If you use Dreamweaver to connect to a mysql (or any) database, it will create a folder called Connections we've all seen

I like to sometimes take that folder and put it in the user directory, outside of the virtual root (public_html) for the domain.

It's a little added security.  You just need to add an '../' to the require_once tag. It's better to duplicate it, adjust the path, and comment the other one out before uploading.

Actually, I haven't tried an @ in front of the first require, the one DW puts in.  If you just delete or change the require the DW puts in, the interface won't recognize the recordsets.  The file will work fine.