vSphere Web Client and Mac OS X

[AKostur]

Hmm... with the release of 5.1, they seem to be encouraging everybody to move to the web client.  But it seems that Mac OS X is still not supported.  What's the plan to support Mac OS X?  I really don't want to have to run a VM (in Fusion) to manage my environment....

[jklick]

I've yet to test it myself, but I believe that with the web client it doesn't matter what OS you're using as long as you have a supported browser (firefox/chrome/etc.) - much like any other application you use that has a web interface. Time to rejoice! :smileyhappy:

[nielse]

It works slowly... I have tested Chrome, FireFox and Safari. I can say that Safari is a big fail but Chrome and FireFox seems to handle it quite ok. Chrome is by far the best browser when using the web client.

I do hope that in the near future VMware will add better support for Mac OS X...

[jklick]

I don't think they're going to do anything special for OSX because I get the impression that the future will be the web client. OSX/Windows/Linux will all be on equal footing. The desktop client will more than likely see end-of-life by same time next year from what I've heard/seen - similar to what they did with the move from ESX to ESXi. However, I'm not an official VMware spokesman, so don't quote me on that (yet).

[nielse]

I was more speaking about running the web client on the browsers on Mac OS X :smileywink: .

They already confirmed that the vSphere C# Client which most people use now is end of life. The one which comes with 5.1 is the last release and this one lacks certain features like vMotion :smileyhappy:.

[AKostur]

I was also talking about the web client.  And while I can wander around the infrastructure, I don't see any way to bring up a console to the VM.

[mcowger]

The console doesn't work on Mac.  Only Linux and Windows.

[ricfsantos]

Any Plans to add console support for mac users ?

[itmanager223]

Looking for console support for mac also. Any word if its going to be added VMware?

[mlross]

Wow, I had thought it was Windows only. The Web Client runs on Linux?

[mcvosi]

I agree.  We need console support under Mac OS X!  VMware, please step up!  :-)

[uemit]

Yes, please VMware. We want the console runnning in browsers on OS X.

[sguruprasad]

+1 to the console on mac request. I've been waiting for this since 2010...

[philterx]

+1 for console on Mac as well please :smileyhappy:

[mcowger]

vMotion works fine with the web client.  Just cant do the drag/drop method.

[itmanager223]

ya i too have this question. Your able to open the web client from MAC but the client integration plug-in is not available.

Any word on that release?

[Drevm]

Running OSX mountain lion and tried all major browsers (firefox 16, chrome 22, safari 6) and they all say they arent supported when logging in.  All the functions work fine except for the console.  I guess we have to be really patient.

[ross_cav]

+ many for this, as from what I've seen, it still seems to be the case. I really, really, really didn't expect this to be the case!

[S_Grimbuhler]

+1 for me too.

Mac OS VM console please VMware teem!

[S_Grimbuhler]

juste a small question... if the heavy vsphere client will disapear, how will we be able to connect a client directly to an ESX? How will we able to :

- start the vcenter VM

- add CPU or RAM to the vcenter VM

- manage our VMs if vCenter is down

- a lot of other things

I hope something is planed to do that, like a embeded small web client server on each ESX...

Does someone have an idea?

[nielse]

The vSphere C# client won't really dissappear directly. The new functions just won't be added. This has been announced by VMware. The "no more C# client" picture is misleading and many people think it will be gone at once... This will probably happen in the near future but by then there will be a solution for the problems you have mentioned.

[S_Grimbuhler]

Thank you for your answer.

Another thing I would like to see added in the Web client Mac OS support is the ability to deploy OVF template...

[pvmatt]

@S.Grimbuhler

I agree this is very important, and I've had to use this fuctionality more than once. I'm not a fan of web apps in general, and comparing the two, I still much prefer the desktop app. And that its not entirely supported on OS X is quite annoying.

[rcrcrc]

Yet another vote on yet another thread asking for proper OS X management of vSphere infrastructure.  Come on guys, if I wanted to use Windows I'd use Hyper-V which is already free.  We're paying for a non-Microsoft solution, get on it. 

The petition for the OS X client is only 5 years old.  I think the Linux petition was 8 years old when VMware finally got their act together.  So we've got about 3 more years. 

Everyone I spoke to at VMworld was super nice and talked up the fact that 50% of VMware's engineers use Macs, so it'll be any day now that a web client add-on for remote console is available..... still waiting.

[AKostur]

This lack of motion at all on support for Mac OS X is seriously causing me to investigate other options to vSphere.  I've been using VMware products for a long time (at least VMware Workstation v2), but this is making me reconsider.  (I'm intentionally not naming the other solutions as the important message here is that at least this customer is looking to leave VMware, not where I'm considering on going.)

[hPolet]

+1 for Mac OS X integration plug-in !

VmWare have made Fusion, you know how to do it, don't you ?

