How to connect a database through SSH tunneling?

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Access database behind the firewall – SSH tunneling

Follow the steps below to connect Bold BI to your database behind a firewall by setting up an SSH tunnel.

This article uses an OpenSSH server and PuTTY client on a Windows machine to help you set up an SSH tunnel. Find the list of clients available for SSH that you can use to establish SSH tunneling, https://www.ssh.com/ssh/client.

‘Password’ authentication is used here for a simplified approach. To set up ‘Public Key’ authentication, refer to https://www.ssh.com/ssh/public-key-authentication.

Configure SSH server

Download OpenSSH, https://github.com/PowerShell/Win32-OpenSSH/releases.
Unzip the files to a directory on your machine. For instance, ‘C:\OpenSSH’
Run the following command in command prompt or PowerShell with elevated permission.
powershell.exe -ExecutionPolicy Bypass -File install-sshd.ps1
After successful installation, the command prompt will display logs as shown below.
Now, open services.msc using run dialog and start the OpenSSH SSH Server and OpenSSH Authentication Agent services as shown below
Ensure the services are running. By default, the SSH server will be listening on port 22. Open resmon using the run command to check for listening ports.

NOTE: If you see the Firewall Status as Not Allowed/ Restricted, you need to additionally add a Firewall rule to allow connections through this port.

Configure SSH client

Download and install PuTTY.
In the Session category, fill in the Host Name and Port. The host name should be an IP or DNS name of the machine where the SSH server is configured.
Navigate to Tunnels under the SSH category. Set up remote port forwarding.
The Source port is the port forwarded to the server for tunneling. Ensure the port is allowed through the firewall.
If the DB is in the same machine where the SSH server is and bound on localhost, set a remote forwarding with ‘localhost’. Else provide the host address where the DB is.
Save the session if required. Click Open. This will open a connection to the server machine. Enter the credentials to establish a connection.

Connecting SSH Enabled Database in Bold BI

Follow the below steps to connect with Bold BI,

Open the “Bold BI” application
Click the data source on the left panel of the Bold BI application as shown below:
Click create data source on the top right corner as shown below:
Select MongoDB connection on the connection panel to proceed to connect
Enter the required credentials as instructed below:
- Under Server name, input the host/IP of the machine where the SSH client is configured.
- Under Port, enter the forwarded port used above in PuTTY.

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Written by Renuka N

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