> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://karansingh.gitbook.io/tutorialsdojo-wrong-answers/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://karansingh.gitbook.io/tutorialsdojo-wrong-answers/test-1-70/iam-database-authentication-for-mysql-and-postgresql.md).

# IAM database authentication for MySQL and PostgreSQL

* You can **authenticate to your DB instance using IAM database authentication**.<br>

* It **works with MySQL and PostgreSQL**.<br>

* You **don't need to use a password when you connect** to a DB instance.<br>
  * **Instead, you use an authentication token**.

* An **authentication token is a unique string of characters that RDS generates on request**.<br>

* You **don't need to store user credentials in the database, because authentication is managed externally using IAM**.

* It **provides the following benefits:**<br>
  * **Network traffic to and from the database is encrypted using SSL or TLS**.<br>
  * **Use IAM to centrally manage access to your database resources**, instead of managing access individually on each DB instance.