# Using Utilities

HeavyDB includes the utilities [initdb](/installation-and-configuration/services-and-utilities/utilities#initdb) for database initialization and [generate\_cert](/installation-and-configuration/services-and-utilities/utilities#generate_cert) for generating certificates and private keys for an HTTPS server.

## initdb

Before using HeavyDB, initialize the data directory using `initdb`:

```bash
initdb [-f | --skip-geo] $HEAVYAI_BASE/storage
```

This creates three subdirectories:

* `catalogs`: Stores HeavyDB catalogs
* `data`: Stores HeavyDB data
* `log`: Contains all HeavyDB log files.
* `disk_cache`: Stores the data cached by HEAVY COnnect

The `-f` flag forces `initdb` to overwrite existing data and catalogs in the specified directory.

By default, `initdb` adds a sample table of geospatial data. Use the `--skip-geo` flag if you prefer not to load sample geospatial data.

## generate\_cert

```bash
generate_cert [{-ca} <bool>]
              [{-duration} <duration>]
              [{-ecdsa-curve} <string>]
              [{-host} <host1,host2>]
              [{-rsa-bits} <int>]
              [{-start-date} <string>]
```

This command generates certificates and private keys for an HTTPS server. The options are:

* `[{-ca} <bool>]`: Whether this certificate should be its own Certificate Authority. The default is `false`.
* `[{-duration} <duration>]`: Duration that the certificate is valid for. The default is `8760h0m0s`.
* `[{-ecdsa-curve} <string>]`: ECDSA curve to use to generate a key. Valid values are `P224`, `P256`, `P384`, `P521`.
* `[{-host} <string>]`: Comma-separated hostnames and IPs to generate a certificate for.
* `[{-rsa-bits} <int>]`: Size of RSA key to generate. Ignored if –ecdsa-curve is set. The default is `2048`.
* `[{-start-date} <string>]`: Start date formatted as `Jan 1 15:04:05 2011`