VMRC Shortcut

[SITAM]

Hello,

How to create a shorcut to a VM in an ESX which opens with VMRC?

Thanks

[rcporto]

Check if helps: How to Generate VM Remote Console URL for vSphere 5.x Web Client | virtuallyGhetto

[CQuartetti]

The previous reply links to a 2011 virtuallyGhetto article which describes generating https:// URLs for the plugin VMRC, versions 5.5 and earlier. Standalone VMRC, versions 7 and later, are launched via vmrc:// URLs. These virtuallyGhetto articles reference the new URL scheme (and the comments there have more details):

• Standalone VMRC (VM Remote Console) re-introduced in vSphere 5.5 Update 2b
• Standalone VMRC now available for Mac OS X

VMware should have a KB document to describe this.

[SITAM]

Hello,
For virtual ghetto, I understand it takes SDK. Is this possible without ?

Also, you mention a KB . What is his link?

[CQuartetti · Accepted solution]

You don't need the SDK per se--you can get all the information you need to create the URL via the vSphere/ESXi/etc. managed object browser (MOB), ex. https://<your_server>/mob, but you'll have to automate it yourself:

• MOID - See Accessing Inventory Objects
• Clone ticket - See AcquireCloneTicket

The simplest VMRC URL is just your sever and MOID which on connect you can validate with your username and password, ex. vmrc://<your_server>/?moid=<your_moid>

There is no KB for this now but the VMRC team intends to post one.

---

Update: PowerCLI 6.5, announced on the PowerCLI blog 2016-11-17, installs VMRC and launches it with the Open-VMConsoleWindow command, ex.

Get-VM -Name VM-name | Open-VMConsoleWindow

To display the URL instead of launching VMRC, add the -UrlOnly parameter on the end. This URL includes a single-use expiring clone ticket which will log you in automatically. If you reuse the URL after the ticket has expired, or remove the ticket, VMRC will prompt you for credentials.

[SITAM]

OK but i don't know <your moid>.

Is it possible with the DataStore Path?

I try that but it doesn't work :

vmrc://vmer68vcenter.intranet.local/?moid=[LOCAL_ESX01_DS1] MP_v7/MP_v7.vmx

I Enter user name and password but after i have the message :

[CQuartetti]

You must have the MOID to connect this way. Some other ways to find MOIDs:

• ESXi command line - Display all VMs with their MOIDs: vim-cmd vmsvc/getallvms
• PowerCLI - Find a VM by name and display the MOID: (Get-VM -Name "<vm_name>").ExtensionData.moref.value

[CQuartetti]

Here's a simple example in PowerCLI for connecting to an ESXi-hosted VM by name. Replace the items in bold with your specifics:

Add-PSSnapin VMware.VimAutomation.Core

Connect-VIServer <your_server>

$sessionMgr = Get-View $DefaultViserver.ExtensionData.Client.ServiceContent.SessionManager

$vm = Get-VM -Name "<vm_name>"

$url = "vmrc://clone:{0}@{1}/?moid={2}" -f $sessionMgr.AcquireCloneTicket(), $DefaultVIServer.serviceuri.Host, $vm.ExtensionData.moref.value

Start-Process $url

[Clem42]

I created this shortcut and it worked

"C:\Program Files (x86)\VMware\VMware Remote Console\vmrc.exe" vmrc://DomainName\UserName@vCenterName/?moid=vm-VmNumber. I found the VM number with the RVTools utility.