easy way to view virtual OS login status?

[bbowman]

I am deploying ESXI to provide multiple Win XP virtual systems for my staff to use for various purposes. What i need to be able to provide the staff is an easy way for each of them to see if a particular virtual machine is in use (or logged in). I plan on creating a single local logon account for each virtual machine, this same account would be used on all virtual machines. What I need to be able to avoid is someone who is currently connected via RDP being logged out by someone else who connects to the same machine via RDP with the same account. Is there a lightweight utility out there which provides a 'window' for the staff to see which virtual machine is currently logged in?

thanks in advance

[DSTAVERT]

There isn't anything at the ESXi level that would give you that?? You could trap XP terminal services Events and feed that to a web page that made a link available or unavailable. Use the terminal services web client on the machines.

[runclear]

just as DSTAVERT stated, nothing at the HyperVisor level will do that....

A few ideas off the top of my head..

1. VNC?

2. Grant permission to the Console via the VI Client for that Account you specified., and then let the guys that need access use the VI client and only control the XP vm's.?

..-----

[bbowman]

So each person would need to install the VI Client, log in with limited permissions, and view the console status for the particular VM they wanted to connect to ?

[DSTAVERT]

The VI client is a poor way to work on a VM. You can also have multiple simultaneous connections to the same VM session which might be a very bad thing. Have a look for TSWEB (Terminal services Web) It is a free download available from Microsoft. You install it directly on the workstation. The web interface could be modified to show BUSY.