vSphere HTML5 Web Client

Jun 14, 2016 · 2 min read · vcenter vmware ·

With ESXi 6.0 update 2 we were treated to a HTML-based web host client. This meant we were no longer confined to using the Windows (“C++”) client for host management, however it was still necessary to use the Flash-based web client for managing a vCenter infrastructure. The vSphere HTML5 Web Client is the solution to this- providing a HTML5, standards-based, web front end to a VMware virtual infrastructure. The product is currently in the “Fling” stage- so it’s out there to try but not quite finished to “production” standards yet.

vSphere Web Client Fling running in Chrome on Windows Desktop

In my Homelab environment, installation was simple- I downloaded and deployed the OVA from the Flings website and then followed the comprehensive instructions on the vSphere Blog. Within a few minutes I had the client up and running and it sits alongside the existing host client and flash-based vCenter client (via VCSA) so all my existing management interfaces are preserved.

So, what does this give me? Well, apart from giving an insight into the future direction of the VMware hypervisor management console, it allows me to do basic vCenter management tasks from my mobile phone or non-flash compatible portable devices (although there’s a little way to go to make the app really usable on my mobile at least- see screenshot). I’ve blogged before about using the Host client on the Xbox One, and now it’s possible to manage some vCenter functions from the console too.

With the news that the “fat” C++ based Windows client will be depreciated in the next release of vSphere having started being phased out in version 5.5, I’m looking forward to seeing where this goes.