Web client and vsphere hypervisor (free version) 5.1

[ajohniee]

Hi,

I have recently downloaded and installed the vsphere hypervisor 5.1 (free version) from VMware.

When I connected to this server via a web  bowser, it showed a page which had links on how to download and install vSphere client (not the Web client).

But I read in the VMware documentation that vSphere client is now depricated (as of release 5.1) and doesn't expose functionalities new to 5.1 version.

Also I searched few places but could find any documentation on how to access vSphere Hypervisor (free version), via the web client.

So my question is, whether its possible to use web-client with vSphere Hypervisor?

Thanks,

John.

[MKguy]

The web client is only available as part of vCenter 5.1. The 5.1 vSphere GUI client still provides the same functionality as the old one, only new features are exposed via the web client only. That's why it won't matter for the free hypervisor - there are no (GUI-configurable) new features to be exposed in a standalone, free license environment.

I'm not sure how VMware intends to handle future versions of standalone free ESXi's if they really drop the vSphere Client for good. Maybe we'll get a host-based web client light like in the past or a more compact, basic GUI for managing standalone ESXi hosts.

[Cougar281]

I did notice a similar post after I posted. Go figure. Search for info, find nothing. Post about it - Here's the same thing!

Anyway, as you said, I gathered afterwards that there are no new features with the free version, so the web client doesn't apply.... but that being the case, why do they say specifically "Separate installer for the VMware vSphere Client. Note: vSphere Web Client can be installed using the vCenter Server installer" in the download for the vSphere client for the free version? If it's simply because the local client applies to both, you'd think they'd have a different message for the free version downloads.