Initial Configuration of VMware in ConsoleWorks
The optimal order of steps to configure VMware within ConsoleWorks is as follows:
Note: First make sure your VMWare Edition is either Enterprise or Enterprise Plus. VMWare Standard does not offer the Virtual Serial Concentrator.
http://www.vmware.com/products/vsphere/compare
If you see the following error, Serial port (serial0) connection control operation failed (202), you can be sure you're not using the proper edition of VMWare.
Before beginning, you need to Prepare the VM's for ConsoleWorks to use them. See this article for assistance. (Pre-Configuring VMware and Virtual Machines Running Linux, Windows or Solaris 10)
1) Create a template VM that connects the emulated serial port of the VM to the “console” port of the guest operating system.
2) Create the runnable VMs necessary on each hypervisor and associate them with a V-center or V-sphere server
3) Ensure that all VMs are Powered Off
4) Within ConsoleWorks, create a console with the ESX Server connector type that points at the V-center or V-sphere server. If V-center or V-sphere is not in use, point at a single hypervisor.
5) DO NOT check any of the boxes that create consoles automatically
6) Check the box to Log all Virtual Machine changes
7) Make any other configuration selections that are required
8) Save the console configuration
9) Open the VIRTUALfx>View Hypervisors window
10) Right Click in the column headings and select Power State and Serial Status
11) Expand the console created above and then further expand any hypervisors
12) Select all the VMs for which a console is required
13) Right click on the selection and select Virtual Machine>Configure Serial
14) Once the status of CORRECT is visible in the Serial Status column continue. Depending on the number of VMs, this may take a few minutes.
15) Right Click in the selection and select Virtual Machine>Add Console
16) Once console names appear, continue.
17) Right Click in the selection and select Virtual Machine>Power On
18) Once everything is working correctly, edit the original console definition and check the boxes that will automatically configure the Serial port and Create new Consoles. Be aware that the Serial port creation will ONLY occur when the Virtual Machine is powered off so the VM needs to be powered off during or shortly after creation.
19) Optionally you may select the automatic creation of Consoles for logs. These consoles will collect the hypervisor logs and provide a mechanism for scanning as necessary.