Free ESX Server Management Add-ons

Although ESX Server’s Virtual Infrastructure Client provides a smooth professional interface for managing virtual machines (VMs), it really doesn’t help you outside of the virtualization environment itself. For example, there’s no built-in remote desktop as there is with Windows Server. Likewise, there’s no facility to copy VMs to other servers. However, there are a few really useful (and free) third-party utilities that can fill in those holes for managing ESX Server.

• Veeam’s FastSCP lets users copy files directly between ESX Server machines and Windows Server or other ESX Server machines. The copy process is fast and secure and doesn’t require any configuration or setup. I used FastSCP to move my VMs from ESX Server to a Windows server. You can find FastSCP at www.veeam.com/vmware-esx-fastscp.html.

• WinSCP is an open-source Secure FTP (SFTP) client that provides a graphical file manager type of interface. It can also be used to move VMs between ESX Server machines and Windows servers. You can find WinSCP at winscp.net/eng/index.php.

• PuTTY is a Telnet and Secure Shell (SSH) client for Windows. PuTTY can be used for a secure remote connection to ESX Server’s native console. You can download PuTTY from www.chiark.greenend.org.uk/~sgtatham/putty/download.html.