#
#   Use openRemote to create a tunnel to the remote mysql server.
#   Then try to connect to it every 3 seconds for 15 seconds (I made these numbers
#   up ... they may need to increase for China ! )
#
sub openRemoteSql
{
    $hostname = $_[0] ;
    $port = $_[1] ;
    $user = $_[2] ;
    $pass = $_[3] ;

    #
    #   Look for a free "port" to use
    $cnt = 0 ;
    $tmp = -1 ;
    while( $tmp == -1 )
    {
        if( $cnt > 10 )
        {
            print "can't find a free port in $_[1] .. $port\n" ;
            return 0;
        }
        $port = $_[1] + $cnt ;
        #print $port , "\n" ;
        $tmp = openRemote( $hostname,$port,3306,$user,$pass ) ;
        $cnt ++;
    }

    #
    #   if openRemote returns '0' then the ssh failed, probably can't contact
    #   host or some other shyte
    #
    if( $tmp < 1 )
    {
        return $tmp ;
    }

    $cnt = 0 ;
    while( $cnt < 5 )
    {
        $db = DBI->connect("dbi:mysql:database="$remotedb";host=127.0.0.1;port=$port", "$user", "$pass");
        if( $db )
        {
            #
            #   Wow .. it all worked .....
            #
            return $db ;
        }
        $cnt ++ ;
        sleep( 3 ) ;
    }
    closeRemote($port) ;
    return 0 ;
}