USB over IP

[sheetsb]

In this thread: http://www.vmware.com/community/message.jspa?messageID=545754 I see reference to the products from Digi and Keyspan to attach USB dongles to VMs. I've looked at some of the documentation for both products and I like the enhanced security features available on Keyspan's USB server.

Has anyone tried both of these?

Does Keyspan's product work with ESX VMs?

Are there any surprises?

Thanks,

Bill S.

[Snova]

I installed the Lantronix device server once. One cool feature is that you can connect from many servers to this usb-server and dedicate each of the 4 ports to another server.

You don't have to buy 4 devices if you want to connect 4 license dongles, just buy one

[kchawk]

The belkin Network USB Hub works great, with the exception of not working on w2k3. You can connect one vm to a usb drive attached to the hub and another to another usb drive attached to the hub. A step in the right direction, now for w2k3 support.

[hyper5peed]

I am also looking for a hardware solution that supports sharing USB over IP (aka USB Servers). Here is information about 5 hardware devices, that I obtained from their websites:

Keyspan - model U2S-2A (2-port)

- supported OS: WinXP or Vista (32bit), MacOS X v10.3.9 or greater

- supports 8 connections???

- does not currently support attachment of USB hubs (expected in future firmware)

- PROS: claims it can support any USB device that is NOT an isochronous device or an ILOK dongle by PACE

CONS: Limited documentation for this model

Silex technology - model SX-2000U2 (1-port)

- supported OS: W2K, WinXP, Vista, MacOS X

- supports 15 connections (incl. hub)

- PROS: Frequent firmware updates, supports more connections

- CONS: only one port

Lantronix - model UBox 2100 (2-port)

- supported OS: W2K, WinXP

- supports 8 connections???

- Isochronous audio/video support

- PROS: First and currently only to claim to support isochronous transfers

- CONS: Limited documentation on this model

Belkin - model F5L009 (5-port)

- supported OS: WinXP,Vista (incl 64bit), MacOS 10.4 (beta)

- supports 16 connections

- PROS: Sexy looking, supports more connections, comes already with 5 ports, claims it may supported isochronous transfers in future update

- CONS: reports suggests poor performance with drives, but this may be a perception issue

IOGear - model GMFPSU22W6 (2-Port)

- supported OS: W2K, WinXP

- supports 5 connections

- PROS: supports a storage server mode, allowing multiple user access

- CONS: don't have any info yet on this model

I am only comparing USB2.0 hi-speed (upto 480Mbps) models, even though most of these mfg have full-speed (upto 12 Mbps) models too. All seem to sell for approximately $130 and support common features like WLAN compatible, printer auto-connect share, 500mA power per port. Plus some mfg are looking to add more features in future firmware and driver releases. Early testing suggest that these units perform marginally better than USB1.1 devices, due to the network connection (latency), but I am curious about the performance of the Lantronix model that claims to support isochronous transfers.

[LiamGP]

I'm now in the same position, have a USB dongle I need to get working with a VM. This is about the best thread I've found and hyper5peed has made a good comparison.

I think I will go for the Keyspan or the Lantronix. Leaning towards the Lantronix as it seems to support everything and it should fit niceley to the side of a rack.

The AnywhereUSB is out because it can't share its ports with more than 1 VM at once.

Let me hear your experiences with any of these devices though.

Thanks!

[franklinb]

Same here! Thanks for all the informative posts everyone. Once again the vmware forums come through with the goods!

I'm wanting to virtualise a license server for PSCad that uses the HVDC License Manager, and Safenet SuperPro USB dongle.

Originally I was just looking at the Digi but did not realise it would only share its ports with 1 server. That isn't a problem at the moment since I only have 1 USB requirement, however you never know when another one might come up.

[mterry]

Crowey,

Did you happen to find a USB over IP solution that works with Linux? Thanks!

[OaktonIT]

After getting the Belkin hub I was disappointed with the fact it did not support Windows 2003 and only XP and Vista. Even testing with a virtual XP machine I could not get the Belkin to work. It did work with Virtual Server but not with ESX.

I then purchased the Lantronix 4 port hub and it worked beautifully. I use it for license servers and this is the only model we will buy going forward.

[cb_007]

Here is my experience :

We have a Win XP box with an aladdin usb dongle (HASP HL 3.21) and we want to convert it to a VM running on an ESX 3.5 server.

This week, we bought a Lantronix UBox 4100 and installed it to work with the XP box. It works perfectly with different usb devices EVEN with the aladdin dongle, so the protected software starts exactly the same than before.

Next step : I used the 'VMware converter enterprise' CD to convert my XP box directly to my ESX server (so no trouble with the missing usbd.sys in \windows\system32\drivers) and the Lantronix UBox USB Device Server starts OK, connection to UBox is OK, connection to usb dongle is OK. Well, all seems exactly the same that with physical XP box BUT my protected software doesn't start because it doesn't find the dongle !!! I tried other usb devices (memory keys, usb HD drives) that work perfectly but no way with the aladdin dongle.

