diff --git a/lib/cinder b/lib/cinder
index 08c840e..51acfa5 100644
--- a/lib/cinder
+++ b/lib/cinder
@@ -112,7 +112,9 @@
     iniset $CINDER_CONF DEFAULT volume_group $VOLUME_GROUP
     iniset $CINDER_CONF DEFAULT volume_name_template ${VOLUME_NAME_PREFIX}%s
     iniset $CINDER_CONF DEFAULT iscsi_helper tgtadm
-    iniset $CINDER_CONF DEFAULT sql_connection $BASE_SQL_CONN/cinder?charset=utf8
+    local dburl
+    database_connection_url dburl cinder
+    iniset $CINDER_CONF DEFAULT sql_connection $dburl
     iniset $CINDER_CONF DEFAULT api_paste_config $CINDER_API_PASTE_INI
     iniset $CINDER_CONF DEFAULT root_helper "sudo ${CINDER_ROOTWRAP}"
     iniset $CINDER_CONF DEFAULT osapi_volume_extension cinder.api.openstack.volume.contrib.standard_extensions
@@ -141,10 +143,9 @@
     # Force nova volumes off
     NOVA_ENABLED_APIS=$(echo $NOVA_ENABLED_APIS | sed "s/osapi_volume,//")
 
-    if is_service_enabled mysql; then
+    if is_service_enabled $DATABASE_BACKENDS; then
         # (re)create cinder database
-        mysql -u$MYSQL_USER -p$MYSQL_PASSWORD -e 'DROP DATABASE IF EXISTS cinder;'
-        mysql -u$MYSQL_USER -p$MYSQL_PASSWORD -e 'CREATE DATABASE cinder;'
+        recreate_database cinder utf8
 
