A lot of linux users are looking for a way to run .Net applications on their desktop, too. Since Wine does not provide the ability to do so and running an entire VM to use the complete Windows Desktop is an annoying option, these users are looking for a better solution. For Example the VMware vSphere Client, which requires .Net Framework and does not come as a Linux Version, forces Users and Admins to step back to Windows. But using Seamless RDP by Cendio, there is a way around this.
This Howto applies to Windows VMs running in background in any
virtualization product or physical systems alike. Also, this is of
course not limited to the VMware vSphere Client and can be used to run
any Windows application.
- On the Windows System (e.g. a VM or the VMware vCenter Server) download the GPL licensed SeamlessRDP Tool and extract it into a folder, e.g. C:\RDP
- Also, install the application you wish to use on your Linux Desktop
- Enable the Remote Desktop in System Settings - Remote tab - "Allow users to connect remotely to this computer.". You might want to create an extra user for the remote access and enable it to connect via RDP.
- Within the SemalessRDP folder, create a .bat file that runs your needed application, followed by the logoff command to make sure the session gets closed after usage. E.g: vsphere.bat:
"C:\Program Files\VMware\Infrastructure\Virtual Infrastructure Client\Launcher\VpxClient.exe"
logoff
- Install rdesktop on your Linux system, using the appropriate way for your distribution or sources from www.rdesktop.org. Make sure you are using at least rdesktop version 1.5.
- On your Linux Desktop, create a shourtcut for your Application, e.g. vSphere Client and call the following command from this shourtcut:
rdesktop -A -s "C:\RDP\seamlessrdpshell.exe batchfile" IP Address -u User -pPassword
You can of course create an extra user for the remote access and need
to insert the appropriate IP Address and Batch file to call. In my
vSphere example this looks like:
rdesktop -A -s "C:\RDP\seamlessrdpshell.exe C:\RDP\sphere.bat" 192.168.1.23 -u remote -p remoteP@55
- On running the shourtcut from your Linux desktop, rdesktop will initialize a seamless session to the Windows system, start the batchfile to open the vSphere Client, and present only the application Window to our Linux Desktop.
So far this is probably the best solution we have to bring the VMware vSphere Client to the Linux Desktop. Enjoy.
This article can be found in English and an additional German Version on my Blog: http://thepickyblog.blogspot.com/
