Port 1360: Mimer SQL — Where Swedish Database Engineering Meets the World

Port 1360 is the official port for Mimer SQL—a relational database management system with Swedish roots stretching back to the 1970s.

What Runs on Port 1360

A Mimer TCP service listens on port 1360 for incoming database connections. When a connection arrives, the service routes it to the correct database server. The elegant part: multiple database servers on the same machine can all share port 1360.¹

This is standard TCP/IP database connectivity. Applications use JDBC connection strings like jdbc:mimer://localhost:1360/mimerdb to connect. The protocol is machine-independent—works on Windows, Unix, Mac, VMS, anywhere TCP/IP exists.

The Story Behind Mimer SQL

Mimer SQL began as a research project at Uppsala University in Sweden during the 1970s. When Codd and others were proposing relational database capabilities, researchers at Uppsala's ITC service center built a system to explore those ideas.²

In 1984, the project transferred to a newly established commercial company called Mimer Information Systems. When SQL became the standard in the 1980s, the developers adopted it and renamed the product Mimer SQL.

The name "Mimer" comes from Norse mythology—Mímir was a figure associated with wisdom and knowledge, which fits for a database system.

Today, Mimer Information Technology AB is headquartered in Uppsala. The database runs in some unexpected places: the UK's National Health Service Pulse blood transfusion service, Volvo Cars production lines in Sweden, automotive dealers in Australia, and inside more than 100 million mobile phones and embedded devices.²

That last one is remarkable. There's a good chance you've used a device with Mimer SQL running inside it without knowing.

How Port 1360 Works

When you configure a Mimer SQL server, you specify the TCP port in the MULTIDEFS.DAT configuration file using the TCPPort parameter. The default is 1360.

The Mimer TCP service (MIMTCP) listens on that port. When a client connects, the service authenticates the connection and hands it off to the appropriate database server process. This architecture allows multiple database servers to coexist on one machine without port conflicts.¹

You can test connectivity with a simple telnet:

telnet server_node 1360

If the service is running, you'll get a connection. If not, the connection fails.

Registered Port Status

Port 1360 sits in the registered ports range (1024-49151). These ports are assigned by IANA for specific services upon application by a requesting entity. Mimer AB registered this port officially for Mimer SQL.³

This means port 1360 has an official purpose. It's not a free-for-all ephemeral port. When you see traffic on 1360, there's a good chance it's legitimate database communication—though as always, verify rather than assume.

Security Considerations

Like any database port, port 1360 should not be exposed to the public Internet without protection. Database connections carry authentication credentials and potentially sensitive data.

Some security scanning services have flagged port 1360 in the past because trojans have occasionally co-opted it for malicious communication.⁴ This doesn't mean the port itself is dangerous—it means attackers sometimes disguise their traffic as legitimate database connections.

Best practices:

• Only open port 1360 to trusted networks or specific IP addresses
• Use firewalls to restrict access
• Monitor connections for unexpected sources
• Keep Mimer SQL updated with security patches
• Use encrypted connections when possible

If you see port 1360 open on a system that doesn't run Mimer SQL, investigate.

Checking What's Listening

To see if anything is listening on port 1360 on your system:

Linux/Mac:

sudo lsof -i :1360
# or
sudo netstat -tulpn | grep 1360

Windows:

netstat -ano | findstr :1360

This tells you what process (if any) has the port open.

Why This Port Matters

Port 1360 represents something larger than just a database service. It's a reminder that not every piece of Internet infrastructure is American. Swedish engineering, born from academic research in the 1970s, powers critical systems around the world.

The UK's blood transfusion service depends on it. Volvo's production lines depend on it. Millions of mobile devices depend on it. And most people have never heard of it.

That's how good infrastructure works. Quietly. Reliably. For decades.

Related Ports

• Port 3306 — MySQL default port
• Port 5432 — PostgreSQL default port
• Port 1433 — Microsoft SQL Server default port
• Port 1521 — Oracle Database default port

Each database system claims its own registered port. Port 1360 is Mimer's.