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The iMKS Weblog

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1

With iMKS installed as an ESXi "Helper VM" you can open Remote Consoles, attach CD media, and interact with VM's as if it were a real service console. The VMware RemoteCLI and latest RemoteMKS (from VMware Player 2 RC1) integrate to allow work on an ESXi box (Or VI3 / ESX 2.x / Server 1.x / RDP) from a PC / Mac / Linux / Solaris Desktop -- And it's all encrypted over port 443.

In the future I'd like to hack VMware-WebAccess into iMKS so it can provide full GUI management of ESXi. But for now, it's at least possible to administer ESXi with iMKS -- Something which (formally) was a "Windows Only" activity.

Other Changes to iMKS:

  • Updated to Wine 1.0
  • Included winetricks
  • Updated VMware Remote Console from Server 2.0 RC1
  • Embedded VMware Remote CLI
  • Various other tweaks and improvements under the hood

http://desktopecho.com/iMKS/img/iMKS_ESXi.JPG

Download iMKS http://DesktopECHO.com/iMKS

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So close, yet so far away!

With a weekend of ThinApp and WINE tweaking/hacking atop iMKS Project's WINE install, this is as far as I could get running the VI Client on my PbG4. Interestingly, I tried the VI Client in a WINE-only environment as well, and got just as far with that as my Thinstall bundle. I did an end-run around schannel.dll issues by disabling SSL on my host. Once past that, I get an error parsing the server's config.xml file. I think this is due to the VI Client failing on a .dll somewhere in the winsock/network stack. There's also more issues pointing to XML-parsing problems in WINE's .Net install. If this can be made to work with ThinApp on-top Wine, we will have a VI3 Client that essentially runs on PowerPC Macs, Solaris and Linux (Oh yeah, WinTel too. Heh...)

There was one nice take-away from this failed VI-Client-on-everything mission... I got Office 2003 running in WINE and I've figured out a couple of wierd FreeNX/X11/Wine issues that were annoying the heck out of me. It's unbeleivably cool how close iMKS has gotten to being a free and open alternative for running Windows software over the 'Net, acting as both application and terminal server.

http://www.desktopecho.com/iMKS/img/iMKS_VI.JPG

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iMKS QuickStart Notes

Posted by DanM Jun 19, 2008

Update: I've put up Flash video of the iMKS First-Run -- Watch it here!

Bullet Points:

  • 500MB (7-Zip) VMware Virtual Appliance
  • Centos 5.1 Foundation
  • FreeNX 0.7.2, and NX 3.2 Libraries, configured/ready on first-run. (HughesJr EL5 Packages)
  • XFCE 'rootless' operating environment. GNOME 2.22 and KDE 3 are also ready to rock if you prefer a windowed environment.

Instructions:

  • Download/Deploy iMKS
  • First run will generate new SSH host keys and unique FreeNX client.id_dsa.key
  • Prompt for root password
  • Prompt for user account details
  • The connection file (iMKS.nxs and iMKS-ZeroConf.nxs) gets generated and put aside for the Clients

iMKS is ready to go!
Now onto the Client:

  • If you don't have ZeroConf/Bonjour on your Client, install Bonjour for Windows (Or use iMKS's DHCP IP instead of "iMKS.local")
  • Go to http://iMKS.local and follow the link to install NX Client for your respective platform.
  • Once NX Client is installed, go to http://iMKS.local/private (User:imks / Pass:imks)
  • Get the connection files and keep them in a safe place.

  • If you're using iMKS-ZeroConf.nxs go ahead and open it with NX Client - Enter your credentials... Done - You're in!

  • iMKS.nxs is also supplied for those without ZeroConf/Bonjour (or those planning to use iMKS in the perimeter - Port 443 by default)
  • Open iMKS.nxs with NX Client - Enter your credentials and IP/DNS... Done - You're in!