         # (re)create cinder database
         $CINDER_BIN_DIR/cinder-manage db sync
diff --git a/lib/database b/lib/database
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..66fb36f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lib/database
@@ -0,0 +1,103 @@
+# lib/database
+# Interface for interacting with different database backends
+
+# Dependencies:
+# DATABASE_BACKENDS variable must contain a list of available database backends
+# DATABASE_TYPE variable must be set
+
+# Each database must implement four functions:
+#   recreate_database_$DATABASE_TYPE
+#   install_database_$DATABASE_TYPE
+#   configure_database_$DATABASE_TYPE
+#   database_connection_url_$DATABASE_TYPE
+#
+# and call register_database $DATABASE_TYPE
+
+# Save trace setting
+XTRACE=$(set +o | grep xtrace)
+set +o xtrace
+
+# Register a database backend
+#  $1 The name of the database backend
+function register_database {
+    [ -z "$DATABASE_BACKENDS" ] && DATABASE_BACKENDS=$1 || DATABASE_BACKENDS+=" $1"
+}
+
+for f in $TOP_DIR/lib/databases/*; do source $f; done
+
+# Set the database type based on the configuration
+function initialize_database_backends {
+    for backend in $DATABASE_BACKENDS; do
+        is_service_enabled $backend && DATABASE_TYPE=$backend
+    done
+
+    [ -z "$DATABASE_TYPE" ] && return 1
+
+    # For backward-compatibility, read in the MYSQL_HOST/USER variables and use
+    # them as the default values for the DATABASE_HOST/USER variables.
+    MYSQL_HOST=${MYSQL_HOST:-localhost}
+    MYSQL_USER=${MYSQL_USER:-root}
+
+    DATABASE_HOST=${DATABASE_HOST:-${MYSQL_HOST}}
+    DATABASE_USER=${DATABASE_USER:-${MYSQL_USER}}
+
+    if [ -n "$MYSQL_PASSWORD" ]; then
+        DATABASE_PASSWORD=$MYSQL_PASSWORD
+    else
+        read_password DATABASE_PASSWORD "ENTER A PASSWORD TO USE FOR THE DATABASE."
+    fi
+
+    # We configure Nova, Horizon, Glance and Keystone to use MySQL as their
+    # database server.  While they share a single server, each has their own
+    # database and tables.
+
+    # By default this script will install and configure MySQL.  If you want to
+    # use an existing server, you can pass in the user/password/host parameters.
+    # You will need to send the same ``DATABASE_PASSWORD`` to every host if you are doing
+    # a multi-node DevStack installation.
+
+    # NOTE: Don't specify ``/db`` in this string so we can use it for multiple services
+    BASE_SQL_CONN=${BASE_SQL_CONN:-${DATABASE_TYPE}://$DATABASE_USER:$DATABASE_PASSWORD@$DATABASE_HOST}
+
+    return 0
+}
+
+# Set the database backend to use
+#  $1 The name of the database backend to use (mysql, postgresql, ...)
+function use_database {
+    use_exclusive_service DATABASE_BACKENDS DATABASE_TYPE $1 && return 0
+    ret=$?
+    echo "Invalid database '$1'"
+    return $ret
+}
+
+# Recreate a given database
+#  $1 The name of the database
+#  $2 The character set/encoding of the database
+function recreate_database {
+    local db=$1
+    local charset=$2
+    recreate_database_$DATABASE_TYPE $db $charset
+}
+
+# Install the database
+function install_database {
+    install_database_$DATABASE_TYPE
+}
+
+# Configure and start the database
+function configure_database {
+    configure_database_$DATABASE_TYPE
+}
+
+# Generate an SQLAlchemy connection URL and store it in a variable
+#  $1 The variable name in which to store the connection URL
+#  $2 The name of the database
+function database_connection_url {
+    local var=$1
+    local db=$2
+    database_connection_url_$DATABASE_TYPE $var $db
+}
+
+# Restore xtrace
+$XTRACE
diff --git a/lib/databases/mysql b/lib/databases/mysql
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..ed59290
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lib/databases/mysql
@@ -0,0 +1,93 @@
+# lib/mysql
+# Functions to control the configuration and operation of the MySQL database backend
+
+# Dependencies:
+# DATABASE_{HOST,USER,PASSWORD} must be defined
+
+# Save trace setting
+XTRACE=$(set +o | grep xtrace)
+set +o xtrace
+
+register_database mysql
+
+function recreate_database_mysql {
+    local db=$1
+    local charset=$2
+    mysql -u$DATABASE_USER -p$DATABASE_PASSWORD -e "DROP DATABASE IF EXISTS $db;"
+    mysql -u$DATABASE_USER -p$DATABASE_PASSWORD -e "CREATE DATABASE $db CHARACTER SET $charset;"
+}
+
+function configure_database_mysql {
+    echo_summary "Configuring and starting MySQL"
+
+    if [[ "$os_PACKAGE" = "deb" ]]; then
+        MY_CONF=/etc/mysql/my.cnf
+        MYSQL=mysql
+    else
+        MY_CONF=/etc/my.cnf
+        MYSQL=mysqld
+    fi
+
+    # Start mysql-server
+    if [[ "$os_PACKAGE" = "rpm" ]]; then
+        # RPM doesn't start the service
+        start_service $MYSQL
+        # Set the root password - only works the first time
+        sudo mysqladmin -u root password $DATABASE_PASSWORD || true
+    fi
+    # Update the DB to give user ‘$DATABASE_USER’@’%’ full control of the all databases:
+    sudo mysql -uroot -p$DATABASE_PASSWORD -h127.0.0.1 -e "GRANT ALL PRIVILEGES ON *.* TO '$DATABASE_USER'@'%' identified by '$DATABASE_PASSWORD';"
+
+    # Now update ``my.cnf`` for some local needs and restart the mysql service
+
+    # Change ‘bind-address’ from localhost (127.0.0.1) to any (0.0.0.0)
+    sudo sed -i '/^bind-address/s/127.0.0.1/0.0.0.0/g' $MY_CONF
+
+    # Set default db type to InnoDB
+    if sudo grep -q "default-storage-engine" $MY_CONF; then
+        # Change it
