docs: def _setup_tunnel(
              self,
              tunnelParameters):
          """
          *setup a ssh tunnel for a database connection to port through*
  
          **Key Arguments:**
              - ``tunnelParameters`` -- the tunnel parameters found associated with the database settings
  
          **Return:**
              - ``sshPort`` -- the port the ssh tunnel is connected via
  
          .. todo ::
  
              - update key arguments values and definitions with defaults
              - update return values and definitions
              - update usage examples and text
              - update docstring text
              - check sublime snippet exists
              - clip any useful text to docs mindmap
              - regenerate the docs and check redendering of this docstring
          """
          self.log.debug('starting the ``_setup_tunnel`` method')
  
          # TEST TUNNEL DOES NOT ALREADY EXIST
          sshPort = tunnelParameters["port"]
          connected = self._checkServer(
              "127.0.0.1", sshPort)
          if connected:
              self.log.debug('ssh tunnel already exists - moving on')
          else:
              # GRAB TUNNEL SETTINGS FROM SETTINGS FILE
              ru = tunnelParameters["remote user"]
              rip = tunnelParameters["remote ip"]
              rh = tunnelParameters["remote datbase host"]
  
              cmd = "ssh -fnN %(ru)s@%(rip)s -L %(sshPort)s:%(rh)s:3306" % locals()
              p = Popen(cmd, shell=True, close_fds=True)
              output = p.communicate()[0]
              self.log.debug('output: %(output)s' % locals())
  
              # TEST CONNECTION - QUIT AFTER SO MANY TRIES
              connected = False
              count = 0
              while not connected:
                  connected = self._checkServer(
                      "127.0.0.1", sshPort)
                  time.sleep(1)
                  count += 1
                  if count == 5:
                      self.log.error(
                          'cound not setup tunnel to remote datbase' % locals())
                      sys.exit(0)
          return sshPort