Manage VMware Infrastructure with Mobile Admin

This document provides information about how to use Mobile Admin to manage VMware Infrastructure. VMware Infrastructure Client features are emulated within Mobile Admin.

The free versions of ESXi support the management software development kit (SDK) in read-only mode. The SDK write operations used to change configuration settings are disabled by the free version of ESXi. Also, the procedures in this section assume that you are logged in to Mobile Admin and that you have selected a VMware Infrastructure or ESX server from your Manage Hosts list, or selected the VWware Infrastructure Client service from the Manage Services list.

Detection

VMware Infrastructure is detected if a successful http connection can be made to the Virtual Infrastructure port. From the response to this http connection the Mobile Admin server will determine if the VMware server is an ESX server or a vCenter server. Please note that the different VMware server types have differences in the kinds of management services offered.

Authentication

The credentials used for an ESX server are the ESX credentials; the credentials used for a vCenter server are either your Windows credentials or your vCenter specific credentials depending on your vCenter server's configuration.

Communication method

The Mobile Admin server communicates to an ESX or vSphere service using the VMware VIM Client.

Troubleshooting

To troubleshoot, use the VMware Infrastructure client on the Mobile Admin server to connect to an ESX server or vSphere server.

Managing VI servers

You can use Mobile Admin to perform a variety of tasks associated with VI server management. Please note that viewing alarms, alarm details, tasks, and task details is not supported on ESX servers.

View data centers, hosts, and clusters on VMware Infrastructure

1. From the Mobile Admin Manage Services screen or from a view of a server reached from the Mobile Admin Manage Hosts screen, click the VMware Infrastructure Client icon.
2. Enter your VMware Infrastructure Client credentials.

Chang VMware credentials

1. Follow the procedure to view data centers, hosts, and clusters on VMware Infrastructure.
2. Select Change Credentials on the menu.
3. Enter your VMware Infrastructure Client credentials.
4. Select Save.

Find and List virtual machines

1. Follow the procedure to view data centers, hosts, and clusters on VMware Infrastructure.
2. Select Find VM on the menu.
3. Enter the name of the virtual machine you are looking for in the VM name contains field. Leave the field blank to list all VMs.
4. Select Find.

View events and event details

1. Follow the procedure for viewing data centers, hosts and clusters on VMware Interface.
2. Select the item for which you want to view events.
3. Select Events.
4. Select a specific event to view the details of that event.

View tasks and task details

1. Follow the procedure to view data centers, hosts, and clusters on VMware Interface.
2. Select the item for which you want to view tasks.
3. Select Tasks on the menu.
4. Select a specific task to view details of that task.

Viewing alarms, alarm details, tasks, and task details is not supported on ESX servers.

View triggered alarms and alarm details

1. Follow the procedure for viewing data centers, hosts, and clusters on VMware Interface.
2. Select the item for which you want to view triggered alarms (VM, cluster or host).
3. Select Triggered Alarms on the menu.
4. Select a specific alarm to view its details.

Triggered alarms are viewable only from VMs that are powered on.

Viewing alarms, alarm details, tasks, and task details is not supported on ESX servers

Receive notifications of VMware events and alarms

Mobile Admin allows you to remotely receive notifications of event changes or triggered alarms for servers you select. If a change is detected in events or alarms, Mobile Admin will immediately send you a notification to your dashboard and you will be able to review details of the change and, if desired, remotely perform activities related to the change.

To subscribe to a VMware Events or Alarms feed:

1. Follow the procedure for viewing data centers, hosts, and clusters on your VMware Infrastructure.

2. Select the item for which you want to receive notifications of changes in events or alarms. From the menu, select the type of change you would like Mobile Admin to track.

   To subscribe to both the alarms and events feeds, simply go through the procedure and add the second type of feed.

3. Click Subscribe to this feed.
4. Fill out the fields as required:
5. Feed Name - name the feed to which you are subscribing (e.g. "hostname - events").
6. Enter the optional Contact Phone and Contact URL information, if desired.
7. From the menu or the Subscribe screen, select Subscribe. You will now receive notification of any changes in the events or alarms feed.

Hosts

View a host summary

1. Access the host for which you want to view the summary.
2. Select Host Summary on the menu.

Enter maintenance mode for a host

1. Follow the procedure to view a host summary.
2. Select Enter Maintenance Mode on the menu.
3. Confirm that you want to enter maintenance most when prompted by Mobile Admin.

Maintenance mode can only be entered when all VMs on a host are shut down.

Reboot, shut down, and enter standby mode

Follow the procedure to view a host summary.

To reboot the host, select Reboot on the menu. Confirm that you want to reboot when prompted.

To shut down a host, select Shutdown on the menu. Confirm that you want to shutdown the specified host when prompted.

To enter standby mode for a host, select Enter Standby Mode. Confirm that you want the specified host to enter standby mode when prompted.

Select OK on the menu, or the Reboot/Shutdown/Standby request screen.

Virtual Machines (VM)

View VM properties

Select the VM for which you want to view properties.

VM settings include both run-time information and configuration settings. If the VM is in a question pending state, this is indicated in the setting screen and the menu will include an "Answer Question" selection. If a VM configuration task is active then the settings screen will show an Active Task item along with a short form name of the task.

Edit VM Settings

1. Follow the procedure to view VM properties.
2. Select Edit Settings on the menu.
3. Edit settings as desired.
4. Select Save on the menu or the Edit Settings screen.

The VMware VI Toolkit (for Windows) has a limitation that prevents the Note field from being saved when empty. Mobile Admin automatically adds a single space to an empty 'Note' field when saving.

Manage a VM through Mobile Admin

1. Follow the procedure to view VM properties.
2. Select Manage on the menu.
3. Continue with any Mobile Admin management for that machine.

The Manage option is viewable only from VMs that are powered on.

Manage VM power and OS state

1. Follow the procedure to view VM properties.
2. You will see possible VM operations displayed on the menu. The VM operations displayed depend on the current state of the VM. For example, if the VM is currently powered off then the Power On operation is displayed in the menu.
3. Continue with any Mobile Admin task for that machine.

Power and Operating System state change tasks can take some time to complete. The VM settings screen can be used to check for active tasks. Power and OS state changes cannot be initiated when a task is active for a VM.

Power on, power off, and reset a VM

1. Follow the procedure for viewing VM properties.
   • To turn the power on, select Power On on the menu. Confirm that you want to turn the power on when prompted.
   • To turn the power off, select Power Off on the menu. Confirm that you want to turn the VM off.
   • To perform a reset, select Reset on the menu. Confirm that you want to reset the VM.
2. Select OK on the menu.

Suspend a VM

1. Follow the procedure for viewing VM properties.
2. Select Suspend on the menu. Confirm that you wish to suspend the VM if prompted by Mobile Admin.

Gracefully restart and shutdown a VM

1. Follow the procedure to view VM properties.
2. To shut down the VM, select Shut Down Guest on the menu. Confirm that you want to shut down the VM when prompted by Mobile Admin.
3. To restart a VM, select Restart Guest on the menu. Confirm that you want to restart the VM when prompted by Mobile Admin.
4. Select OK on the menu.