+        sudo bash -c "source $TOP_DIR/functions; iniset $MY_CONF mysqld default-storage-engine InnoDB"
+    else
+        # Add it
+        sudo sed -i -e "/^\[mysqld\]/ a \
+default-storage-engine = InnoDB" $MY_CONF
+    fi
+
+    restart_service $MYSQL
+}
+
+function install_database_mysql {
+    if [[ "$os_PACKAGE" = "deb" ]]; then
+        # Seed configuration with mysql password so that apt-get install doesn't
+        # prompt us for a password upon install.
+        cat <<MYSQL_PRESEED | sudo debconf-set-selections
+mysql-server-5.1 mysql-server/root_password password $DATABASE_PASSWORD
+mysql-server-5.1 mysql-server/root_password_again password $DATABASE_PASSWORD
+mysql-server-5.1 mysql-server/start_on_boot boolean true
+MYSQL_PRESEED
+    fi
+
+    # while ``.my.cnf`` is not needed for OpenStack to function, it is useful
+    # as it allows you to access the mysql databases via ``mysql nova`` instead
+    # of having to specify the username/password each time.
+    if [[ ! -e $HOME/.my.cnf ]]; then
+        cat <<EOF >$HOME/.my.cnf
+[client]
+user=$DATABASE_USER
+password=$DATABASE_PASSWORD
+host=$DATABASE_HOST
+EOF
+        chmod 0600 $HOME/.my.cnf
+    fi
+    # Install mysql-server
+    install_package mysql-server
+}
+
+function database_connection_url_mysql {
+    local output=$1
+    local db=$2
+    eval "$output=$BASE_SQL_CONN/$db?charset=utf8"
+}
+
+# Restore xtrace
+$XTRACE
diff --git a/lib/databases/postgresql b/lib/databases/postgresql
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..81989f2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lib/databases/postgresql
@@ -0,0 +1,70 @@
+# lib/postgresql
+# Functions to control the configuration and operation of the PostgreSQL database backend
+
+# Dependencies:
+# DATABASE_{HOST,USER,PASSWORD} must be defined
+
+# Save trace setting
+XTRACE=$(set +o | grep xtrace)
+set +o xtrace
+
+register_database postgresql
+
+function recreate_database_postgresql {
+    local db=$1
+    local charset=$2
+    # Avoid unsightly error when calling dropdb when the database doesn't exist
+    psql -h$DATABASE_HOST -U$DATABASE_USER -dtemplate1 -c "DROP DATABASE IF EXISTS $db"
+    createdb -h $DATABASE_HOST -U$DATABASE_USER -l C -T template0 -E $charset $db
+}
+
+function configure_database_postgresql {
+    echo_summary "Configuring and starting PostgreSQL"
+    if [[ "$os_PACKAGE" = "rpm" ]]; then
+        PG_HBA=/var/lib/pgsql/data/pg_hba.conf
+        PG_CONF=/var/lib/pgsql/data/postgresql.conf
+    else
+        PG_DIR=`find /etc/postgresql -name pg_hba.conf|xargs dirname`
+        PG_HBA=$PG_DIR/pg_hba.conf
+        PG_CONF=$PG_DIR/postgresql.conf
+    fi
+    sudo [ -e /var/lib/pgsql/data ] || sudo postgresql-setup initdb
+    # Listen on all addresses
+    sudo sed -i "/listen_addresses/s/.*/listen_addresses = '*'/" $PG_CONF
+    # Do password auth from all IPv4 clients
+    sudo sed -i "/^host/s/all\s\+127.0.0.1\/32\s\+ident/$DATABASE_USER\t0.0.0.0\/0\tpassword/" $PG_HBA
+    # Do password auth for all IPv6 clients
+    sudo sed -i "/^host/s/all\s\+::1\/128\s\+ident/$DATABASE_USER\t::0\/0\tpassword/" $PG_HBA
+    start_service postgresql
+
+    # If creating the role fails, chances are it already existed. Try to alter it.
+    sudo -u postgres -i psql -c "CREATE ROLE $DATABASE_USER WITH SUPERUSER LOGIN PASSWORD '$DATABASE_PASSWORD'" || \
+    sudo -u postgres -i psql -c "ALTER ROLE $DATABASE_USER WITH SUPERUSER LOGIN PASSWORD '$DATABASE_PASSWORD'"
+}
+
+function install_database_postgresql {
+    echo_summary "Installing postgresql"
+    PGPASS=$HOME/.pgpass
+    if [[ ! -e $PGPASS ]]; then
+        cat <<EOF > $PGPASS
+*:*:*:$DATABASE_USER:$DATABASE_PASSWORD
+EOF
+        chmod 0600 $PGPASS
+    else
+        sed -i "s/:root:\w\+/:root:$DATABASE_PASSWORD/" $PGPASS
+    fi
+    if [[ "$os_PACKAGE" = "rpm" ]]; then
+        install_package postgresql-server
+    else
+        install_package postgresql
+    fi
+}
+
+function database_connection_url_postgresql {
+    local output=$1
+    local db=$2
+    eval "$output=$BASE_SQL_CONN/$db?client_encoding=utf8"
+}
+
+# Restore xtrace
+$XTRACE
diff --git a/lib/glance b/lib/glance
index 070c80d..afddcd2 100644
--- a/lib/glance
+++ b/lib/glance
@@ -81,7 +81,9 @@
     cp $GLANCE_DIR/etc/glance-registry.conf $GLANCE_REGISTRY_CONF
     iniset $GLANCE_REGISTRY_CONF DEFAULT debug True
     inicomment $GLANCE_REGISTRY_CONF DEFAULT log_file
-    iniset $GLANCE_REGISTRY_CONF DEFAULT sql_connection $BASE_SQL_CONN/glance?charset=utf8
+    local dburl
+    database_connection_url dburl glance
+    iniset $GLANCE_REGISTRY_CONF DEFAULT sql_connection $dburl
     iniset $GLANCE_REGISTRY_CONF DEFAULT use_syslog $SYSLOG
     iniset $GLANCE_REGISTRY_CONF paste_deploy flavor keystone
     iniset $GLANCE_REGISTRY_CONF keystone_authtoken auth_host $KEYSTONE_AUTH_HOST
@@ -95,7 +97,7 @@
     cp $GLANCE_DIR/etc/glance-api.conf $GLANCE_API_CONF
     iniset $GLANCE_API_CONF DEFAULT debug True
     inicomment $GLANCE_API_CONF DEFAULT log_file
-    iniset $GLANCE_API_CONF DEFAULT sql_connection $BASE_SQL_CONN/glance?charset=utf8
+    iniset $GLANCE_API_CONF DEFAULT sql_connection $dburl
     iniset $GLANCE_API_CONF DEFAULT use_syslog $SYSLOG
     iniset $GLANCE_API_CONF DEFAULT filesystem_store_datadir $GLANCE_IMAGE_DIR/
     iniset $GLANCE_API_CONF DEFAULT image_cache_dir $GLANCE_CACHE_DIR/
@@ -149,8 +151,7 @@
     mkdir -p $GLANCE_CACHE_DIR
 
