1. On remote SQL server, edit the /etc/mysql/my.cnf file and change the bind-address parameter in the mysqld section to make your server listening either on all interfaces (0.0.0.0) or a specfic IP address.

For instance:

[mysqld]
bind-address = 0.0.0.0

Once done, restart the MySQL server.

2. Always on the remote SQL server, create a specific SQL user with full privileges that can connect from the i-MSCP server only:

# mysql -u root -p<password>
> GRANT ALL PRIVILEGES ON *.* TO '<username>'@'<imscp_server_ip>' IDENTIFIED BY '<password>' WITH GRANT OPTION;
> quit;

where:

• <username> must be replaced by the username of your choice
• <imscp_server_ip> must be replaced by the i-MSCP server IP address
• <password> must be replaced by the password of your choice

Once done you must run the imscp-autoinstall script on the i-MSCP server and when you're asked for Mysql server, you must select the remote server option.