Run Localhost XAMPP from a remote MySQL DB File

[dfaunce]

Can I run a localhost instance of PHP/MySQL (using XAMPP) and point the database connection to a remote database file on a server?


BACKGROUND:
I designed a PHP web-based system for daily tasks at work using MySQL db and running via XAMPP (Localhost). It turned out to be pretty successful in that the entire (small) department required it. I tried to get program this installed on the company servers and create a company intranet site so that the department can use it, but IT insists that only the .NET languages (C++, C#, VB, etc...) are allowed on servers and only MS SQL Server can be used.

I have access to a virtual server, I was wondering if I could place the MySQL Database file on the server and point everybody's localhost instances to that server file. I know it seems counter-intuitive that a "localhost" would use a remote database connection - but I wanted to know if this is possible?

Thanks in advance

[Nobbie]

Of course it is possible, simply provide the IP of the remote server instead of localhost in the mysql_connect() call (or mysqli). You must of course create a user with sufficient rights on the remote MySQL server which is allowed to connect from your client PCs. But technically there is no problem, only the speed mayba a concern, as all data then is passed via network (WLAN, LAN or whatever) and that might be far slower than localhost transfer speed.