     # (re)create glance database
-    mysql -u$MYSQL_USER -p$MYSQL_PASSWORD -e 'DROP DATABASE IF EXISTS glance;'
-    mysql -u$MYSQL_USER -p$MYSQL_PASSWORD -e 'CREATE DATABASE glance CHARACTER SET utf8;'
+    recreate_database glance utf8
 
     $GLANCE_BIN_DIR/glance-manage db_sync
 }
diff --git a/lib/heat b/lib/heat
index 7fb5fcc..d1f1c7c 100644
--- a/lib/heat
+++ b/lib/heat
@@ -120,7 +120,9 @@
     iniset $HEAT_ENGINE_CONF DEFAULT use_syslog $SYSLOG
     iniset $HEAT_ENGINE_CONF DEFAULT bind_host $HEAT_ENGINE_HOST
     iniset $HEAT_ENGINE_CONF DEFAULT bind_port $HEAT_ENGINE_PORT
-    iniset $HEAT_ENGINE_CONF DEFAULT sql_connection $BASE_SQL_CONN/heat?charset=utf8
+    local dburl
+    database_connection_url dburl heat
+    iniset $HEAT_ENGINE_CONF DEFAULT sql_connection $dburl
     iniset $HEAT_ENGINE_CONF DEFAULT auth_encryption_key `hexdump -n 16 -v -e '/1 "%02x"' /dev/random`
 
     if is_service_enabled rabbit; then
@@ -185,8 +187,7 @@
 function init_heat() {
 
     # (re)create heat database
-    mysql -u$MYSQL_USER -p$MYSQL_PASSWORD -e 'DROP DATABASE IF EXISTS heat;'
-    mysql -u$MYSQL_USER -p$MYSQL_PASSWORD -e 'CREATE DATABASE heat CHARACTER SET utf8;'
+    recreate_database heat utf8
 