Datastore upload is another "not working feature" on OS X web client interface :smileycry:

[witchbutter303]

Yeah I've had numerous vmware reps tell me that the OSX client or app store app is right around the corner for the last 3 years and I'm still using vsphere client in a windows VM.  It is literally the only thing in the entire infrastructure I need Windows for.  We can already make console connections from VMware Workstation in Windows and Linux.  Somehow VMware sells a "Pro" version of VMware Fusion for which we pay extra but it's only "Pro" in the sense of pricetag, not in the sense that professionals can use it to manage vSphere.  And, oh yeah, vSphere is the highest cost virtualization platform available.... srsly wtf?

[AKostur]

I know I'm looking at other solutions because of the missing OS X support.

[lowi82]

+1 for Mac OS X vShpere console

[whitverj]

+1 here, too!  Really hoping to have native Mac OS X management/console for my vSphere infrastructure someday soon!

[conmotto]

+1,000 to OS X support. I've also gotten the run-around for years and am extremely irritated. :smileysad:

[sf_vmware]

+1, still waiting. been waiting since before VI3 was released (and it was promised as "coming soon" back then).

[arthurchau]

+1 here, MAC OSX is very famous now, please consider.

[infy101]

Yes please, how can there not be one already?

+1 from me!

Or at least make it run via web browser so you don't have to make it os specific. (See Synology DSM Software - 4.2 is latest). If you could give the option to host this from ESX that would be epic!

[kg4afy]

+1 for vSphere Client on OS X.

[ross_cav]

I guess there's a mix of things here. I don't really care about an OSX client, I just want to have full functionality from the web client from OSX.

Currently the vSphere Web Client works with Windows and Linux (via the plugins added)

The vSphere Web Client on OSX doesn't have full functionality - no console access, no ability to deploy OVA / OVF's, and no datastore browsing (as far as I know, please correct me if I'm wrong).

So, I think VMware should really have addressed this from 5.1 where the web client has more functionality than the desktop client. I don't understand why it's taken so long, does anyone know when this is going to change? Will NSX 5.5 have it resolved? At work, I have to RDP into a Windows machine to be able to use all the features, really, that's a major flaw and extremely disappointing that nothing to this day has been done about it.

[AKostur]

Rumour has it that they will _finally_ have a OS X web client in vSphere 5.5:

• vSphere Web Client – the web client in vSphere 5.5 also comes with several notable enhancements.  The web client is now supported on Mac OS X, to include the ability to access virtual machine consoles, attach client devices and deploy OVF templates.  In addition there have been several usability improvements to include support for drag and drop operations, improved filters to help refine search criteria and make it easy to find objects, and the introduction of a new “Recent Items” icon that makes it easier to navigate between commonly used views.

[mcowger]

Its in there - I use it daily.

[AKostur]

Unfortunately the bad news for the rest of us is that it does not appear to be generally available. :smileysad:

[mcowger]

True, but that will happen very soon.

[ross_cav]

I've been able to beta test 5.5, and I am pleased to say, there is the web plugin available for OSX. I'm not sure of the release date though.

[vartoso]

I've upgraded the vcenter to 5.5 still no console on mac...
please get it done it's very important ...I would like to get involved in fixing the bug ...

[AKostur]

OK, this is odd, as I'm running 5.5 and can get a console.  Granted I have some other issues with the console, but I can at least interact with the VMs some....  what specific problem are you encountering with 5.5 ?

[vartoso]

Hi
I have found a Solution for the MacOSX problem and the facts that there is v sphere 5.5  doesn't autofixs things .

MACOSX SOLUTION :

1. goto /usr/lib/vmware-vsphere-client/server/wrapper/conf/

2. edit the wrapper.conf file

3. the env params are    set.default.VMWARE_JAVA_HOME=/usr/java/jre-vmare

    we need to add the    set.default.JAVA_HOME=/usr/java/jre-vmware

or maybe something else in this file it's really late and I don't remember my steps....

4. restart the client    /etc/init.d/vsphere-client restart

that should work on linux macosx and unfortunately open the console for external connections so check your iptables or acls or firewalls or whatever you use....

[Azreah]

Thx a lot Vartoso!

I just add

set.default.VMWARE_JAVA_HOME=/usr/java/jre-vmare

To env params and now its working fine!

[tedz2015]

I've installed the web client plugin for OSX from the trial of vcenter appliance.

I've neither /usr/lib/vmware-vsphere nor /usr/java. I do have JRE.

I then tried Safari, Firefox, and Chrome, and while I definitely see the plugin registered in Firefox, it just doesn't work.

I have no functional console functionality. BTW, I am connecting to a live vCenter 5.1.

[lpisanec]

As far as I know you need vCenter 5.5 to get a web console on Mac OS X, your vCenter 5.1 won't do even if you install the integration plugin from 5.5.

[MikeH_KGH]

Anyone here uses the VSphere Web Client on a Mac with a non-US keyboard? With Swedish settings, when I connect to the console of a VM, all special keys seem to have been placed arbitrarily, not corresponding to any keymap I know of, meaning I have, for example, two keys for "." and ":" but no way of typing a backslash or a pipe sign.

