Is there a vSphere client for linux?

[yella]

I recently upgraded to vSphere Client v4 for Windows but was hoping a Linux native client might now be available?

I didn't have any luck with the Infrastructure client running in Crossover Linux.

Thanks,

[Gerrit_Lehr · Accepted solution]

Unfortunately there is not and there is no way to run it on linux using Wine etc.

If you are really eager to have it running, you can use KVM to run a Windows VM and have the Windows Apps integrated into your Linux Desktop.

Kind Regards,

Gerrit Lehr

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[benma]

No there is no native Linux Client. If you only need to work with VMs take a look at

the web interface of you vCenter Server.

[yella]

Thanks for the quick replies. Strange that the Linux client never came out despite a few rumours over the years.

[krowczynski]

For Linux is nothing available until now.

Pehaps install vmware server or workstation, on it an xp client and there install the vsphere client!

[yella]

I was trying to avoid going down the Windows VM route because to date I have managed to get all my Windows apps running under Wine/Crossover.

I just tried the https/ui interface and unfortunately it is stuck waiting for a response. I guess i will have to contact the administrator.

[bulletprooffool]

Sadly, there is not . . sop you're probably best hosting your VC on a VM and using rdesktop or something similar to RDP it.

[swapd]

An alternative (I usually use it) is install vSphere Client on the same server where vCenter Server is installed and use the rdesktop from Linux to connect to it.

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[Gerrit_Lehr]

Yeah thats a good approach and you can even do it seamlessly so you only get the VI window and not the entire Windows Desktop to your Linux.

Kind Regards,

Gerrit Lehr

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[congocongolese]

Not to have a linux client is a shame ! Pretending 'there is no market for linux' is just rubbish. I have a colleague who uses a linux machine at work and right now he doesn't have a linux client. He'll find a way, because those pesky linux man have this ability to survive, eh ? So, again, shame on you vmware ! Shame on you until the linux client is out ! Eat !

[DJAMBA]

I'm disapointed to find that there is no way to connect to the freeware Esxi client from a linux system.... in fact, with the bug with firefox 3.6, its not possible to access my vmware server from linux machines either.... Looks ilke it'll be back to virtualbox for me! Its a pity as I was really getting into vmware.

[sargenthp]

Yeah... I don't get this... You base your platform for VMWare on Linux, but you don't have a Linux based Virtual Center Server or a Virtual Center Client. What if I WANT something stable running this as well??? I am tired of having to restart the services on Windows and patching the OS all the time.

[d2global]

I agree 100% - I have NEVER understood why Vmware who has based ESX, ESXi, etc off of linux but yet requires a windows server / guest / etc to install Vcenter too and to use the client for... Then on top of that requires MS SQL server for it.. Vmware has provided many with a way to get away from the headaches that come with running a windows server on your bare metal hardware, but yet they keep us still having to come back to some sort of windows interface to run it all.. Makes no sense to me, expecially since MS is a competitor..

[n1gp]

i'm just loading Vmware ESXi 4 today for the 1st time. I run everything Linux and the reason I'm

installing ESXi is so I can load up a windows VM to use as infrequently as I may.

What a dissappointment that I need to load up now two different windows setups, one to manage and

one to use. Dumb, stupid. But free :^)

[Edweirdo]

Is it possible that VMware (EMC) doesn't want to release a linux or Mac client to get us to buy Workstation/Fusion?

Life is too short and too important to use Windows.

[DrSarez]

Nice. Why did I spend the last 3 days in running my first ESXi on an unsupported 82578DM Gb Ethernet Card? Now the ESXi is running and the reward for it is there's no Linux Client?

I thought we have reached year 2010.

[jbeiter]

We are pushing for a full evaluation of Redhat's KVM product because of this issue, as a potential replacement for VMWare.

just saying...

[KingOfDos]

We're (that is, my employer) testing with KVM at the moment, because of this "issue". Because I'm the only real IT-guy, i've got more things to do then test/upgrade, so it's going to take a while before the testing is completed.

If there is still no linux support for the management tools that point (a year or something), then good bye VMware! And even if they create the tools, the chance that we're going to use another technique is quite big. Just because VMWare is to closed software, slow in solving this major issue, etc.

How the f*** I'm supposed to maintain a VMWare server from within a "No Windows allowed datacenter"? Yea from our main building using Shitrix (Citrix) to open the vSphere client. Great solution guys..... Not.

I've complained many times to VMWare about this issue, for years, there is still no solution. So yea, at some point.... killllll.

I'd even registered here at the community, in hope that VMWare will listen to "us" (linux users) at some point. If there are enouch users complaining about it!!!

[DrSarez]

No. Not that vmware is making bad stuff or that we sould be angry what day were doing.

but i am angry about what they are not doing.

- why should i buy a vSphere 4.1 if vmware View would not be compatible with it (in case of 64bit incomp.) ?

- why develop vmware so great stuff on base of linux with the hard try to be JUST fine with windows?

- why wouldn't run the firefox console plugin under linux?

- why is esx driver compatibility limited to expensive server hardware, when a company could change their existing desktop machines to a datacenter?

- why is there a community when most of the threads are complains about lacks of functionality?

in most cases the answer would be commercial issues with a loss of public relations. vmware is doing so much right but starting to think like microsoft or oracle.

- why should i do virtualization, when there is no serious base i can virtualize on (also in future )?

[DanHaskell]

No Linux client. No cross-platform client. Did VMware make a deal with the devil of Redmond? Did they drink the AcitveX poison? There must be a reason why they can't support their Linux users...