I changed my username to 'mynewuser' and my password to 'asdfgh'. Of course you could change it to something more secure.

Fig 1: Sample of config.inc.php
3. Lastly, Restart your server so changes will be on effect.

It's easy and makes your database more secure.