For more information about the VMware Management Interface, go to www.vmware.com/support/esx2/doc/.


 

Using the Status Monitor
Using the Status Monitor

The Status Monitor page contains a high-level view of the VMware ESX Server system including a system summary and list of all registered virtual machines.

Viewing Summary Information about the VMware ESX Server System
Viewing Summary Information about the VMware ESX Server System

Under System Summary, you can view:

Note: The period of time these statistics cover can be modified. See Configuring the Statistics Period for the VMware Management Interface.

Viewing Summary Information about Virtual Machines on the Server
Viewing Summary Information about Virtual Machines on the Server

Under Virtual Machines, you can view a list of all registered virtual machines on the host. When a virtual machine is running, the Status Monitor page displays its ID number after the power status of the virtual machine.

Activities you can perform include:

Connecting to a Virtual Machine with the VMware Remote Console
Connecting to a Virtual Machine with the VMware Remote Console

If you need to view a particular virtual machine's desktop, you can attach the VMware Remote Console and connect to the virtual machine. Click the terminal icon ( ) to launch the remote console. For more information on connecting the remote console, go to www.vmware.com/support/esx2/doc/esx20admin_remote-console.html.

Note: If you are connecting an older remote console to a version 2.0 server, you need to select the virtual machine after you connect to the server. VMware recommends you update the remote console on this client. Download the appropriate installer on the Status Monitor page. See Downloading Remote Management Packages.

Netscape and Mozilla users must define a MIME type for the console first; Internet Explorer is automatically configured when the remote console is installed. For more information, see Setting a MIME Type to Launch the VMware Remote Console.

The terminal icon appears slightly differently, depending upon the guest operating system installed in the virtual machine. This visual cue helps to identify the virtual machine, for example, when the display name does not indicate the guest operating system. Below are the different ways the terminal icon appears in the management interface.

- indicates a Windows guest operating system.

- indicates a Linux guest operating system.

- indicates other guest operating systems.

Using the Virtual Machine Menu
Using the Virtual Machine Menu

Click the arrow to the right of the terminal icon ( ) to display a menu of options for the virtual machine. The menu includes the following commands, most of which can be performed using the buttons and other visual elements of the management interface. Depending on your permissions and the state of the virtual machine, some options may not be available.

Changing the Power State of a Virtual Machine
Changing the Power State of a Virtual Machine

Depending upon your permissions, you can change the power state of the virtual machine in the management interface. Your permissions are listed in the Users and Events tab for the virtual machine. For more information, see Viewing a List of Connected Users.

To change the virtual machine's power state, click the button that indicates the virtual machine's current power state. A popup menu appears, displaying the following buttons:
Button
Description
Shuts down the guest operating system and powers off the virtual machine. VMware ESX Server closes any open applications and shuts down the guest operating system before powering off the virtual machine. VMware Tools executes the script associated with this power state change, if any. When this icon is red, the virtual machine is powered off.
Suspends a running virtual machine or resumes a suspended virtual machine. VMware Tools executes the script associated with this power state change, if any. When this icon is amber, the virtual machine is suspended.
Powers on a stopped virtual machine or resumes a suspended virtual machine. VMware Tools executes the script associated with this power state change, if any. When this icon is green, the virtual machine is running.
Restarts a guest operating system. VMware ESX Server closes any open applications and shuts down the guest operating system before restarting the guest operating system.

Changing the power state executes any script associated with the power state change. For more information about running scripts, go to www.vmware.com/support/ esx2/doc/esx20admin_scripts_install.html.

Viewing Information about a Virtual Machine
Viewing Information about a Virtual Machine

Important virtual machine information is readily available on the Status Monitor page.

<b>Creating a New Virtual Machine </b>
Creating a New Virtual Machine

To create a new virtual machine from the management interface, on the Status Monitor page, click Add Virtual Machine. The Add Virtual Machine wizard starts. For information on creating a virtual machine from the management interface, see Creating a New Virtual Machine from the Management Interface.

Unregistering a Virtual Machine
Unregistering a Virtual Machine

You can unregister a virtual machine so it no longer appears on the Status Monitor page and cannot be managed or accessed. For information on registering virtual machines, see Registering and Unregistering a Virtual Machine.

<b>Deleting a Virtual Machine </b>
Deleting a Virtual Machine

To delete a virtual machine from the management interface, click the arrow to the right of the terminal icon ( ) and choose Delete Virtual Machine. The Confirm: Deleting <Virtual Machine> page appears in a new window. For information on deleting a virtual machine from the management interface, see Deleting a Virtual Machine Using the VMware Management Interface.

Configuring the VMware ESX Server System
Configuring the VMware ESX Server System

The Options tab lets you make changes to your VMware ESX Server configuration. For more information, see Configuring the VMware ESX Server System.

Note: Only a user with root privileges can access this tab.

Using Common Controls
Using Common Controls

In addition, the following links appear on most or all of the pages in the management interface.

Refresh - refreshes or reloads the current page. To avoid conflicts with other users, click this button before you perform an operation in the management interface like shutting down, suspending, resuming or powering on a virtual machine - or after you perform such an operation in a remote console.

Manage Files - opens the management interface's file manager. The file manager lets you can manage the file system of your VMware ESX Server machine remotely. See Using the VMware Management Interface File Manager.

Help - connects you to the VMware ESX Server online documentation for the current page in the management interface.

Logout - logs you out of the management interface. You can only log out from the Status Monitor and Options pages. Click Logout to return to the Login page. See Logging Out of the VMware Management Interface.

Close - closes the current management interface window. You can only close windows on the Add Virtual Machine and virtual machine details pages.