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Cougar281
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ESXi 5.5 Free Hypervisor Web Console

I just downloaded the free version of ESXi 5.5 to start evaluating it relative to 5.1. From reading, VMware is moving to a web console only, with the native client only for 'emergency access' to the host (Why is everyone going to web consoles? they tend to be more problematic than native consoles...).

With the free version, how are you supposed to get the Web Console? There's a reference under the vSphere client download saying: 'Note: vSphere Web Client can be installed using the vCenter Server installer', but that's not available to download when you register for the free version. So if you have the free version, what's the right way to get the web client and what are you supposed to install it on? If the web console is now going to be required to access newer features of the Hypervisor, maybe VMware should consider providing the vCenter appliance with the free version, with the paid features disabled, of course.

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Gabrie1
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Since only the new features come in the vSphere Web Client and those new features are mostly related to more than one manageable host, I'm wondering if you really need the Web Client.

http://www.GabesVirtualWorld.com
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Cougar281
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I would argue that as long as it is possible to upgrade the virtual hardware to v10 using the traditional console, the web client is required. What if you have a lower version VM that you could use the newer hardware features on? Maybe not even v10 features, but say v8 features? If you use the traditional console to upgrade the hardware, it takes it straight to v10. And then the machine is done. You can no longer edit it as you must use the web console to edit v10 hardware.

The web console allows you to pick what level you want to go to. If you have a v4 machine, for example, you can choose to take it to v8 if you want. Or all the way to v10.

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TomWhite01
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Agreed Cougar. I will be moving away from using the free hypervisor for my home lab if they don't fix this one way or another.


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GNTL
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I might move to the Microsoft Hyper-V Server 2012 R2 root, as I've been running both, for comparison.  I am impressed with Hyper-V, and it's completely free.  The only thing I feel is missing (which is sometimes handy on a small host) over provisioning

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JarryG
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Honestly, I was thinking about this alternative too (moving away from ESXi). This uncertainty about future of free ESXi-hypervisor does not look good. A month since 5.5 has been released, and still no reaction from VMware addressing this issue.

Who knows what happens in 5.6 or 5.7? Maybe we will not be able to create VM with native client at all, or there will be simply no native-client (without any substitution) and thus absolutely no free way of administering "free" (?) ESXi-hypervisor...

_____________________________________________ If you found my answer useful please do *not* mark it as "correct" or "helpful". It is hard to pretend being noob with all those points! 😉
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jkopp
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Also did some playing with 5.5 Free.  I agree with you 100% on the issues.  I wanted to point out to new readers that when building a VM on the free 5.5, the default hardware is v8 and not v10.  *If you don't upgrade to v10*, everything seems to work the same as 5.1 free, but without the 32GB host limitation.  I feel 5.5 is still a step forward from the earlier versions.

That being said, I back the other comments in this thread.  I don't like this potential v10 hardware issue with the thick client, and think it was poor form on VMWare's to even give users a potential to break their own labs.  There is a warning, but that warning may not be clear.

vm10.JPG

On a related note for those that are in this thread because their VMs are now unmanagble do to this issue, you do have the ability to back out.  All VM Client settings exist in the VMX file.  Here's a workaround:

  • Turn off the VM and note the datastore your VM's running under.
  • Unregister the VM -- "remove from inventory" on the host.
  • Browse the datastore and download the VMX file.
  • Edit the VMX in notepad and change virtualHW.version = "10" -- back to 8 (or 9 if you'd like to upgrade to the 5.1 hardware).  Save the file.
  • Browse back to the datastore.  I'd recommend renaming the original VMX as a backup.  Upload your edited VMX.
  • Click the "Add VM to inventory" button to re-register your edited VMX to the host.
  • All should be good now.  If so, delete your backup VMX file.

Thanks to all for your insight on this issue.  I apprecaite having a smart community of users to help me through my day!

jbendsen
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I have not installed vcenter only vsphere 5.5. Lets say I am at work and want to access my vmware server and have the same functionality that the vsphere client is offering, then I imagine I would simply write the url to my vmware server in my work browser and vupti there it is... That is a web client by my definition. Is this what the vsphere web client is?

