diff --git a/appengine/cloudsql/README.md b/appengine/cloudsql/README.md
index bf8dbb101a5..36995d1a174 100644
--- a/appengine/cloudsql/README.md
+++ b/appengine/cloudsql/README.md
@@ -1,13 +1,25 @@
 # Cloud SQL sample for Google App Engine
 This sample demonstrates how to use [Cloud SQL](https://cloud.google.com/sql/) on Google App Engine
+
 ## Setup
-Before you can run or deploy the sample, you will need to create a [Cloud SQL instance](https://cloud.google.com/sql/docs/create-instance)
-1. Create a new user and database for the application. The easiest way to do this is via the [Google Developers Console](https://console.developers.google.com/project/_/sql/instances/example-instance2/access-control/users). Alternatively, you can use MySQL tools such as the command line client or workbench.
+Before you can run or deploy the sample, you will need to create a [Cloud SQL instance)](https://cloud.google.com/sql/docs/create-instance)
+
+1. Create a new user and database for the application. The easiest way to do this is via the [Google
+Developers Console](https://console.developers.google.com/sql/instances). Alternatively, you can use MySQL tools such as the command line client or workbench.
+2. Change the root password (under Access Control) and / or create a new user / password.
+3. Create a Database (under Databases) (or use MySQL with `gcloud sql connect <instance> --user=root`)
+4. Note the **Instance connection name** under Overview > properties
+(It will look like project:instance for v1 or project:region:zone for v2)
+
+## Deploying
+
+`$ mvn clean appengine:deploy -DINSTANCE_CONNECTION_NAME="instanceConnectionName" -Duser=root
+-Dpassword=myPassword -Ddatabase=myDatabase`
+
+Or you can update the properties in `pom.xml` and
+
 ## Running locally
 1. You will need to be running a local instance of MySQL.
-1. Update the connection string in ``appengine-web.xml`` with your local MySQL instance values.
-<br/>`$ mvn clean appengine:devserver`
 
-## Deploying
-1. Update the connection string in ``appengine-web.xml`` with your Cloud SQL instance values.
-<br/>`$ mvn clean appengine:update`
+`$ mvn clean appengine:run -Duser=root -Dpassword=myPassowrd -Ddatabase=myDatabase`
+
diff --git a/appengine/cloudsql/pom.xml b/appengine/cloudsql/pom.xml
index 28cd3f805f1..c58c0260e18 100644
--- a/appengine/cloudsql/pom.xml
+++ b/appengine/cloudsql/pom.xml
@@ -27,41 +27,69 @@
     <relativePath>../..</relativePath>
   </parent>
 
+<!-- [START properties] -->
+  <properties>
+<!-- INSTANCE_CONNECTION_NAME from Cloud Console > SQL > Instance Details > Properties
+     or gcloud sql instances describe <instance>
+     project:region:instance for Cloud SQL v2 or
+     project:instance        for Cloud SQL v1
+-->
+    <INSTANCE_CONNECTION_NAME></INSTANCE_CONNECTION_NAME>
+    <user>root</user>
+    <password></password>
+    <database></database>
+
+<!-- [START_EXCLUDE] -->
+    <appengine.maven.plugin>1.0.0</appengine.maven.plugin>
+    <maven.compiler.target>1.7</maven.compiler.target>
+    <maven.compiler.source>1.7</maven.compiler.source>
+<!-- [END_EXCLUDE] -->
+  </properties>
+<!-- [END properties] -->
   <dependencies>
-    <dependency>
-      <groupId>com.google.cloud.sql</groupId>
-      <artifactId>mysql-socket-factory</artifactId>
-      <version>1.0.2</version>
-    </dependency>
     <dependency>
       <groupId>javax.servlet</groupId>
-      <artifactId>javax.servlet-api</artifactId>
-      <version>3.1.0</version>
-      <type>jar</type>
+      <artifactId>servlet-api</artifactId>
+      <version>2.5</version>
       <scope>provided</scope>
     </dependency>
-    <!-- [START dependencies] -->
-    <dependency>
-      <groupId>mysql</groupId>
-      <artifactId>mysql-connector-java</artifactId>
-      <version>6.0.5</version>
-    </dependency>
+
     <!-- Parent POM defines ${appengine.sdk.version} (updates frequently). -->
     <dependency>
       <groupId>com.google.appengine</groupId>
       <artifactId>appengine-api-1.0-sdk</artifactId>
     </dependency>
+
+    <!-- [START dependencies] -->
+    <dependency> <!-- ONLY USED LOCALY -->
+      <groupId>mysql</groupId>
+      <artifactId>mysql-connector-java</artifactId>
+      <version>5.1.40</version>  <!-- v5.x.x is Java 7, v6.x.x is Java 8 -->
+    </dependency>
     <!-- [END dependencies] -->
   </dependencies>
   <build>
     <!-- for hot reload of the web application -->
     <outputDirectory>${project.build.directory}/${project.build.finalName}/WEB-INF/classes</outputDirectory>
+    <resources>
+      <resource>
+        <directory>src/webapp/WEB-INF</directory>
+        <filtering>true</filtering>
+      </resource>
+    </resources>
     <plugins>
+      <plugin>
+        <groupId>com.google.cloud.tools</groupId>
+        <artifactId>appengine-maven-plugin</artifactId>
+        <version>${appengine.maven.plugin}</version>
+      </plugin>
+<!--
       <plugin>
         <groupId>com.google.appengine</groupId>
         <artifactId>appengine-maven-plugin</artifactId>
         <version>${appengine.sdk.version}</version>
       </plugin>
+ -->
     </plugins>
   </build>
 </project>
diff --git a/appengine/cloudsql/src/main/webapp/WEB-INF/appengine-web.xml b/appengine/cloudsql/src/main/webapp/WEB-INF/appengine-web.xml
index a801e60ea8a..eb9cb1fbef2 100644
--- a/appengine/cloudsql/src/main/webapp/WEB-INF/appengine-web.xml
+++ b/appengine/cloudsql/src/main/webapp/WEB-INF/appengine-web.xml
@@ -13,13 +13,11 @@
 -->
 <!-- [START config] -->
 <appengine-web-app xmlns="http://appengine.google.com/ns/1.0">
-  <application>YOUR-PROJECT-ID</application>
-  <version>YOUR-VERSION-ID</version>
   <threadsafe>true</threadsafe>
   <use-google-connector-j>true</use-google-connector-j>
   <system-properties>
-    <property name="ae-cloudsql.cloudsql-database-url" value="jdbc:google:mysql://[INSTANCE_CONNECTION_NAME]/DATABASE-NAME?user=USERNAME&amp;password=PASSWORD" />
-    <property name="ae-cloudsql.local-database-url" value="jdbc:mysql://localhost/DATABASE-NAME?user=USERNAME&amp;PASSWORD=password&amp;useSSL=false" />
+    <property name="ae-cloudsql.cloudsql-database-url" value="jdbc:google:mysql://${INSTANCE_CONNECTION_NAME}/${database}?user=${user}&amp;password=${password}" />
+    <property name="ae-cloudsql.local-database-url" value="jdbc:mysql://localhost/${database}?user=${user}&amp;PASSWORD=${password}&amp;useSSL=false" />
   </system-properties>
 </appengine-web-app>
 <!-- [END config] -->