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Monberg
Enthusiast
Enthusiast

Only Windows?

Hi

Are there any plans of supporting Mac and Linux with the new VMRC?

Br

Michael

17 Replies
hetz
Enthusiast
Enthusiast

So far it seems they're not planning to do any Linux client work Smiley Sad

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yitingjin
Contributor
Contributor

Hi there,

We're supporting just Windows client OSes for this first native release, and working on Mac next.  The vSphere web client does not currently support Linux clients, which is why Mac is the next client OS we'll be developing VMRC for.

Which VMware products are you trying to run on Linux clients (aside from vSphere)?  And what would you say is the breakdown of your client OSes -- % Windows, % Linux, % Mac?

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hetz
Enthusiast
Enthusiast

Hi,

To tell the truth (and I hope you won't take it personally) I'm a bit dissapointed with the VMRC how it's built. These days, most companies write their apps as Native HTML5 (no Flash), and looking at the VMRC, it could be build with a mini HTTP server running on the system tray and serving the local machine. After all, the client doesn't do much - full screen and keyboard/mouse grabbing already done by VMWare in HTML5 with the firefox/Chrome plugin if I'm not mistaken, and the rest is mapping to the server. That way, you could have created Windows/MAC/Linux clients with an ease and all whats left is to pack for each OS.

As for Windows/Mac/Linux - it's hard to say as many admins have switched to either Mac or Linux or using Windows/Mac and Windows/Linux, but I think that one crucial item is missing - which is mobile - both phones and tablets (Android has the lion share worldwide, but on US it's iOS). That's why my idea above could help with both of those mobile OS's as well (as long as the HTML is dynamic and automatically fits the device).

Thanks

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yitingjin
Contributor
Contributor

In the vSphere web client (version 5.1 and up), there is a native HTML VM console by default when you click "Launch Console."  There's a minor difference (not exposed to vSphere users) in the way in which the console is being accessed when you click "Launch Console", depending on whether you've downloaded the Client Integration Plugin (CIP) or not.  Once you download CIP, you're using VMRC to access your console.  If you don't have CIP, you're using a basic native HTML console.  It's VMRC that we've provided an alternative vehicle for, which is what we released a couple weeks ago.  You can continue to use the in-browser console, but the functionality will break in near-future versions of Chrome.

The default HTML console (no CIP downloaded) works without any browser plugins, whereas the CIP plugin still relies on native Windows and Mac binaries.

One of the main reasons we released this native VMRC for Windows is to give users continuous access to their VM consoles after Google Chrome's deprecation of the browser plugin that CIP / VMRC runs in.  There is still the default HTML console for basic functions like keyboard/mouse, but with the current VMRC plugin, there will be no way to connect client devices (like CD-ROM and USB) to your VMs in future versions of Chrome.  The standalone VMRC does not rely on any browser plugins, and there is no loss of functionality.  (The downside / trade-off is you need to first install it onto your client)

By the way, we do provide VM console access on mobile devices.  Check out vSphere Mobile Watchlist for iOS and Android:


Eventually we'll move toward HTML on mobile devices, but we're still working on getting the vSphere web client to go fully native HTML.  In the meantime, we are providing native iOS and Android solutions.  Let me know if you have more questions about mobile / VMRC.

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hetz
Enthusiast
Enthusiast

Hi,

As a Linux user, I can say that we would be happy to get the current Native HTML Chrome Plugins so we can install them on Chrome or Firefox. (I'm talking about the plugins which VCSA suggest to install, not the VMRC plugin). This, brw, could also help Chromebook users (ChromeOS) quite a lot (well, for advanced users, at least). BTW, it's interesting why VMWare is not submitting them to the Web Store, that could help a lot.

As for NPAPI - Well, to make long story short - it's basically dead end. As you can read here, even the Firefox developers can't stand NPAPI, but they're not willing to adopt PPAPI (Pepper) yet, and IMHO they'll come to their senses eventually, just like the situations with the DRM and H.264 support. That, however, doesn't mean that VMWare cannot release plugins (preferably through the Web Store) to Chrome. There are wrappers for Firefox to use PPAPI plugins, and it's also supported on the Mac and Linux and Opera browser now supports it.

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VitorJorge
Enthusiast
Enthusiast

Hi,

Im also a native linux user, as a lot of my customers, mainly banks, that are getting away from windowses, and all of the mess and support that windows requires.

A lot of the applications that we use require an browser, that’s it. End of Story. All of the apps where developed to be OS agnostic, and support the majority of browsers, not including MS IE of course.