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jkopp
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Not exactly sure what you mean by "simply write the URL".  When using the free ESXi, entering in your IP address of your ESXi host as the web URL will take you to a working web page where you have some basic options.  These options however don't give you the ability to manage the host or guests directly from your web browser.  VMWare's trying to wean us from thick-client managemnt the same way they got us to move off of the full consoles of ESX and onto ESXi and the PowerCLI.  The new web client (https://<WebClientServer>:9443/vsphere-client/ by default) is integrated into vSphere and allows you do perfrom almost all ESXi management tasks usually handled by the thick client.  The free ESXi can't be managed by vCenter which also excludes it from the vCenter's web client.  Once the guest hardware is upgraded to v10, the management of those guests is basically disbled if ESXi is running in free mode.

It's gets a little confusing because VMWare has rebranded their products over the years.  "vSphere" is what we used to call "vCenter".  What we used to call ESX, they now call "vSphere Hypervisor".  I'm assuming your original sentence means you installed the free hypervisor without the centralized management.

There is a thick client for ESXi5.5 that you can use to mange your ESXi 5.5 host from.  This same client will also mange guests provided you don't upgrade the hardware to version 10.  From my limited understanding and experimentation, there is very limited access to manage your "vmware server" (hypervisor guest) once it has been upgraded to version 10.  Once you do that, you'll need to have a functional vSphere/vCenter implementation.

I'm not smart on 5.5 yet.  I'm not sure what advanced features are missing by using the thick client instead of the web client.

I hope that makes sense.  I'm not sure if that's what you were looking for when you asked the question.  If you haven't experienced the web client before, you can get a taste for what it's like in this youtube video if you skip forward to 10:45. VMware vSphere 5.5 Upgrade Part 2. vCenter Server, Web Client, Upgrade Manager and ESXi - YouTube

jbendsen
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OMG, for the last 5 months I have been confused about all of this name changing vsphere, vcenter etc, not good standard...

Anyway thanks for your reply, I was looking for a thin web client, like just writing the url for my server in a browser... so you bring good news.... when writing https://192.168.1.100 I get to my web page of my vsphere where it says download this and that.... (VMware ESXI welcome screen)


So you are telling me that in order to get to the web client I have to write https://192.168.1.100:9443/vsphere-client, well this does not work here it says The web page is not available?


So in order to get it to work I have to install something on my vsphere server?

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jkopp
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The web client is part of the vSphere (think vCenter) installation.  It doesn't exist without it.

Personally, I've installed directly onto our vSphere server, but we're a small shop.  It could be a server unto itself, but it doesn't exist outside of vSphere.  There are free 60 day trials if you'd like to kick the tires.

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jbendsen
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hmm, my vsphere ESXi 5.5 server is installed on https://192.168.1.100 and I use the thick client vsphere client to access it on 192.168.1.100 and when I go to https://192.168.1.100:9443/vsphere-client it says The web page is not available.

So something needs to be installed or configured, any idea?

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Schenkewitz
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In order to have access to the web client you have to install a vCenter Server as a appliance or on an windows server with active directory connection. vCenter Server isn't free, so you have to buy an vSphere Essentials Kit or vSphere Accelerations Kit or single licenses of vCenter Server Foundation (for Managing up to 5 Hosts) or vCenter Server Standard(for managing many more than 5 hosts).

VMware Europe Official Online-Shop - VMware vCenter Server Foundation

VMware Europe Official Online-Shop - VMware vCenter Server Standard

The web client as part of the vCenter server is an full manage console for your single ESXi servers, clusters and your complete datacenter. Only with web client 5.5 you can modify your vm's running hardware version 10.

If you have allready installed vCenter Server the url to your webclient is "https://<vCenter-Server-ip-or-dns-hostname>:9443/vsphere-client/".

We also extented your webclient with some addons like vmware horizon view desktop plugin, vmware vcenter infrastructure navigator plugin, vmware vcenter operations manager plugin and veeam bacup and replication web client plugin.

the vmware vcenter infrastructure navigator plugin is ONLY available for the web client and its not possible to use infrastructure navigator with the traditional vsphere (phat) client. on the other hand you don't need an windows desktop or

server to access the webclient - you only need an browser with flash player installed like Chrome, IE oder FireFox.

here are 2 screenshots from your web client view:
webclient-01.gif webclient-02.gif

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autumnwalker
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Still no response from VMware on this?

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ThomasFranke
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As an alternative, you can administer VMs with hardware version 10 with VMware Workstation:

http://www.thomas-franke.net/2013/10/29/vsphere-5-5-manage-vm-hardware-version-10-with-vmware-workst...

