Enabling VMware Remote Console

This chapter contains the following sections:

VMware Remote Console (VMRC)

VMware vSphere contains the VMware Remote Console (VMRC) browser plug-in that can be loaded in supported web browsers. Web applications running in the browser can use the VMRC browser plug-in to access virtual machine console functions by using the VMRC JavaScript API. With a web application that uses the VMRC browser plug-in and the VMRC API, you can remotely access, and interact with, a virtual machine from any system with the appropriate web browser and operating system.

Figure 1. VMRC Topology




Note

  • The VMRC console port 903 over TCP should be opened if there is a firewall between the client browser and the ESXi hosts.

  • The standalone VMRC plug-in is only supported for system administrators and is not currently supported for end users.

Limitations of Using the VMRC Plug-in with Internet Explorer Browsers

When using the VMRC plug-in with Internet Explore browsers, the following limitations are observed:

  • When a VM is accessed from Internet Explorer, the change in connection state is not properly displayed even after the VM is connected.

  • When USB devices are connected to or disconnected from the target virtual machine, there is no response that the USB has been connected or disconnected.

This is because the VMRC browser plug-in does not properly handle events for Internet Explorer.

You can also launch a VM client to access the VM console using a standalone VMRC plug-in, if your existing VMRC browser plug-in no longer functions due to a browser update. For more information about using VMRC, refer VMware documentation.

You can also launch a VM client using remote desktop, web access, or the VNC console. For more information on launching a VM client using alternative access schemes, refer Cisco UCS Director Administration Guide.

Enabling VMRC

By default, the VMRC console is disabled for all the discovered VMs in Cisco UCS Director. Below are two ways to enable VMRC:

Name Description Reference

Using Catalogs

After you complete the provisioning of a VM using a Catalog that has the VM Console Configuration option enabled, the VM gets access to the VMRC console.

See Using Catalogs for Enabling VMRC.

Enabling VM Options

You can enable the Enable/Disable VMRC Console option in the VMs interface under Virtual > Compute.

See Enabling VM Options for VMRC Console Access.

After you enable VMRC Console access using any of the above methods, you can launch the VM in the VMRC console. See, Launching a VMRC-enabled Web Browser in Cisco UCS Director.

Using Catalogs for Enabling VMRC

Procedure
    Step 1   Choose Policies > Catalogs.
    Step 2   Choose the Catalog in which want to enable access for the VMRC console.
    Step 3   From the More Actions drop-down list, choose Edit.
    Step 4   Leave the defaults and click Next in all the screens in the Modify Catalog wizard until you reach the VM Access screen.
    Step 5   On the VM Access screen, under VMRC Console Configuration check Enable.
    Step 6   Click Next.
    Step 7   On the Summary screen, review the information displayed and click Submit.

    Enabling VM Options for VMRC Console Access

    Procedure
      Step 1   Choose Virtual > Compute.
      Step 2   On the Compute page, click VMs.
      Step 3   Click the row with the VM.
      Step 4   From the More Actions drop-down list, choose Enable/Disable VMRC Console.
      Step 5   On the Enable VMRC Console Access screen, check Enable VMRC Console.
      Step 6   Click Submit.

      Launching a VMRC-enabled Web Browser in Cisco UCS Director

      Cisco UCS Director enables you to use VMRC, provided that your web browsers have the VMRC plug-in installed.


      Note

      You should be able to access the VM console using VMRC through the Cisco UCS Director GUI if you are able to access the VM through the vSphere Web Client.

      Procedure
        Step 1   Choose Virtual > Compute.
        Step 2   On the Compute page, click VMs.
        Step 3   Click the row with the VM.
        Step 4   Click Launch VM Client.
        Step 5   On the Launch Client screen, choose VMRC Console (Browser Plug-in) as the access scheme for launching the VM client.
        Step 6   Click Proceed.

        For more information on launching the VM client from other access schemes, see the Cisco UCS Director Administration Guide.