     $HEAT_DIR/bin/heat-db-setup $os_PACKAGE -r $MYSQL_PASSWORD
     $HEAT_DIR/tools/nova_create_flavors.sh
diff --git a/lib/keystone b/lib/keystone
index 73d82c5..ac15cbd 100644
--- a/lib/keystone
+++ b/lib/keystone
@@ -82,9 +82,11 @@
     fi
 
     # Rewrite stock ``keystone.conf``
+    local dburl
+    database_connection_url dburl keystone
     iniset $KEYSTONE_CONF DEFAULT admin_token "$SERVICE_TOKEN"
     iniset $KEYSTONE_CONF signing token_format "$KEYSTONE_TOKEN_FORMAT"
-    iniset $KEYSTONE_CONF sql connection "$BASE_SQL_CONN/keystone?charset=utf8"
+    iniset $KEYSTONE_CONF sql connection $dburl
     iniset $KEYSTONE_CONF ec2 driver "keystone.contrib.ec2.backends.sql.Ec2"
     sed -e "
         /^pipeline.*ec2_extension crud_/s|ec2_extension crud_extension|ec2_extension s3_extension crud_extension|;
@@ -141,8 +143,7 @@
 # init_keystone() - Initialize databases, etc.
 function init_keystone() {
     # (Re)create keystone database
-    mysql -u$MYSQL_USER -p$MYSQL_PASSWORD -e 'DROP DATABASE IF EXISTS keystone;'
-    mysql -u$MYSQL_USER -p$MYSQL_PASSWORD -e 'CREATE DATABASE keystone CHARACTER SET utf8;'
+    recreate_database keystone utf8
 
     # Initialize keystone database
     $KEYSTONE_DIR/bin/keystone-manage db_sync
diff --git a/lib/nova b/lib/nova
index 7797927..4997175 100644
--- a/lib/nova
+++ b/lib/nova
@@ -296,7 +296,9 @@
     add_nova_opt "s3_port=$S3_SERVICE_PORT"
     add_nova_opt "osapi_compute_extension=nova.api.openstack.compute.contrib.standard_extensions"
     add_nova_opt "my_ip=$HOST_IP"
-    add_nova_opt "sql_connection=$BASE_SQL_CONN/nova?charset=utf8"
+    local dburl
+    database_connection_url dburl nova
+    add_nova_opt "sql_connection=$dburl"
     add_nova_opt "libvirt_type=$LIBVIRT_TYPE"
     add_nova_opt "libvirt_cpu_mode=none"
     add_nova_opt "instance_name_template=${INSTANCE_NAME_PREFIX}%08x"
@@ -372,14 +374,12 @@
     # All nova components talk to a central database.  We will need to do this step
     # only once for an entire cluster.
 
-    if is_service_enabled mysql && is_service_enabled nova; then
+    if is_service_enabled $DATABASE_BACKENDS && is_service_enabled nova; then
         # (Re)create nova database
-        mysql -u$MYSQL_USER -p$MYSQL_PASSWORD -e 'DROP DATABASE IF EXISTS nova;'
-
         # Explicitly use latin1: to avoid lp#829209, nova expects the database to
         # use latin1 by default, and then upgrades the database to utf8 (see the
         # 082_essex.py in nova)
-        mysql -u$MYSQL_USER -p$MYSQL_PASSWORD -e 'CREATE DATABASE nova CHARACTER SET latin1;'
+        recreate_database nova latin1
 
         # (Re)create nova database
         $NOVA_BIN_DIR/nova-manage db sync