root@server:# mysql -h _HOST_ --port 3306 -u _SSL_USER_ --ssl-cert=/etc/mysql/certs/client-cert.pem --ssl-key=/etc/mysql/certs/client-key.pem -p _DATABASE_
Enter password:
Welcome to the MySQL monitor.  Commands end with ; or \g.
Your MySQL connection id is 49694205
Server version: 5.0.96 Source distribution
...
##</code><code>##

#!/usr/bin/perl

use strict;
use DBI;

#DBI->trace(5);
my $dbh = DBI->connect(
                        "DBI:mysql:database=_DATABASE_;host=_HOST_;
                        mysql_ssl=1;
                        mysql_ssl_client_key=/etc/mysql/certs/client-key.pem;
                        mysql_ssl_client_cert=/etc/mysql/certs/client-cert.pem;
                        mysql_ssl_ca_file=/etc/mysql/certs/ca-cert.pem",
                        '_SSL_USER_',
                        '_SSL_USER_PWD_'
                  ) || die DBI->errstr;
exit(0);