SQLSTATE[HY000] [2002] Can't connect to local MySQL server -- remote server

Permalink 1 user found helpful
This problem is similar to some other threads with a slight twist: We have to put the database on a separate, secure server from the production server.

I'm working remotely -- that is, I personally cannot touch the code. The person who is setting up the Concrete5 install (actually, moving it per instructions in the documentation) sent me the following message:

> I copied over the database and contents from concrete5 today from the test server. When I started the new Prod system back up it kicked out this error.
> "SQLSTATE[HY000] [2002] Can't connect to local MySQL server through socket '/var/lib/mysql/mysql.sock' (2)"
> I Goggled the error, it seems to be a PHP connection error between the app server and Database server. But when I run "mysql -u myadmin -ppass4you -h imcetlxdb02p -P 3306 concrete5" from the app server I get right in. I checked config/database.php and it looks okay to me. Server, database, username, and password are all correct. Any ideas?

I searched the documentation and forums and found the following:
http://documentation.concrete5.org/developers/installation/installa...
https://www.concrete5.org/community/forums/5-7-discussion/5.7.2-1and...
https://www.concrete5.org/community/forums/installation/5.7.1-instal...

They seem to say the solution is in the name of the database. Do these fixes apply in the case of a separate server?
Are we looking for something completely different?
VR
Neal S.

yfsneals