Enable Root Access From Remote Machines? 1

[3dColor]

I just setup MySQL5 on a Windows 2003 dedicated box and one of the last questions in the Instance Configuration Wizard had a check box labeled: "Enable Root Access From Remote Machines".

I did some research but could not figure out what that meant. I log on to my box using Remote Desktop so if I don't check this will I able able to have root access?

I am guessing this is a security issue. I want my box to be as safe as I can.

Here is how I have the MySQL config file setup (from the Instance Configuration wizard):

port=3306
basedir="C:/Program Files/MySQL/MySQL Server 5.0/"
datadir="C:/Program Files/MySQL/MySQL Server 5.0/Data/"
default-character-set=latin1
default-storage-engine=INNODB
sql-mode="STRICT_TRANS_TABLES,NO_AUTO_CREATE_USER,NO_ENGINE_SUBSTITUTION"
max_connections=100
query_cache_size=49M
table_cache=256
tmp_table_size=52M
thread_cache_size=8
myisam_max_sort_file_size=100G
myisam_max_extra_sort_file_size=100G
myisam_sort_buffer_size=103M
key_buffer_size=76M
read_buffer_size=64K
read_rnd_buffer_size=256K
sort_buffer_size=256K
innodb_data_home_dir="C:/MySQL Datafiles/"
#skip-innodb
innodb_additional_mem_pool_size=4M
innodb_flush_log_at_trx_commit=1
innodb_log_buffer_size=1524K
innodb_buffer_pool_size=148M
innodb_log_file_size=30M
innodb_thread_concurrency=8

Does that look OK from a safety point of view?

 

[elsenorjose]

If you connect via remote desktop, you don't have to enable remote root access. "Enable Root Access From Remote Machines" means allowing someone to log on to the server with a query browser or some other connectivity tool from a machine other than the server host. When you RDP into your server, you're actually local, not remote. You can disable root access from remote machines if you do not want to allow anyone to have access remotely.

Hope that helps!

 

[3dColor]

So if I use MySQL-Front (HeidiSQL) or MySQL Query Browser from my computer at home and I don't have that box check will it let me in using those programs?

 

[elsenorjose]

Exactly. If you're going to access the server directly from another machine via a query tool or browser and not use remote desktop, you need to enable remote access.

 

[3dColor]

Thanks I appreciate that.

I have my firewall to only accept traffic from my IP for MySQL, I am guessing I am pretty safe having it setup that way?