Remote Console to acces VMs on a vSphere server - vmware-vmrc documentation

[Virgile]

Hello,

I want to connect directly to my Vms on a vSphere server with simple shortcut, like vmware server 2.

I found vmware-vmrc.exe and the way to connect to a VM, but I miss the exact documentation of this exe.

I've read here that the possible parameter are:

f:l:s:E:XdvMTUkK!h:u:p:c:S:

I've found only:

-h : parameter : host

-u : parameter : user

-p : parameter : passwd

-X (start in fullscreen)

-U (start in minized mode)

-v (display version)

-M : parameter VM id

I miss two things:

• to know which user is connected to one VM (to avoid double connection on the same VM).

• to have the same interface as in VI Client, so the user can take snapshots (or rewind).

with standard remote console the interface is:

with vi client, the interface is more complex:

I don't know how to have the second one.

thanks!

[Saadat]

I am not sure if you want to give VMRC or VI Client,

With VMRC you will give the Console view of the VM,

I assume you need Snapshot functionality, So you have to give permissions on that specific VM to your user, then install vSphere Client on your users computer and login with his username.

He will see the second Screen shot that you have provided.

I hope this answers your question.

[Virgile]

Hello,

Ithank for your answe, but it's not exactly what I need: I don't want to install VI Client on each user of vSphere, I prefer to use the system of shortcut like Vmware Server 2 I add on my first server (which was a simple workstation running XP..).

So I investigate a little on the web, found some vmware users with the same needs of me, and found out the vmware-vmrc exe.

The only problem is the documentation of that exe is none-existing: I don't understand that with the same root login and the same executable, with the VI Client I've got the second screeshot (you could see in taskmanager that vmware-vmrc.exe is running twice) , with possibilities of snapshot and the information of multiple usersconnected to the same VM, and by lauching vmware-vmrc manually, I couldn't have the same interface (first screenshot). It should exist more parameter in vmware-vmrc that I don't know ?

Is that more clear ? (I'm sorry for my poor english,I'm french :/)

Thank you

[neaker]

Hi Virgile,

Im looking into similar issues - did you get anywhere with adding parameters for VMRC to ensure that the users dont connect to a running Virtual Machine? also, do you know if it is possible to specify the Virtual Centre within the VMRC parameters so we dont target a single ESX host and therefore losing our resilincy?

Many Thanks

Kev

[Virgile]

Hi neaker,

I'm sorry to not help you, but I didn't found any more information about VRMC, and I didn't look further because what I found is enough for my use.

Maybe what you're looking for is vmware view 4 ? (I don't know a lot about it..)

The only thing I change with the connection, is to use the perl function to connect to the server to know which VMs from a particuliar resource pool are running.

Anyway, I think VMware should do something like vSphere Client Ultralight (web-based ?).

bye

[1an3]

You can access the remote console of Virtual Machines without the full client, using vSphere Web Access.

In a browser, go to https://servername.domain.com (the same place you can download the full client from)

There is a link to "Login to web access"

Login (same authentication as the client, ie. if you want to restrict to read/console access you will need to create a role (or edit a sample one) and assign that a permission to the object(s).

Navigate to the VM you want to remote console to - on first visit only install the plugin (IE or firefox).

(May have to restart browser)

Next visit, click to open console.

It is also possible for an administrator to 'create a virtual machine shortcut'

This could be a web link (which would link to the Web Access login). OR you can generate a desktop shortcut which goes to the plugin .exe file with parameters to go to the correct console.

What I would like to be able to do is distribute/install the remote console plugin without the need to visit Web Access.

Hope this is clear and helps.

Ian

[Virgile]

I was thinking to use the web access at the installation of vsphere server, but it wasn't working by default, and I forget it..

So I activate it today, and the only difference is that the Resource Pool aren't shown int he VM lists, not a big deal.

thank you for your great idea!

by the way I'll post the procedure to start this web access for vSphere:

1- log as root in vm console:
2- check if already running: service vmware-webAccess status
3- start it: service vmware-webAccess start
4- and/or let it start automatically at startup: chkconfig --level 345 vmware-webAccess on

Edit: I've just tested the web access, it worked but all the machine are visible, even for the non-allowed users. Ok they can't do anything with it, but instead of seeing only the 5-10 VMs they can use, they see the entire list.

Another strange thing, it's possible to "add virtual machine to the inventory", like in Vmware Server version...

[1an3]

You could generate the VM Shortcut via Web Access, then restrict it to the single VM only (hiding the inventory) and obfuscate the URL so that it isn't easily changed.

If your remote users can see inventory/other VMs then it suggests your permissions are wrong somewhere along the line.

I found the installer for the remote console plug-in, it was C:\Program Files (x86)\VMware\Infrastructure\tomcat\webapps\ui\plugin (on my x64 vCenter server) - I don't know where it would be on an ESX host.

Also, I HAVEN'T TESTED THAT YET so don't blame me if things die