Labtech VMWare vSphere Client Redirector
Wouldn’t it be really cool if you could somehow safely access any VMWare vSphere ESX 5 host directly just using the local vSphere 5 Client installed on your workstation without porting and NATing traffic through your customers firewalls? With Labtech that is no problem, by setting up a Application Redirector you can create a new proxy that will pass all your traffic to any ESX or vCenter host and allow you to fully manage that host using your own installed vClient on your workstation, using the Labtech server and an agent, wow is it fast.
Let me show you how to do it.
I want to thank the guys over at www.labtechgeek.com for creating the outline I am following here.
1.) You will need to create a new redirected app named vSphere Client.
Goto [System Dashboard] -> [Config] -> [Redirected Apps]
2.) In the program field, enter the location of your local vShpere client like -> C:\Program Files (x86)\VMware\Infrastructure\Virtual Infrastructure Client\Launcher\VpxClient.exe
3.) Now we will redirect the following ports.
Local Port: 443 Local IP: 127.0.0.1 Remote Port: 443 Remote IP: %RemoteIP% Type: TCP Local Listen
Local Port: 902 Local IP: 127.0.0.1 Remote Port: 902 Remote IP: %RemoteIP% Type: TCP Local Listen
Local Port: 903 Local IP: 127.0.0.1 Remote Port: 903 Remote IP: %RemoteIP% Type: TCP Local Listen
Local Port: 8080 Local IP: 127.0.0.1 Remote Port: 8080 Remote IP: %RemoteIP% Type: TCP Local Listen
Local Port: 9443 Local IP: 127.0.0.1 Remote Port: 9443 Remote IP: %RemoteIP% Type: TCP Local Listen
Local Port: 10080 Local IP: 127.0.0.1 Remote Port: 10080 Remote IP: %RemoteIP% Type: TCP Local Listen
Local Port: 10443 Local IP: 127.0.0.1 Remote Port: 10443 Remote IP: %RemoteIP% Type: TCP Local Listen
Local Port: 902 Local IP: 127.0.0.1 Remote Port: 902 Remote IP: %RemoteIP% Type: UDP Local Listen
Redirector type should have the “Computer” box checked, this makes the redirector show up on computer consoles along side the other redirectors.
4.) Now we need to create an entry in your hosts file for the redirector to work. Add -> “127.0.0.1 vsphere-redir” to your local host file. If you just use 127.0.0.1 or localhost when the client pops up then the client may actually try to connect to the NetBIOS name of your PC, which will not work.
5.) Reload your systems cache and you should see the redirector show up under Computer consoles Redirectors menu.
To connect directly to an ESXi host, while holding the Shift click on the vSphere Client redirector from meun. This will prompt you for an IP address for the remote ESX host you want to control – enter the IP of the ESXi host.
Once you place your IP of the ESX host in the IP for Redirection box click OK. Give it a few seconds to get the proxy up and app to launch then you should see your VMware client pop up. You now type in to IPaddress/Name area “vsphere-redir” as the host IP and then the user and pass needed to log in to the ESX host.
***Note – When you’re connecting directly to a host, or to vCenter, you must always enter vsphere-redir as the IP Address/Name in the VMWare vSphere client.
***Note – If you’re connecting to a vCenter server, you won’t be able to view the console of any VMs (MKS) – this is because the vSphere Client makes a direct connection to the ESXi server on port 902. If you connect directly to the ESXi host, MKS works fine.
Enjoy,
Cubert 😎