CMA database backends

Cloudera Migration Assistant database backends consists of an embedded H2 datastore suitable for evaluation environments, alongside PostgreSQL configuration for production clusters and split Master-Agent layouts.

Unless you explicitly configure an external database, CMA uses an embedded H2 datastore that installs itself on the first boot and requires no administrator provisioning. Liquibase migrations still run so schema versions stay aligned with the code release.

Cloudera recommends migrating to PostgreSQL 12+ when you need clustered durability, centralized backups, or when CMA Agents and CMA Masters must point at different JDBC endpoints. Depending on your topology, every role that persists state, including Master, Auth, Gateway, and Agent, requires direct JDBC connectivity to the target database.

Regardless of vendor, credential files (db.properties, auth-db.properties, Agent variants) rotate through Cloudera Manager for parcel installs through Cloudera Manager. Keep CMA_DBA_PASS or CM-safe equivalents synchronized whenever you change database passwords.