Download tools to manage this host from:

[StephenMoll]

The title of this discussion is the message seen from the terminal output of an ESXi server, you know the sort of thing that would become permanently burnt into the phosphurs of an fashioned CRT monitor.

I find it irritating though, as it no longer means what it used to in my opinion.

Prior to 4.1, it was possible to point a web browser at the IP address of the ESXi server, and directly download an installer for the vSphere client. The only gotcha was that we found that installer didn't work unless .NET 3.5 was already installed on the client machine.

Now of course there is no download at tool, as I'm sure you're all aware, as it has been replaced by a link to a website. Which would be fine if we were even allowed to connect our systems to the internet, but we're not, so it is pointless for us.

Is there any way to replace the lost functionality to have the vSphere client installer available directly from the ESXi server?

[Pieter Du Preez]

Because the aim for ESXi is to have a very small footprint, they did not bundle the client with the install.

ESX hower still have the download capabillity from the server.

But you can get the client from the VCenter ISO

Regards

If you find this or any other answer useful please consider awarding points by marking the answer helpful or correct. Thank you.

[StephenMoll]

I can understand VMWare wanting to reduce the footprint of the hypervisor, but it seems a strange option to take. The biggest reduction is to go for ESXi rather than ESX, a choice which will be forced on everyone anyway, when development and support for ESX eventually ends. The fact is that ESXi is incredibly small anyway, why does it need to be even smaller. At the moment we install and boot our ESXi boxes from 4GB memory stick. The whole install take less than 1GB, so I'm not exactly starving of space to put a few more ISO and/or installers on there for convenience elsewhere, only now I don't even have the choice. At least I don't think so, which is why I am asking.

I would like the option to be able to add content to the ESXi web page that can be downloaded, e.g. the vSphere Client application.

[Nikhil_Patwa]

Hi,

I had asked a similar question earlier on why ESXi 4.1 does not include the vSphere Client as it did in the previous versions. I ended up downloading the ESXi 4.1 vSphere client and then only I could connect to ESXi 4.1

Connect to the ESXi server URL and download the vSphere client, save the file for future use so that not everytime you are required to download the client file.

Hope this information is helpful to you

Nikhil

[StephenMoll]

I can help you a little there:

You are correct, 4.0 vSphere client cannot connect to a 4.1 host, unless it is a reconnect, for some reason. This however will only happen if you upgrade from 4.0 to 4.1 from the bundle, using vihostupdate for example. If the vSphere 4.0 client is connected to the host whilst it is 4.0, when the restart is performed and you allow the client to wait to reconnect, it will.

Also normally v4.1 client will only connect to a 4.1 host.

The thing to be aware of is that when you run the vSphere client application, all you ar really doing to running a launcher application. This has the window where you put in the server and login details. This will then start the appropriate viewer application.

This means that if you have the 4.0 client already installed and then run the 4.1 installer, you will end up with a client machine able to connect to either 4.0 or 4.1 hosts. The launcher will work it out for you.

One of my colleagues made the mistake of uninstalling the 4.0 client application before installing 4.1. A slightly annoying mistake as you are aware.

As an exercise, take a look in the VMware program directory. You will find a directly named "4.1" which contains the 4.1 viewer. In a dual installation there will also be a "4.0" directory.

The shortcut you click to open the client application actually point to a launcher application in what I think is named the "launcher" directory.

[Texiwill]

Hello,

When you download ESXi 4.x from Vmware you can also download the vCenter VIMSetup CD which contains the vSphere Client. I also think the vSphere client is available separately from the same download site.

So if you are doing updates, it is a possibility for you. I also understand your normal systems may not be able to connect to the Internet but to even get ESX media you need a network connection, get the VIMsetup/vSphere Client ISO at the same time.

Best regards,
Edward L. Haletky VMware Communities User Moderator, VMware vExpert 2009, 2010

Now Available: 'VMware vSphere(TM) and Virtual Infrastructure Security'[/url]

Also available 'VMWare ESX Server in the Enterprise'[/url]

Blogging: The Virtualization Practice[/url]|Blue Gears[/url]|TechTarget[/url]|Network World[/url]

Podcast: Virtualization Security Round Table Podcast[/url]|Twitter: Texiwll[/url]

[Dave_Mishchenko]

The installation image went on a weight loss program so the client was dropped. It would be possible to add it back, but it wolud be an unsupported change and as mentioned you can download the vSphere client manually or get it on the vCenter install CD. If you have vCneter deployed the welcome URL for vCenter still has download link that points to the vCenter host.




Dave

VMware Communities User Moderator

Now available - vSphere Quick Start Guide

Do you have a system or PCI card working with VMDirectPath? Submit your specs to the Unofficial VMDirectPath HCL.

[StephenMoll]

Thanks for the replies everyone, but I think people are by and large missing my point, so maybe I didn't put it across very well.

Not everyone has free and open access to the internet from their working environments, we don't for example. The nature of our work doesn't permit it.

Therefore when deploying ESXi boxes onto the network for people to use, in the past it was simply a case of giving engineers the IP address of the box, and they could then go away and use it. Anyone that needed to use simply went and downloaded the client themselves if they needed to. Now, this is not possible. An engineer goes down into the lab to do some work, decides to use some virtual machines and finds perhaps he has the wrong client app or none at all. He has to leave the lab and return to the office and either then download it himself, which can be time consuming (Slow network, don't ask?) or impossible (I.T. policy, don't ask!?) or find someone who already has it.

The isolated and locked down nature of the labs means there is no local internet access, no access to WAN and no file shares or servers.

So the point is the change has removed a rather practical element of the previous version for us, and I simply wanted to know if it was possible to put it back. I do already know how to log into my VMWare account and download it from there if necessary.

Cheers

[Nikhil_Patwa]

I totally agree with Stephen and the cases he has pointed out, I have been in his situations many times and with this ESXi 4.1 minus the vSphere Client it's lil bit headache. We normally install ESXi for our clients and with this new version 4.1 now we have to make sure to carry the vSphere client in our USB drives otherwise it will take ages to download the client over the internet and also you feel <![endif]><![if gte mso 9]><![endif]><![if gte mso 10]>

/* Style Definitions */
table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-priority:99; mso-style-qformat:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; mso-para-margin-top:0cm; mso-para-margin-right:0cm; mso-para-margin-bottom:10.0pt; mso-para-margin-left:0cm; line-height:115%; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:11.0pt; font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;}

embarrassedfor not able to access the ESXi server just because either you forgot to carry the vSphere client or there is no internet connection at the clients' office.

I would still prefer VMWare to include the vSphere client in ESXi 4.1

Nikhil