VMware Server 2 beta

Forbes Guthrie3 Comments

I managed to spend some time this morning playing with the new VMware Server 2 beta.
Firstly, a few things I had to do to get it working on a fairly vanilla Ubuntu Gutsy (7.10) install:

  • Install xinetd:

$ sudo apt-get install xinetd

  • Get a VMware Server (1.x) serial number from here:
  • Untar the tar.gz file and run the vmware-install.pl (with sudo)
  • When prompted, run the vmware-config.pl script. The default answers should suffice for most set-ups. I already had some VMs in my home folder, so I changed the default location for the datastore.
  • I then had to reboot my laptop, as a “vmware-mgmt restart” still wouldn’t allow the web interface to start.
  • There was no menu items added, but opening a browser to https://localhost:8333 allows you log into the Web Interface.

The Web Access is obviously based on the same tomcat Web Access as VI3, with a few extras. It seems to have more host options than the ESX3/VC2 Web Access (but I don’t have any access to one right now so I can’t be sure). There is no native console anymore, you can see plenty of disapproving comment about this in this forum post: http://communities.vmware.com/thread/112788

The Web Access is obviously the way that VMware are pushing for their Server product. This allows a smoother upgrade to VI3, and makes Server more like a baby ESX, rather than a free Workstation. I can understand why they want to do this, but it highlights a missing piece of the puzzle – there is still no VI Client for Linux/Mac users. I’ve never understood the reason for VMware creating its VI Client as a Windows only .net application. The old Server console (and Workstation) is based on a native console (GTK based?), which works very well in Windows and Linux.

This brings me on to an even bigger bug-bear, which is why the VC Server isn’t a Virtual Appliance based on a LAMP stack. The VC server can happily use a mySQL database. The web server is already there. If they had just written the VC server component in a cross platform way then we could install this on Linux (or a Windows server). I don’t see any point in paying for yet another Windows license, when this could be a downloadable VM. Anway, that’s for another post…

So rather than begging VMware to re-instate the old native console for this, I would rather see then drop the existing VI Client and re-write this as a cross platform client.

Not there quite yet…

Forbes GuthrieNo Comments

Just to give you all a bit of an update. I’m pretty busy with my move to Vancouver, but I have been plugging away on things. Desperately trying to squeeze in a few more lines in the Backup/Storage/Resources page, but things are tight. I’m not that far away from publishing 1.0, but I’m off tonight for the next few weeks on holiday, before I arrive in Vancouver. Hopefully I should publish this soon though. My apologies if I don’t reply to any emails for a few days, as I might not be anywhere near an internet connection.

Closing in

Forbes GuthrieNo Comments

At last. Version 0.9 is online . I consider this to be pretty much "feature complete". I just need help to tell me if you think there is anything inaccurate, missing or out-of date. I will tidy up the general formatting in the meantime, but please let me know what you all think. Once I’ve released version 1.0 sometime later this week or next, I won’t update it very often. So if you think it can be improved then speak now!

I’m already thinking about what to do for the 3i guide, but I leave for Vancouver at the end of next week, so things might slow for a few weeks. Hopefully my next job will involve lots of VMware work again, so I can continue to create similar guides. Let me know if you have any advice here 🙂

storage goodness

Forbes GuthrieNo Comments

I’ve uploaded 0.8 to the usual place , with the storage section done. I’ve included some storage CLI stuff, but I might rip this back out if I am running low on space. Normally I wouldn’t use these as the VIC is the best tool for this. The only time I can see the commands being used is for scripting or kickstart options. Let me know if you think they should stay. I’d be interested if people use them.

Also, as I mentioned on the VMware forum post , I’ve removed the Management Agent section (for space reasons again), and included links in the install section.

Please let me know if you know of a link to a good HP Insight Manger guide. Or better links than the other ones I have.