Geek With Me as I explore the world of technology: Linux

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Tuesday, March 30, 2010

My Own ESXi Server Part 12 Running vSphere Client from Mac OS

VMware provides a vSphere Client for Windows only. I showed in my last post that you can access a vSphere Client running on Windows from Ubuntu and make it appear to run as just another application. So what about Mac OS X? It turns out that since Remote Desktop Connection for Mac is available, we can do exactly the same as Ubuntu. See my previous post My Own ESXi Server Part 11 Running vSphere Client from Ubuntu.

As with the Linux setup, remote desktop must be set up on the Windows system. See my post Remote Desktop Part 2 - Getting Back to Windows on how to configure. I ran into one big problem in that even though I can remote desktop back into Windows XP, I could not get it to run just one application. After all my futile efforts, I switched to using Windows 2003 Server and this worked like a charm.

How to Run vSphere Client from Mac OS

1) Start the Remote Desktop Connection for Mac app.

2) Enter the ip address or the name of the server. Do NOT click Connect yet!

3) Go to the top menu and select RDC > Preferences

4) On the Login tab, fill in User name and domain fields.

5) On the Applications tab, check Start only the following Windows-based application.

Add the Application path and file name for vSphere Client on the Windows 2003 server. I added C:\Program Files\VMware\Infrastructure\Virtual Infrastructure Client\Launcher\VpxClient.exe

For Working directory,

C:\Program Files\VMware\Infrastructure\Virtual Infrastructure Client\Launcher\

6) Close the Preferences window.

7) Using the top menu , select File > Save As...

8) Enter name and click Save.

9) From now on, when you start you select File > Open a Saved Connection.. or File > Open a Recent Connection. Select the appropriate RDP connection.

10) Enter Password and click OK.

11) Click Connect.

12) Enter User name and Password for the ESXi Server, and click Login.

13) You have now successfully gained access to vSphere Client! When you are done, exit by closing the vSphere Client window.

Monday, March 29, 2010

My Own ESXi Server Part 11 Running vSphere Client from Ubuntu

VMware provides vSphere Client for Windows only. So what do you do if you run a Linux desktop? The answer is to remote desktop into a Windows box that has a vSphere Client on it. To make it as seamless as possible I will configure Terminal Server Client to run a single application.

In order for this setup to work, remote desktop must be set up on the Windows system. See my post Remote Desktop Part 2 - Getting Back to Windows on how to configure. I ran into one big problem in that even though I can remote desktop back into Windows XP, I could not get it to run just one application. After all my futile efforts, I switched to using Windows 2003 Server and this worked like a charm.

How to Run vSphere Client From Ubuntu

1) Start the Terminal Server Client by going to Applications > Internet > Terminal Server Client.

2) Enter the ip address or the name of the server. Set the Protocol to RDP. Enter a User Name and Password that has access to remote desktop into the Windows 2003 server. Switch to the Programs tab.

3) Check Start only the following on connection.

In the Program path and filename, add the Application path and file name for vSphere Client on the Windows 2003 server. I added C:\Program Files\VMware\Infrastructure\Virtual Infrastructure Client\Launcher\VpxClient.exe

In the Start in the following folder, add the working directory. I added

C:\Program Files\VMware\Infrastructure\Virtual Infrastructure Client\Launcher\

Click Save As.

4) Enter the name and click OK.

5) Now that you have saved the connection information which can be used in the future. Click Connect.

6) Enter User name and Password for the ESXi Server, and press Enter.

7) You have now successfully gained access to vSphere Client! When you are done, exit by closing the vSphere Client window.

Friday, March 12, 2010

Why did it take me so long to start using Dropbox?

Why did it take me so long to start using Dropbox? I certainly understood what it is capable of doing and heard many people raving about it. Perhaps, I did not know what problem it solved for me! Being concerned with security, I am not planning on using for anything personal, financial or confidential. What then can I use it for? I thought this could be a good place for me to put computer manuals and software tools that I use often. I could then have them kept in sync across all the different machines I use and that would mean Mac, Windows and Linux.

I started testing using Dropbox on Mac, Windows and Linux. I have been blown away so far! My use case is simple. In the past, I would either use a usb drive to copy data from one machine to another. Or I would log in one machine and connect to another and copy files across. With Dropbox, all I need to do now is create a set up on each machine I use, then all I need to do is drop files into the drop area on one machine and I can pick it up on another. As soon as I remove the files on one machine, the others show a message that the files have been deleted. The sync is amazingly fast.

I can see using this as a way to keep documents handy all the time. I am planning on keeping various computer documents here for reference. Notice that I still do not plan on keeping anything personal, financial or confidential ..... at least not yet.

Monday, March 8, 2010

How To Install Fedora in VMware Fusion 3

How to Install Fedora 12 in VMware Fusion 3

1) Download the fedora-12-i686-Live.iso file.

2) From the VMware Fusion toolbar, select File > New

3) Click Continue without disc

4) Select Use operating system installation disc image file and then navigate to the fedora iso file, then click Continue

5) Choose Linux as the Operating System and Other Linux 2.6.x kernel as the version, and then click Continue.

6) Click Finish and then Save.

7) Choose Automatic Login and press Log in.

8) You will now see the fedora desktop.

9) At this point, I clicked Install to Hard Drive appeared to do nothing. If you attempt to run the command within a terminal session, you will find out that you do not have enough memory. The default VMware configuration for Linux has memory set to 256MB. We will need to bump to 512MB. Shutdown the VM.

10) Click on Settings for this VM. Click on Processors & Ram.

11) Set Memory to 512MB, and then click Show All.

12) Start the VM once again. Click Next.

13) Choose keyboard and click Next.

14) Click Re-initialize drive.

15) Enter hostname and click Next.

16) Select City and click Next.

17) Enter root password and click Next.

18) Click Next to confirm wipe of drive.

19) Click Write changes to disk.

20) Fedora installation is complete. Click Close.

21) Click Forward.

22) Click Forward.

23) Enter username and password and click Forward.

24) Set time and click Forward.

25) Click Finish.

26) Click No, do not send.

27) Fedora will now start. Press Enter, and then enter password.

28) You should now see your desktop!

Monday, March 1, 2010

How To Install Debian in VMware Fusion 3

How to Install Debian 5 in VMware Fusion 3

1) Download the debian-503-i386-CD-1.iso file.

2) From the VMware Fusion toolbar, select File > New

3) Click Continue without disc

4) Select Use operating system installation disc image file and then navigate to the debian iso file, then click Continue