So we have to find another solution.

[OaktonIT]

I am also using an Aladdin Key (HASP 2.17) with Windows 2003 so I did not have issues with usbd.sys. The only problem I had with the Aladdin key was the License Service was starting before Windows initialized communcations with the key. So I set the license service to start manually and setup a vb script to run on startup that waits 20 seconds then starts the license service. No problems after that.

Does the USB Device Server software have any issues reconnecting with the key?

[DCasota]

Hi,

We tested an alladin usb key with anywhere Usb from digi.com and it worked great without any issues.

Just a thought: Did you cleanup your newly created VM after the p2v process? -> Maybe there is a problem with hidden devices which prevents your software to work correctly. To unhide these devices:

set DEVMGR_SHOW_NONPRESENT_DEVICES=1

start devmgmt.msc

Select "Show hidden devices" option

Hope it helps.

[Jae_Ellers]

So does anyone have a report of a good many to many solution? I've stuck w/ the digi for teh enterprise since it's always worked, but I'm getting tired of paying so much for each device, especially when we have only one port on each digi used.

Maybe hp will release a usb virtual connect module :smileygrin:

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

http://blog.mr-vm.com

http://www.vmprofessional.com

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

[cb_007]

Hi DCasota and thanks for your suggest, it helped me to find the difference between physical and virtual machines : in my VM, a non plug-and-play hidden device called 'hardlock' (C:\Windows\system32\drivers\hardlock.sys v3.25 from aladdin) doesn't start because of an I/O peripheral error. I try to find more informations.

[cb_007]

Hi OaktonIT,

We also have a physical 2003 server with an aladdin usb key HASP 2.17 that works with a License Service (a service called SLicense that runs through a file called SLicense.exe). But in my XP box, the access to the dongle is made by a device running through a file called harlock.sys, maybe a different kind of aladdin keys because it's a HL version (HASP HL 3.21). In fact, we have a third aladdin usb key on another 2003 server that also runs with device hardlock.sys and the key version is HASP HL 3.16 so i'm trying to find informations about differences between HASP and HASP HL keys.

The USB Device Server connects to the key without any issue (well, that's what the UBox GUI tells me) showing dongle status as 'Connected (Dedicated)'

[doubleH]

Jae,

Check out this thread http://communities.vmware.com/message/863760. I currently use a 4 port Keyspan USB server and have the ability to dedicate a USB device to a particular VM.

If you found this or any other post helpful please consider the use of the Helpfull/Correct buttons to award points

[OaktonIT]

The USBAnywhere product worked for us also but it had two drawbacks. First it was much more expensive and second we could only connect one VM at a time to it. The Lantronix product addresses those issues.

[cb_007]

Hi all,

It finally works but THERE IS a difference between HL and non HL aladdin dongle. As I said, we have 3 different softwares with 3 USB aladdin dongles so I tried some kind of experimentation :

Last week, I couldn't start a hidden device called hardlock in my XP VM using a HL aladdin dongle so I made another XP VM and installed the sofware using a non HL aladdin dongle and it worked at the first time with the non HL dongle through the UBox. This VM has no hidden device hardlock, just a hidden device Haspnt BUT the driver hardlock.sys exists and is loaded directly by the USB device called 'Aladdin HASP Key'.

The most simple and stupid solutions as often the best, so I decided to copy the hardlock.sys file from my working XP VM to replace the hardlock.sys file on my non working XP VM. Just a restart and ... it works. My hidden device hardlock is running and my software finally starts.

So my conclusion is :

- A non HL aladdin dongle through lantronix UBox works in a VM on ESX server.

- A HL aladdin dongle through lantronix UBox does NOT work in a VM on ESX server BUT you can make it work by replacing the \windows\system32\drivers\hardlock.sys with a version used with a non HL aladdin dongle.

In my case,

HL hardlock.sys : v3.25.1.1 - 25/11/2005 - 665600 bytes - comming with a HASP HL 3.21 Aladdin USB dongle

replaced by non HL hardlock.sys : v3.33.46.1 - 05/11/2004 - 670208 bytes - comming with a HASP 2.17 Aladdin USB dongle

Hope it can helps.

[LiamGP]

I got my KeySpan unit delivered yesterday. I have 3 different VM's using 3 different devices. The one Aladdin HASP I've tested is working fine which was our main reason for buying it. Now we can virtualise servers which use USB Licence Dongles!

Think it was only around £70. Don't have a bad word to say about it yet.

[MW19]

I am looking for a Linux solution as well. Have you looked at the Incentives Pro Beta Solution?

Are you looking for a sotware or hardware based solution?

http://usb-server.com/downloads.html

[mike29]

For the Silex SX-2000U2 check out this faq section: http://www.silexamerica.com/vmware-faq.html

This device only has one USB port but can accommodate up to 15 devices using USB hubs.

[sloan1919]

Just for future reference I am running windows 2003 and I have gotten the belkin network usb hub to work by simply running the setup in XP compat. mode.

Works great, almost thought I was going to have to take this thing back to best buy.