It's not a replacement for the missing functionality of the vSphere client but you can use it as a fallback in case of emergency.

Read my PowerShell and PowerCLI Blog - Professional automation projects for Windows and VMware: http://www.thomas-franke.net/
Skeesicks
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So, what VMware does is to put us in some kind of hostage situation and they are hoping the stockholm syndrome kicks in.

I made two mistakes....the first one was to install ESXi 5.5 in the first place....the second was to do a P2V wit the VMware converter and having the virtual machine being created as a v10!

(OK I just made the mistake to choose VMware in the first place)

This whole case reminds me of the infamous switch from VMware Server 1.x to 2.0 ....it's the same sh.. all over again!

Why switch to a web client (which depends on FLASH...are you serious?!?!) when you have a perfectly working fat-client, anyway?

The converter could have warned me to create a v10, in the first place!

So, I am stuck with a virtual machine which cannot be managed because I don't want to buy VMware workstation....I am running Virtualbox on my desktop and I am fine with it!

This taught me 2 things...don't provision product versions which I did not test (even If the previos versions of the software were running fine!) and do not choose VMware ever again!

I don't know what VMware plans in future releases, maybe they abandon the free ESXi at all (or forcing us to buy Workstation if we want to use ESXi)

The servers I provision for my clients are meant to run at least for 3 years, but I can't trust VMware anymore because I don't know what plans they have with future VMware products.

I sewear, if this case is not resolved I will switch away from VMware, I want to be "customer" not a hostage!

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jkopp
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It is possible to revert your v10 virtual hardware to an older version you can manage.  I posted instructions earlier in this thread.

Skeesicks
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Thanks for the hint, I saw your first post, but I had not the guts to do it cause this is a _very_ remote system.

But I just tried it and am running on HW version 9...AND CAN CONNECT THE USB HDD CONNECTED TO THE HOST!

jkopp, you're THE MAN!

Nonetheless, my vmware RANT is still actual, I hope they hear the cries for help in the forums, because switching to a different hypervisor is a real PITA!

Thanks for this jkopp!

Regards,

Matthias

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ancoleman
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So all of you that are having issues moving forward with vSphere 5.5.....

Spend a little money VMware Official Online Store Online Store - VMware vSphere Essentials Kits  - Currently $560... I'm sorry but if your running anything in full production on a free hypervisor (includes KVM, Hyper-V, etc) then you have no right to complain about what they put in or take away from their free versions. Your just asking for a heap of trouble with zero support and second rate management at best to run production VMs on the free hypervisor. I mean $500-600 is cheap for this stuff. If your running it at home then just use the trial version for lab scenarios otherwise buy the product...

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Skeesicks
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First) ESXi is marketed as free PRODUCTION READY hypervisor.

Second) You can get Support for everything, even for free Software. It's just a tradeoff between the cost and the SLAs you have!

Third) Are you calling free Software as "not production ready"?.....Hell, tell this the Apache guys...or the samba people....or the comrads who coded nginx. (It's like claiming you can't get drunk from free beer!)

And yes 500$ is not much for this product, but it is much for some small companys....and this is only for 1-3 years....and vCenter is a little bit of Overkill for a single server Scenario, don't you think?

And what do I get from this amount of money....9-5 email Support??!.....I once had to deal with the vmware Support cause of a PSOD after an upgrade....By the time I got an answer, I already reinstalled the Server....fortunately this was in a shared storage enviroment.

And now to the "You are not allowed to complain if you are using a free product".....I am allowed to complain as long and as intense as I want....and guess wat, if the coplains are valid, even free Software companies consider changing the parts, which causes the compaints!

So, no...I will not "spend a little money"....not to a Company who treats it's free userbase like shit REPEATEDLY.

ancoleman
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Most enterprise environments that run the Open Source applications/web services you named such as Apache retain enterprise support for them via Red Hat, Novell, Oracle, and now even Ubuntu. Yes you can get support for their free hypervisor...if you pay for it. Even for a small company $500-600 is minimal and part of the cost of doing business if you want to run virtual and reap the benefits of virtual. I would say yes vCenter is overkill for a single server environment, but I would never suggest running on a single server environment with ESXi. (2 Hosts minimum in my book) For single server instances, I prefer Hyper-V over ESXi, albeit ESXi is more mature...Hyper-V 2012 and R2 are definitely viable options now. You can complain all you want, but if your not paying for their product I think those requests are at the bottom of their list of things to complete.

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