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Go to the iMKS Download Page at DesktopECHO.com


iMKS_1.jpg iMKS_2.jpg

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iMKS_5.jpg iMKS_6.jpg

What is iMKS?

  • The iMKS Virtual Appliance presents the VMware Remote Console in a simple, secure, and cross-platform fashion.
  • Impressive console rendering over any IP network -- LAN, WAN or Internet.
  • FreeNX + NX GPL back-end, NoMachine NX Client front-end (download for Mac OS X, Solaris, Linux and Windows.)
  • iSCSI target (IET 0.4.16) built-in, and a basic Webmin GUI for iSCSI target editing.
  • Network PDF Printer: Macs (or PC's with Bonjour) can autodiscover and install the iMKS PDF print driver.
  • PDF's automagically wind up in your home folder or the public web share at http://imks.local/public

Remote Consoles supported:

  • VMware ESX 2.x and ESX 3.x
  • VMware Server 2.x and Server 1.x
  • Microsoft RDP and SeamlessRDP
  • VNC and Apple Remote Desktop (ARD)
  • Cirtix ICA and Java-based consoles work when their respective plugins are installed

Challenges: (What problems can iMKS solve?)

  • VMware's Remote Console (RemoteMKS) is designed for high-fidelity reproduction of screens to other computers on a LAN. Performance over Cable/DSL Internet is therefore (expectedly) terrible or unusable.
  • Mac users suffer with terrible ARD/VNC performance over WAN/Internet.
  • RemoteMKS consoles pumped over RDP/Citrix work ok, but issues with "drunken mouse syndrome" or "screen-in-screen lagmonster" can make for unhappy experiences.
  • VMware Remote Consoles are only available for Windows and Linux on x86.
  • Mac (Intel/PPC) or Solaris users have no free and reliable way to run
  • VMware GSX / Server/ ESX 2.x / ESX 3.x Remote Consoles.

Design:

  • Start the iMKS VM - Set passwords - DONE.
  • Unlimited users -- The ceiling is hardwarwe and bandwidth, not licensing.
  • Engineered with attention to being small, good-looking and dead-simple to use. CD size or better (b315 is 502mb)
  • iMKS (strictly speaking) is a Virtual Appliance, there is no desktop per-se. Remote applications are seamlessly integrated into the local desktop
  • ZeroConf/Bonjour aware, remote SMB filecopy, discoverable PDF printer for the network.
  • Windows Remote Desktop (RDP protocol) supported through an improved GUI rdesktop, and provides accessibility to Win2000 / XP / 2003 / and Vista RDP sessions.
  • SeamlessRDP support; integrating rdesktop/SVN, third-party patches and a tuned version of TSclient 1.50. Past work on the TSclientX project for MacOS became the breeding ground for the refinement seen here.
  • A VNC Client with tabbed windows, ZeroConf/Bonjour autodiscovery, Apple VNC and Keychain support: Vinagre, wow.
  • Secure enough to live in the perimeter. One incoming port required for functionality; authentication and data streams are protectd by SSHv2.
  • Fast, secure remote access to a Mac OS X Desktop when used in conjunction with the excellent Vine Server, it can transform Mac OS X into a multi-user Terminal Server.

Tips:

  • There are lots, I need to post some.

Known Issues:

  • There are lots, I need to post some.

ChangeLog:

  • June 18, 2008 - Build 315. Initial Release

Everything Else:

  • This package is provided "AS-IS" with no warranty - explicit or implied - from anyone.

Thanks go out to:

VMware: The remote console binaries packaged in iMKS are VMware's code, (c)VMware, Inc.

The rest of iMKS is made up of free and open source software.
CentOS/RedHat, FreeNX, NoMachine NX, XFCE, GNOME, KDE, OpenVM-Tools,
and at least one kitchen sink. Hack away, let us know if you can make iMKS better!

Questions or feedback? E-Mail me, or post questions in an appropriate VMware Community Forum.

Daniel Milisic.

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