vSphere client for Linux (sort of)...

[#1]

The vSphere client for Linux is coming, but the question is what to do in the time between? Here is a set of instructions for one approach, based on a workaround that has been mentioned in the forums a few times. This workaround does require a Windows machine with RDP enabled and the vSphere client installed.

Step 1: Make sure to get the latest version of rdesktop for the Linux machine, by using the following command:

sudo apt-get upgrade rdesktop

Step 2: Go to http://www.cendio.com/seamlessrdp/ and download the seamlessrdp.zip file.

Step 3: Extract the zip file to C:\seamlessrdp on the Windows machine -the one with RDP enabled and the vSphere client installed.

Step 4: On the Linux desktop, create a launcher or just run rdesktop with the following command:

rdesktop -A -s "c:\seamlessrdp\seamlessrdpshell.exe C:\PROGRA_{1\VMware\INFRAS}1\VIRTUA~2\Launcher\vpxClient.exe" 10.0.0.10

Note 1: Change 10.0.0.10 to the IP address of the Windows machine. The path to vpxClient.exe may also differ, if the defaults were not used during install.

Note 2: Unrecommended - If security is not a concern, or if the inconvenience of logging in to the RDP session is just too much, then the following command may be used to bypass the login prompt:

rdesktop -u admin -p pass -A -s "c:\seamlessrdp\seamlessrdpshell.exe C:\PROGRA_{1\VMware\INFRAS}1\VIRTUA~2\Launcher\vpxClient.exe -passthroughAuth -s LOCALHOST" 10.0.0.10

After the login screen clears, the vSphere client will be running on the Linux desktop just like any native Linux application would be. No WINE, Windows remote desktops or other hassles (other than having the Windows machine) are required.

Update: Rich Brambley over at VM/ETC has a blog entry with an even more elegant solution. It still requires a Windows box though!

Enjoy, and thanks for reading.

[ronnieredd]

A Linux, BSD, MacOSX client for esx/esxi has been "is coming", "coming soon" or the like for over 3 years. Meanwhile, some of us have gone to KVM, VirtualBox, etc. It's exceptionally sad really, that VMware couldn't pump out a Linux client BEFORE</b> a windows client. Apparently, it works on vista/7. Just f#cking sad.

[Borago]

This isn't a client, but it's the closest thing I found. Kinda sad really, I was hoping to stop using a second box to administer my servers. A true client would be nice.

[felipe_alfaro]

Sort of? Nope. That's still vSphere on Windows.

[geoffjay]

It really boggles the mind why a company who's product is based on Linux can't, or won't, deliver a client for the same platform. This is where the usual lame response "Windows is the predominant platform" chicken-before-the-egg argument is introduced, but I have always thought of VMware as innovative so who better than an innovator to finally but that egg (or chicken) out there.