The obvious workaround is to switch your Mac's keyset/input source to English/U.S, which I guess one could get used to unless you actually need any of the country-specific keys in a VM for some reason, but is there any way to avoid having to do that and still retain normal keyboard functionality within the context of the web client console?

[patrick_eckert]

Hey Mike!

I'm facing the same Problem on my Mac using a German Keyboard. I was really enthusiastic about the Web Client for Mac but as long as the Keyboard Layout doesn't work I can't really use it. Should I create a separate Thread or have you done this already?

[giox]

Maybe I'm missing something, but I really can't understand this move of vmware to the web-full-of-plugins client (it's not a WEB client!).

Here are the problems I'm seeing

1. The new web-full-of-plugins client requires plugins. They are not available for every browser on every platform, so it's not a true modern WEB HTML5 client. I can't use it on my android phone or my iPad. How can you call it a web client ?
2. It requires vcenter server, so it means that you still need the old C# client to manage a free ESXi server, or when you do maintenance on the vcenter machine.

It's just... more complicated for me, to setup and use. I have to still maintain the old c# client, but also install the plugins for the web based one. In every desktop I use for maintenance.

A very bad move.

Why vmware did not write it in HTML5 and run on top of ESXi instead of vcenter ? Or why did they not convert C# to Qt/C++ or other multiplatform toolkits, so they could port the desktop client on OSX and Linux easily ?

[Norbs]

Looks like VMWare Fusion 7 Professional supports connecting to manage a vCenter or ESXi host... It blows that you actually have to pay for it but I'll take it.

79$ FOR AN UPGRADE -_-

Kind of a back handed wish granted...

[AKostur]

Not really.  No remote console.  Still not sufficient to fully manage a vSphere environment from OS X.

[Norbs]

Not sure what version you tried but there is indeed a remote console... There are limitations but the basic included functionality will cover 99% of what I need to do daily and I don't mind going to a windows machine for advanced configurations that I rarely use unless troubleshooting or installing new hosts.

Here is a pretty decent overview of the features including console access.

http://derflounder.wordpress.com/2014/07/04/vmware-fusion-technology-preview-july-2014-includes-esxi-management-options/

[AKostur]

Ah... it's hiding behind a double-click.  No menu item to launch the console, no right-click context menu to launch the console.  Fine example of hiding the feature....

[witchbutter303]

I'm using 5.5 and I do almost all of my work from OSX using web client including the console.   It worked fine for me in 10.8 & 10.9.  The only thing that doesn't work for me is when you have a new vm that does not have vmware tools installed.  In that case you have no mouse pointer so occasionally I have to rdp into the vcenter server to install vmware tools if it's a windows vm.  However most of my installs are fully automated, so it's really rare that I need this.  There are definitely right click context menus everywhere in the web client in OSX.  I do recall some weird errors like not being able to use the console unless it was in full screen in vCenter 5.1, but 5.5 and beyond has really been easy to use once you learn where everything is.

[Skynet3020]

i waiting and waiting also since 2010 :-(

in fusion7 you can connect to a esxi server but you have not the same features as in vsphere client

dear dev's please do a mac client +1

Thx

[VMwareIMHO]

Come on VMware, I was hoping for vSphere Client support for Mac OS X with version 6. 

How long do we have to wait, or do we move to hyper-v?

[mcowger]

You should probably never expect fat client support for MacOS. VMware is

heavily moving to web interfaces.

On Mon, Feb 23, 2015 at 10:50 AM, VMwareIMHO <[e-mail]

[Jakebuntu]

and where is this the hyper -v manager for mac?

[NormZalog1]

As previously mentioned, VMware fusion allows you to do a lot of ESXi management and remote console. Not free but I have a feeling it's as close as we will get.

[simontemplar42]

For all of you guys who are trying to manage ESXi from OSX, it is now possible through VmWare Fusion 7 Pro.

I just upgraded my fusion from 6 to 7Pro (about $85) and I can manage my ESXi.

To connect to ESXi through Fusion, go to File / Connect to server and enter the ESXi credentials.

Thats it folks, and it works, finally.

Woohoo !

--

Update: You can only stop or start a machine ALREADY configured on ESXi.

If you want to create a new VM, you still need to go through vSphere apparently.

Well.. That sucks.. this got me happy for a little while..

Message was edited by: simontemplar42

---

Another update:

If a VM is turned off in your FUSION, you can export it to ESXi.

I did not find any way to import from ESXi to Fusion (option "Download from server" is grayed on all my VM on ESXi)

You can't create a new VM from scratch on ESXi directly from Fusion.

Message was edited by: simontemplar42

[Jakebuntu]

Thanks for the info! This is great news!

[Skynet3020]

The Managing in fusion 7 pro is very badly.

i miss all nessesary settings like configure a machine etc.

:smileyshocked::smileyangry:

[Skynet3020]

yes again we need support to os x !!!

need more features in fusion 7 pro or a client !

missing drive configuration, copy data from datastore and many many moore