Accessing mysql behind firewall with ssh port forwarding

Question

I have an architecture which looks like this:

            |    - DMZ -    |
 ________   |   ________    |   _______
| CLIENT |  |  | SERVER |   |  | MYSQL |
|________|  |  |________|   |  |_______|
            |               |
            | <-FIREWALLS-> |

I need to connect from CLIENT (linux) to MYSQL (service running on linux). I cannot access the MYSQL box directly, but I can access the SERVER (linux). The SERVER can access MYSQL. I am trying to setup ssh port forwarding so that I can connect to the MYSQL process from CLIENT. I have executed this on the CLIENT:

ssh -Ngf -L 3306:MYSQL:3306 username@SERVER

This seems to work just fine, but I still cannot access MYSQL. I get an unknown host error. Any ideas what I am doing wrong?

Thanks in advance!

Answer 1

I'd say that SERVER can't resolve MYSQL, try to give the IP of the MYSQL machine in your command. You also don't need -g as the remote machine won't connect back to you.

ssh -Ngf -L 3306:<IP-OF-MYSQL-HERE>:3306 username@SERVER

Edit

Don't forget that you need to connect to localhost:3306 once the port forward is in place, as your local post is forwarded to your MYSQL machine.