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Starting the Local Console or the VMware Remote Console

How to Run a VMware GSX Server Console

There are three ways to run a console in VMware GSX Server:

• With the VMware Remote Console on a Windows or Linux workstation. This allows you to manage a virtual machine remotely. Remote consoles permit shared access to the same virtual machine; other remote consoles can connect to a virtual machine to which you already are connected.

  Windows and Linux versions of the VMware Remote Console are available. You can run the remote console on Windows .NET Server, Windows XP, Windows 2000, Windows NT 4.0 or Linux computers.

• With the VMware Remote Console on the VMware GSX Server host. This can be done when other remote consoles are connected to the virtual machine to which you want to connect.

• With the local console on the VMware GSX Server host. This can be done only when no remote consoles are connected to the virtual machine to which you want to connect. Before starting the local console, you must gracefully shut down the virtual machine and close all remote console windows, unless it is already powered off.

  You use a local console when you need exclusive access to a virtual machine. You need exclusive access when you want to install the guest operating system inside the virtual machine, if you need better performance than the VMware Remote Console, or to run the virtual machine in full screen mode for even better performance. The local console is installed automatically on the server where you installed VMware GSX Server, and you run it locally on the server host.

Starting the Local Console on a Linux Host

1. If the virtual machine is already running, gracefully suspend it or shut it down and disconnect all consoles.

2. Launch the local console at the VMware GSX Server host machine.
   vmware -G /<path_to_config_file>/<config_file>.cfg

Starting the Remote Console on a Windows Remote Workstation

1. To start the VMware Remote Console, do one of the following:
   • Choose Start > Programs > VMware > VMware Remote Console.
   • On your desktop, double-click the VMware Remote Console icon.
   • In the VMware Management Interface, click the terminal icon to launch a remote console for that virtual machine. If you are connected to the management interface in a Netscape or Mozilla browser, you must define a MIME type and associate it with the remote console program.

   The Connect to VMware Server dialog box appears.

2. The dialog box asks for the information necessary for you to connect to the virtual machine. Enter

   • The server host name (or IP address)
   • Your user name on that server
   • Your password

   Hint: To save yourself a step, in the Server entry field, specify the path to the configuration file for the virtual machine to which you are connecting. You connect to the virtual machine automatically when you click Connect, and can skip the remaining steps.

   Note: VMware GSX Server connects to this server through port 902 by default; if you want to connect to a different port, add this number after the server name. For example, to connect to the virtual machine through port 932, you can type:
   hostserver.domain 932 <path_to_the_config_file> (remember, the configuration file path is optional)

   This port can be changed in case your site uses port 902 for another application.

3. Click Connect. The Connect to VMware Virtual Machine dialog box appears.

4. In the dialog box is a list of all virtual machines that are registered on the server host, identified by their display names and paths to their configuration files. In the list, select the virtual machine to which you want to connect and click OK. The remote console window opens with the virtual machine in its current state (powered on, suspended or powered off).

Starting the Remote Console on a Linux Remote Workstation

1. To start the VMware Remote Console from a Linux host or remote workstation, do one of the following:

   • At a command prompt, type vmware-console.
     Note: If you put the path to the configuration file in the command line, the virtual machine opens in the remote console. Otherwise, proceed to step 2.
   • In the VMware Management Interface, click the terminal icon to launch a remote console for that virtual machine. If you are connected to the management interface in a Netscape or Mozilla browser, you must define a MIME type and associate it with the remote console program.

2. A dialog box asks for the information to connect you to the virtual machine. Enter

   • The server host name (or IP address)
   • Your user name on that server
   • Your password

   Hint: To save yourself a step, in the Server entry field, specify the path to the configuration file for the virtual machine to which you are connecting. You connect to the virtual machine automatically when you click Connect, and can skip the remaining steps.

   Note: VMware GSX Server connects to this server through port 902 by default; if you want to connect to a different port, add this number after the server name. For example, to connect to the virtual machine through port 932, you can type:
   hostserver.domain 932 <path_to_the_config_file> (remember, the configuration file path is optional)

   This port can be changed in case your site uses port 902 for another application.

3. Click Connect. The Connect to VMware Virtual Machine dialog box appears.

4. In the dialog box is a list of all virtual machines that are registered on the server host, identified by their display names and paths to their configuration files. In the list, select the virtual machine to which you want to connect and click OK. The remote console window opens with the virtual machine in its current state (powered on, suspended or powered off).

Related Topics:

• Starting an existing virtual machine
• Changing the Port Number for Remote Console Connections
• Setting the MIME Type for a Remote Console

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