Adding additional users to use the VI Client and ESXi

[D8TA]

Ok, I have ESXi up and running and all is going well. My question is how or what do I need to do in order to allow additional users login to the ESXi server with the VI client. I read where I cannot use Active Directory or LDAP and I have tried to create users within the VI Client but I can't get the newly created user to login using the VI Client. The new users will should have the ability to create, modify, etc the virtual machines on this ESXi server. I just don't want other users using the root account.

[Dave_Mishchenko]

Once you create a user, you'll need to assign permissions to them. On the permission tab you'll select the user and the role you wish for them to have. There are 3 roles by default (administrator / read-only and no access). If you click on the Administration icon and then select the Roles tab, you'll be able to add more roles.

[D8TA]

OK, I see that but what do I need to mark to allow them to use download the VI client from the ESXi server and login using the newly created account. For example, I create a new user called Test. It looks like by default this object gets placed in the user group. Once I close the VI Client and try to log in I can't use Test which I want to do along with create, power off/on, delete, etc the virtual machines. It looks like I could prevent them from messing with any of the ESXi settings which I would also want. Is there a manual or something that outlines all the different settings? Does that make sense?

[weinstein5]

The Basic Admin Guide has a section discussing permissions -

[Dave_Mishchenko]

You'll need to assign a role to the user on the permissions tab (at the host level). The accounts membership in the users group doesn't assign a role to them.

Any user can download the VI client from http://<ip/hostane_of_your_ESXi_host/.

Here's a document for permissions and roles - http://www.vmware.com/pdf/vi3_vc_roles.pdf. This is meant for virtualcenter so some items will not apply. The significant different with ESXi in stand alone mode is that you'll only be able to assign permissions at the host level. The doc will talk about doing that on resource pools and individual VMs, but that is not possible with ESXi on its own.