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What is the best way to log in to vCenter Server with vSphere 6 Web Client?
In order to successfully log in to vCenter Server with vSphere Web Client, start by figuring out which version of vCenter Server you're running.
VMware has been in the process of developing a new vSphere Web Client based on HTML5 and JavaScript for some time now, and as of May, 2016, vSphere Web Client v1.6.0 is available for download and testing in vSphere 6 environments. This new client was designed to be deployed through a command line and run as a new VM for the downloaded .ova file. It's important to note that since this new Web Client is still in the early stages of development, it has a large number of limitations and missing features. Consequently, vSphere users should take care to experiment with the Web Client in a protected or isolated lab environment.
Can I log in to or out of vCenter Server using the vSphere 6 Web Client?
Administrators can log in to vCenter Server using vSphere Web Client, but the rules vary depending on which version of vCenter Server is deployed. For example, the vSphere 6 Web Client is installed as part of vCenter Server -- this employs a single sign-on (SSO) instance that connects the client and vCenter Server. Using the vSphere 6 Web Client with earlier versions of vCenter Server -- 5.5 or 5.1 -- requires both vCenter Server and vSphere Web Client to point to the same SSO instance. Even earlier versions of vCenter Server, namely 5.0, require that vCenter Server is registered with the vSphere Web Client before logons are allowed.
However, when the prerequisites are met, administrators can use the vSphere 6 Web Client to log on to vCenter Server. This is normally accomplished by opening a Web browser and entering the URL for the vSphere 6 Web Client -- either the vCenter Server IP address or the client's fully-qualified domain name. Enter the appropriate credentials for vCenter Server and click Login.
Part 1: Software requirements for vSphere 6 Web Client
Compared to other monitoring and management tools, the software requirements for the vSphere 6 Web Client are relatively light, consisting of the standard system requirements of a browser-based tool along with a few custom-developed plug-in modules.
Part 2: Opening a VM console and using timeouts
Your vSphere 6 Web Client experience can easily be customized by making slight alterations to the virtual machine console and timeout values. In doing so, you can make configuring VMs and operating systems quick and simple, and boost data center security in a fast, reliable way.
If you see a warning about an untrusted Secure Sockets Layer certificate, you can opt to ignore the warning, use the default certificate, or install the signed certificate. Organizations with strong security postures should wait and install the signed certificate before proceeding.
Once the login is successful, the vSphere 6 Web Client will connect to any vCenter Server systems authorized by the login credentials, and the administrator can view and manage the vCenter Server inventory through the vSphere Web Client. Users can log out of vSphere 6 Web Client again and disconnect from vCenter Servers simply by clicking the user name at the top of the client window and choosing Logout.
