VMware GSX Server 2.5.2

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Configuring VMware Tools in a NetWare Virtual Machine

This section shows the options available in a NetWare 6.0 or 5.1 guest. Since there is no graphical user interface for NetWare 4.2, there is no VMware Tools control panel as there is for NetWare 6.0 or 5.1 guests. You can configure certain virtual machine options such as time synchronization, CPU idling and device configuration with VMware Tools in a NetWare 4.2 guest in the system console. For more information, see Configuring VMware Tools for NetWare Guests in the System Console.

Configuring VMware Tools in a NetWare 6.0 or NetWare 5.1 Guest

To open the VMware Tools control panel, choose Novell > Settings > VMware Tools for NetWare.

Viewing Information About VMware Tools

For general information about VMware Tools, click the VMware Tools tab.

This tab contains:

Copyright information.
A button you click to visit the VMware Web site.

Connecting Devices with VMware Tools

The Devices tab allows you to enable or disable removable devices. Removable devices include the floppy and CD-ROM drives and the virtual network adapter.

To connect a device, check the check box next to the device. To disconnect the device, uncheck the check box next to the device.

Note: You can also set these options from the Devices menu in the virtual machine window.

Shrinking Virtual Disks with VMware Tools

The Shrink tab gives you access to the controls you need if you wish to reclaim unused space in a virtual disk.

For more information about shrinking virtual disks, see Defragmenting and Shrinking Virtual Disks.

Setting Options with VMware Tools

The Other tab gives you the option to synchronize the time in the guest operating system with the time in the host operating system.

Note: You can synchronize the time in the guest operating system with the time in the host operating system only when the time in the guest is earlier than the time in the host.

Note: This feature does not work with NetWare 6.0 virtual machines. This issue may be resolved in the next NetWare 6.0 support pack that Novell will release.

Configuring VMware Tools for NetWare Guests in the System Console

You can configure certain virtual machine options such as time synchronization, CPU idling and device configuration with VMware Tools in a NetWare virtual machines in the system console. The VMware Tools command line program is called vmwtool. To see the options associated with this command, at the system console, type
vmwtool help

When VMware Tools is installed in a NetWare guest, a heartbeat is always sent from the virtual machine to GSX Server. You can verify the virtual machine's heartbeat by viewing information about this virtual machine in the VMware Management Interface. For more information, see Monitoring the Virtual Machine's Heartbeat.

In addition, you can gracefully power the virtual machine on or off in the management interface. To power a virtual machine on or off with the management interface, see Changing the Power State of a Virtual Machine. Since there are no scripts for NetWare virtual machines, no scripts are run.

Summary of VMware Tools Commands for a NetWare Guest

Each command in the following table must be entered into the system console after the VMware Tools command vmwtool. For example
vmwtool <command>


`vmwtool` Command	Definition
`help`	Displays a summary of VMware Tools commands and options in a NetWare guest.
`partitonlist`	Displays a list of all disk partitions in the virtual disk and whether or not a partition can be shrunk.
`shrink <partition>`	Shrinks the listed partitions. If no partitions are specified, then all partitions in the virtual disk are shrunk. The status of the shrink process appears at the bottom of the system console. For more information, see Defragmenting and Shrinking Virtual Disks.
`devicelist`	Lists each removable device in the virtual machine, its device ID and whether the device is enabled or disabled. Removable devices include the virtual network adapter, CD-ROM and floppy drives.
`disabledevice <device name>`	Disables the specified device or devices in the virtual machine. If no device is specified, then all removable devices in the virtual machine are disabled. Note: You can also disable devices from the Devices menu in the virtual machine console window.
`enabledevice <device name>`	Enables the specified device or devices in the virtual machine. If no device is specified, then all removable devices in the virtual machine are enabled. Note: You can also disable devices from the Devices menu in the virtual machine console window.
`synctime [on\|off]`	Lets you turn on or off time synchronization of the guest operating system with the host operating system. By default, time synchronization is turned off. Use this command without any options to view the current time synchronization status. You can synchronize the time in the guest operating system with the time in the host operating system only when the time in the guest is earlier than the time in the host.
`idle [on\|off]`	Lets you turn on or off the CPU idler. By default, the idler is turned on. The CPU idler program is included in VMware Tools for NetWare guests. The idler program is needed because NetWare servers do not idle the CPU when the operating system is idle. As a result, a virtual machine takes CPU time from the host regardless of whether the NetWare server software is idle or busy.

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