Example DB setup

// application/Bootstrap.php
    protected function _initDatabases()
    {
        $db = Zend_Db::factory('PDO_MySQL', array (
            'hostname' => 'localhost',
            'username' => 'zfessentials',
            'password' => 'getsmart',
            'dbname' => 'zfessentials',
        ));
    }


// application/controllers/DatabaseController.php

    public function indexAction()
    {
        $bootstrap = $this->getInvokeArg('bootstrap');
        $db = $bootstrap->getResource('db');
        $this->view->users = $db->fetchAll(
                                $db->select()
                                   ->from('users'));
    }