For more information about the VMware Management Interface, go to www.vmware.com/support/gsx3/doc/.
Use the Security Settings option to configure GSX Server security properties.
The username, password and network packets sent to the GSX Server host over a network connection when using the VMware Virtual Machine Console or the VMware Management Interface are encrypted in GSX Server by default. As the Administrator user (Windows hosts) or root user (Linux hosts), you can disable Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) if you do not want to encrypt these sessions.
With SSL enabled, security certificates are created by GSX Server and stored on your host. However, the certificates used to secure your VMware Management Interface sessions are not signed by a trusted certificate authority; therefore they do not provide authentication. If you intend to use encrypted remote connections externally, you should consider purchasing a certificate from a trusted certificate authority.
With SSL enabled, the console and management interface perform exactly as they would if SSL were disabled.
When SSL is enabled for the VMware Virtual Machine Console, a lock icon appears in the lower right corner of the console window. Any consoles that are already open at the time SSL is enabled do not become encrypted, and the lock icon does not appear in these console windows. These consoles must be closed and new console sessions must be started to ensure encryption.
When SSL is enabled for the VMware Management Interface, the URL to connect to the management interface is https://<hostname>:8333. The management interface automatically redirects users to this URL if they use the insecure URL (http://<hostname>:8222) to connect. A lock icon appears in the status bar of the browser window.
If you disable SSL, users are automatically redirected to http://<hostname>:8222 if they use https://<hostname>:8333 to connect to the management interface.
Note: If SSL is disabled then enabled again, any new management interface connections to the non-secure port (8222) are not redirected.
If you prefer, you can use your own security certificate when you enable SSL.
On a Windows host, run the Microsoft Management Console (mmc.exe) and select your certificate. When you upgrade the VMware Management Interface on a GSX Server for Windows host, you need to reassign your certificate to the management interface.
On a Linux host, the VMware Management Interface certificate must be placed in /etc/vmware-mui/ssl. The management interface certificate consists of 2 files: the certificate itself (mui.crt) and the private key file (mui.key). The private key file should be readable only by the root user.
When you upgrade the VMware Management Interface on a Linux host, the certificate remains in place and, in case you removed the management interface, the directory is not removed from your host.
You enable SSL in the VMware Management Interface.
Remember that the certificates used in these secure sessions are not signed by a trusted certificate authority; therefore they do not provide authentication. If you intend to use encrypted remote connections externally, you should consider purchasing a certificate from a trusted certificate authority.
Note: If you change the SSL setting for the management interface, the system automatically logs you out and must log in again.
When SSL is enabled, a lock icon appears in the status bar of the browser running the VMware Management Interface, and in the status bar of the VMware Virtual Machine Console window, unless the console is connected to a virtual machine on the local host.
After you change your SSL setting for the management interface, you are prompted to accept the security certificate in your browser the next time you log in to the management interface.