We are currently running Virtual Infrastucture 3 on two ESX servers, managing with Virtual Center 2. I have been using the VI client on my desktop to manage the virtual servers with no problem for 6 months. Recently, I replaced my laptop and reinstalled the client, and although I can manage the various options like powering on and off, cloning, etc., I cannot open the console to any of the virtual servers. In every case, it times out and says that there was no response. If I remote into our Virtual Center server itself, I can do this just fine - however, this means I have to run back and forth between my office and the server room while installing software from the CD drive. We do have a firewall, however my IP address has complete access to every server in there, and nothing has changed between the time I swapped out laptops - I'm even using the same IP address. There are 2 other System Admins in my office using the same configuration, and they aren't having a problem. I have turned off Windows' firewall on my laptop, and I am using Norton Antivirus, but no firewalling software.
Any ideas? This is seriously driving me crazy, and I have a training class to run in early January where I need to be able to be able to use the remote console function.
Can you share some of the details of your laptop? Version of Windows, brand, specs, generic software installed? Have you run a virus scan recently? How about access prevention software? Which version of virtual center are you running? 2.0.1, 2.0.2? 2.0?
Not that you want this to be your solution, but you can use dameware tools and mount iso images instead of running back and for to the server to mount a cd, and rdc works great.
I personally would check to make sure I have all of the latest software updates for windows and make sure you have any hardware updates for your laptop like chipset and especially NIC. It's also possible you have a bad nic. I've run into certain NIC's (realtek to be secific) causing packet loss and broadcast problems. Have you tried your laptop connection from a different network port or switch port? what about docking station (are you using one?)
-DAvid
This sounds like a classic networking or DNS issue to me, are you static or dynamic are your networking settings right, are you able to nslookup the VC Server?
Hi,
We have the exact same problem on two IBM servers. We have the exact same setup on an IBM blade center, where there's no probs, which leads me to think, that this might be a hardware issue.
I've tried connectiong from two different computers with VI client, and like I said - it works on the blade esx servers with the same VI Client - but no luck. Also tried restarting the ESX server, and restart the different vmware management services - again no luck.
Dd you find any solution to your problem?
Thanks,
Rasmus
I have the same issue of not being able to view the console from a new fully patched windows XP install. Console views work fine from existing installs on other PCs. I have tried both VC client 3.02 and VC client 3.01 everything works except the console views. My guess is some windows patch is messing with the display pass thru, but which one? I'm not running a firewall while on the corprate LAN, so thats not it. Any ideas?
I am still having this problem, even after upgrading our VCenter and my local client. There aren't any firewall issues, and I can do everything except for the Console. Any one have any ideas yet? This is annoying, as I have to remote in the VCenter machine to work at present, instead of using the client.
