The CData SQL Gateway enables remote access to ODBC data sources as virtual SQL Server or MySQL databases. The SQL Gateway application listens on a configured port for requests made in the MySQL or TDS (SQL Server) wire protocols and responds to those by reading from and writing to the ODBC data source. This allows you to connect to any ODBC DSN from remote machines, using any tool or application that can work with either MySQL or SQL Server.

In addition to brokering the SQL request to ODBC DSNs, the SQL Gateway also makes it easy to securely connect to data from across the firewall. You can configure the SQL Gateway to create an SSH reverse tunnel to a machine that is outside the firewall with just a few simple settings. Any connections made to this external machine are then relayed securely to the SQL Gateway instance within the firewall. Connections are secured via TLS/SSL and standard access control mechanisms available in MySQL and SQL Server. SSH reverse tunneling support is especially useful in allowing cloud services to access on-premises data.

Configuring Remoting Services

To enable remote access, create a service that listens for database queries over the MySQL or TDS (SQL Server) protocols and then proxies them to the ODBC driver tied to the DSN. You can create remoting services for any ODBC driver.

The MySQL and TDS remoting services you create can be managed on the Services tab in the CData SQL Gateway administration tool. Define access control lists on the Users tab to manage access to your created services.

Hosting Services Behind the Firewal

The Gateway feature enables you to build an SSH reverse tunnel to an SSH host outside the firewall. The Gateway can also manage the reverse tunnel connection, reconnecting if the connection is lost or interrupted, without any need for a third-party tool. Configure the SSH reverse tunnel on the Tunneling tab.