The linux desktops are small images that do not require updates or any other fixes just to keep it running. Linux has already a very intuitive interface for users so no stress, on clicking a button that says Firefox,Chrome or Midori.

Its a bit of shame a company like vmware, that is deploying appliances with linux running on it, and creating even more OS agnostic frameworks like springsource, is still forcing users to perform basic tasks, like managing the platform to be exclusive done and supported on windows.

Yes the html5 console is nice, and works, but how can i upload ISOs or files to the datastores? How can i map ISOs or floppies to the vms, Ho my God this is a nightmare, i need to constantly run a vm in vmware workstation just to upload files and map drives, I need to create and manage several vcenters.

Well this is my thought on this.

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vicenac
Contributor
Contributor

I would also appreciate support for more OS'. We're joking saying vSPhere for Windows 5.5. The admins use all kinds of machines. Now we have to make Windows VMs for them to use to administer vCenter or VMs. Flash on linux is a few versions behind, and the console does not work on the Mac.

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yitingjin
Contributor
Contributor

Yup, we definitely hear you on the need for VMRC for Mac and Linux.  We're developing VMRC for Mac now and working on Linux next, but needed to prioritize for Windows host OSes first.  I will post an update here when either is released, and they will be published on www.vmware.com/go/download-vmrc.

When you say the console does not work on Mac, which version of the vSphere web client are you using to launch the VM console?  Or are you building your own UI on top of vSphere infrastructure, and trying to launch a VM console from it?

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vicenac
Contributor
Contributor

Plain vanilla 5.5 Update 2 now.

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AlanJohnson
Contributor
Contributor

We are primarily a Linux shop and we only considered VMware because because of the web-based vcenter client that "supports Linux" and "does everything the windows client does and then some".  We are regularly reminded that this is a flat-out lie.  The case is point is the console.  The console in vSphere is a joke (can't even send ctrl though), and we have never seen the CPI work on any Linux flavor we have running here, so when I noticed these VMRC links after upgrading to the latest vCenter (was it there before and I just didn't see it?) it got mildly excited only to be punished again for using the most popular operating system kernel in the world.

Since there is not yet a Linux or MAC version of this software, I strongly suggest you drop this effort entirely and put the related development resources into the pure HTML 5 rewrite of the web client AND make sure the console is at least as fully featured as the one on the Windows client.  A virtual key board would be simple to include as well and would allow work-arounds for any remaining character pass-through short comings.

With that, I can't see any reason to use any other means of access the console.  It would cover all of the platforms mentioned in this thread with no need to download or install anything locally.  Am I missing some use case for console access where vcenter would not accessible to the user, but the console could be access by one of these other means?  If not, then this entire project is a complete waste of time, and even then, as suggested by others here, could be implemented in HTML 5.

My apologies for the ranty tone, but I'm just a bit fed up at this point.  Of course, I don't mean to direct my anguish at any individuals here.  I'm sure you are all good people doing the best you can with the jobs you are given.  There are many things I love about VMware, but I have yet to see a UI that has both decent usability in both design and architecture, and the vCenter client (web, windows, and everything that hangs off of them) is a shining failure in both.

I sincerely beg your collective pardons and sympathy.

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yitingjin
Contributor
Contributor

Alan,

We're already looking into getting the full feature set of VMRC into the HTML console and potentially releasing HTML console as an SDK.  Before that can happen, there's work that needs to be done on the part of Google and Mozilla as the owners of the Chrome and Firefox browsers to get client device input (like USB) to the remote VM to be recognized in a web browser. 

What version of vSphere are you using -- 5.5u2b?  Are you trying to send Ctrl between applications within the VM itself, or from local machine / client into a remote VM?  The Ctrl functionality is in the upcoming vSphere release which will be out very soon.

The reason we keep both tracks for the VM console -- HTML as well as native VMRC -- is that you're not getting client device connection, international keyboard translations, and H264 compression with the HTML console as it stands today.  We're working toward a world where you won't need to make that tradeoff (and in the meantime providing VMRC for Mac, and later VMRC for Linux for the full feature set).  In the meantime, you can use Player 7 or Workstation 11 for Linux, which will also launch VMware Remote Console from the vSphere web client.

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hetz
Enthusiast
Enthusiast

USB Support in HTML is in Chrome since 2012 (See here). Firefox is still lagging.

