External Database configuration challenges with 8.6

I'm just getting started with Digikam, but I'm facing some big database 
configuration challenges.  I searched the archives but found nothing 
close to address my specific challenge.

I require an external database, as I have multiple systems that I'll be 
using to manage the same photo libraries from.  As a result, I've been 
working with both MariaDB 10.3.39 and MySQL 8.0.42, quite 
unsuccessfully.  These are running on Linux hosts, with Digikam on a 
Windows client.  I have seen some of the issue reports with Digikam 
8.5/8.6 and external databases.  The internal database isn't an option, 
and I don't really want to run my databases on Windows, as I already 
have dedicated Linux systems for most of my critical services, like a 
database.

I was able to use both MariaDB and MySQL with Digikam 8.4 doing nothing 
other than setting up the user and proper database 
permissions/credentials.  However, when I then attempted Digikam 8.6, 
the Test Connection works just fine using the same userid/credentials.  
However, on subsequent attempts to start Digikam, the Windows Event 
Viewer reports: "Faulting module name: libmysql.dll, version: 
8.0.40.0".  I've connected from a remote host using the mysql command 
line from just fine, and have been able to query the Digikam databases 
that 8.4 created, etc. just fine.  A "select count(*) from Images;" 
shows the proper number of images that were analyzed by Digikam 8.4.

I've also seen mention that users have been successful with a remote 
database when they configured SSL.  I have not been able to find a 
sufficient guidance on how to do this successfully for either the MySQL 
Docker image I'm using, or the standalone MariaDB on an AlmaLinux host.  
Also, I'm unclear on why 8.4 would work flawlessly but 8.6 fails, to the 
same database from the same remote Windows hosts, and no difference 
between the database config.

If anyone's successfully set this up and has something close to a 
tutorial/walk-thru of the steps, I'd be most grateful as I'm quite 
excited about Digikam and its capabilities, but the setup's been a bit 
challenging, so far.  If any debug info, etc. is needed, I'd be happy to 
try that too, as I'm super eager to get my entire image database 
ingested into Digikam!

Thanks!