        Launching a VMRC Standalone Application from a Web Browser in Cisco UCS Director

        Cisco UCS Director enables you to launch a VM client to access the VM console using a standalone VMRC application. The VMRC standalone application option is available only on VMware vCenter versions 5.5 and later.


        Note

        You can use the standalone VRMC application to launch a VM client, if your existing VMRC browser plug-in no longer functions due to a browser update.

        The standalone VMRC application is only supported for system administrators and is not currently supported for end users.

        Before You Begin

        Install VMware Remote Console on your local system.

        To download and install VMRC on your local system, see www.vmware.com/​go/​download-vmrc.

        Procedure
          Step 1   Choose Virtual > Compute.
          Step 2   On the Compute page, click VMs.
          Step 3   Click the row with the VM.
          Step 4   Click Launch VM Client.
          Step 5   On the Launch Client screen, choose VMRC Console (Standalone Plug-in) as the access scheme for launching the VM client.
          Step 6   Click Proceed.
          Step 7   On the Launch Application screen, choose VMware Remote Console.
          Step 8   Click OK.

          For more information on launching the VM client from other access schemes, see the Cisco UCS Director Administration Guide.

          Launching an HTML5 VMRC Console in Cisco UCS Director

          Cisco UCS Director enables you to launch an HTML5 based VMRC console that functions independently of web browser type and does not require a third-party plug-in or additional clients.


          Note

          The HTML5 VMRC SDK is supported with the following versions:

          • VMware vCenter version 6.0 or later

          • ESxi image profile version 6.0 or later

          Before You Begin

          Prior to launching the VM from an HTML5 based VMRC console, you must access the VMware vSphere web client URL, such as https://vCenterIP, with your browser and accept the self-signed certificate. If you do not accept the self-signed certificate prior to launching the VMRC HTML5 console, an error appears stating that the console has been disconnected.


          Note

          This is not applicable for VMware vCenters with trusted certificates.

          Procedure
            Step 1   Choose Virtual > Compute.
            Step 2   On the Compute page, click VMs.
            Step 3   Click the row with the VM.
            Step 4   Click VMRC Console (HTML5).

            The VM client is launched in a new browser window.

            Connecting a USB Device to VMRC

            You can connect a USB passthrough device to the VRMC console to access saved VM configuration files.


            Note

            Connecting USB devices is not supported when using VMRC with VMware vCloud Director.

            USB device support through the VMRC Console (Browser Plug-in) works only in Firefox.

            Before You Begin

            • You must have a USB controller installed.

            • Install a virtual machine remote console browser plug-in before accessing the VMRC console.

            Procedure
              Step 1   Choose Virtual > Compute.
              Step 2   On the Compute page, click VMs.
              Step 3   Click the row with the VM.
              Step 4   Click Launch VM Client.
              Step 5   On the Launch Client screen, choose VMRC Console (Browser Plug-in) or VMRC Console (Standalone Plug-in) as the access scheme for launching the VM client.
              Step 6   Click Proceed. The VM client is launched in a new browser window.
              Step 7   In the VM client, click Connect USB Device.
              Step 8   In the USB Devices dialog box, select the USB device you want to use from the list of available USB devices.
              Step 9   Click OK.

              Disconnecting a USB Device from VMRC

              Procedure
                Step 1   Choose Virtual > Compute.
                Step 2   On the Compute page, click VMs.
                Step 3   Click the row with the VM.
                Step 4   Click Launch VM Client.
                Step 5   On the Launch Client screen, choose VMRC Console (Browser Plug-in) or VMRC Console (Standalone Plug-in) as the access scheme for launching the VM client.
                Step 6   Click Proceed. The VM client is launched in a new browser window.
                Step 7   In the VM client, click Disconnect USB Device.
                Step 8   In the USB Devices dialog box, uncheck the selected the USB device that you want to disconnect.
                Step 9   Click OK.