But the best option (and the fastest one) is that you guys can port/compile your existing client to PNaCl. That way you'll get:

  • Windows, Mac, Linux - all supported
  • It can be (in the near future) run both on iOS and Android
  • Full and native speed
  • USB, Socket and network access - so you can do redirecting for devices
  • One code tree, so if you add a new feature - it will be immediately available to all platforms.
  • No flash is needed
  • Small size

And if I may, frankly speaking, the whole VSA/VCSA web interface which needs flash in this day and age is quite a joke, especially when it comes from company such as VMWare. There are tons of tools to convert from flash to native HTML5, you know Smiley Wink

just try to look at the PNaCl documentation and maybe even try to compile it. It will be much easier then rewriting everything from scratch to non Windows OS's.

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martinm15
Contributor
Contributor

More than a year on - vSphere 6 is now released - and Linux support is even worse.

Previously the HTML5 console worked, and the vmrc console would fire up my VMware Player to give me a rich Console.

Now, neither work. I see NO HTML5 Console in vCenter 6 Web Client, and VMware Player no longer functions as the vmrc. I'm forced to use Windows in a VM to manage my platform now.

Really regret going with VMware instead of RHEV or some other solution now. Smiley Sad

Getting a proper HTML5 client up and PROPER management GUI that works across ALL platforms - WHICH INCLUDES LINUX - should be your HIGHEST priority.

Making your product so unusable is the best way to ensure potential customers (not to mention existing customers) pass you up and look for alternatives.... I mean this is just ridiculous. It's 2015. Why can't I bring up a damn guest console?

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yitingjin
Contributor
Contributor

The HTML5 console is there in vSphere 6's web client.  Click on the image of the VM console and it'll open up the console in a browser tab, with no plugins needed.

The standalone VMware Remote Console (VMRC) application is also there on the VM Summary page.  You can click "Launch Remote Console" in the 6.0 web client once you have the application installed (by clicking "Download Remote Console"), currently for Windows but Mac/Linux are coming very soon.  Clicking on the link will open up VMRC (or Player or Workstation, if you already have it installed) as a standalone application.  Let me know if you aren't able to launch Player or Workstation for Linux by clicking "Launch Remote Console". 

Here's a KB article that gives you some background on why we moved to a native application model for the full-featured VMRC, as well as explains the differences between the web client's console in 5.5 vs. 6.0.  If this still doesn't work, can you attach a couple of screenshots and we'll figure out what's causing the issue?

VMware KB: Downloading and Installing the standalone VMware Remote Console (VMRC) in vSphere 5.x

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rblaas
Contributor
Contributor

As that does work (thank you for the info) there are some problems,

We cannot access the toolbar at the bottom of the windows screen.. Looks like the mouse coordination is a bit of.

Anyway.. Is their some progress in the development for the Mac client? (it has been two months)

regards

Ronald

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martinm15
Contributor
Contributor

Hi yitingjin, thanks for your prompt response, I appreciate it.

Under 5.5 on the Summary Tab I have:

- Launch Console

- Open with VMRC

- Download VMRC

Launch Console opened the HTML5 console fine.

Open with VMRC opens with VMware Player 7.1 (and previously 7.0) under Linux just fine.

Under 6.0, on the Summary Tab I have:

- Launch Remote Console

- Download Remote Console

Because the option to launch the HTML5 console was missing I thought that it was gone. I did not realise clicking the image of the console would open it! It works in 5.5 too, I never knew this. I always clicked the 'Launch Console' link.

I can also confirm that clicking 'Launch Remote Console' opens the vmrc:// link and VMware Player opens up and connects. wow.

My apologises, I was frustrated the other day and I could not get it to work. I have no idea why VMware Player did not open for me but now it does. Strange indeed. And I missed that the html5 console still exists by clicking the icon.

Thanks for your help!

I haven't found any other issues, so I can probably go ahead with upgrading our vCenter 5.5 to 6.0.

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yitingjin
Contributor
Contributor

Hi everyone,

We just released VMRC for Mac OS, which you can find on the VMware downloads page at www.vmware.com/go/download-vmrc after you log in to your MyVMware account.  VMRC for Mac will support Mac OS 10.8 and up, and is feature-parity with VMRC 7.0.1 for Windows.  Let us know what you think of VMRC for Mac OS!

We will add auto-update functionality to VMRC in the near future, but I will continue to announce releases to this forum in the meantime.

For more information on VMRC for Mac OS, check out http://www.virtuallyghetto.com/2015/04/standalone-vmrc-now-available-for-mac-os-x.html