[chef] How to manage databases with chef?

What are some best practices for coordinating cookbooks on several different servers? In my example, I have an application (owncloud) that also needs to create a database on another (MySQL) server. I do not want to allow remote root access to that MySQL server.

 

So the process should be something along the lines of:

 

-          On owncloud server: chef-client install owncloud binaries and somehow communicates with chef-client on the database server

-          On db server: create owncloud database and a user to access this database and communicates the user name and password back.

-          On owncloud server: continue owncloud configuration

 

How is this type of scenario best handled in chef?

 

Thanks!