VMware® Infrastructure 3 FOR DUMMIES®

Chapter 6. Embracing the Look and Feel of VMware Infrastructure Client

The most common way for you to manage, view, and modify your VMware Infrastructure 3 is through the VMware Infrastructure Client (also called the Virtual Infrastructure Client). The VMware Infrastructure Client (VIC) runs on your local Windows machine and logs in to your ESX hosts or your VirtualCenter (a centralized management framework for virtual infrastructures; see Chapter 9 for more on VirtualCenter). VIC is arranged in a very logical fashion and is an easy and intuitive interface after you get used to it. To use it, though, you first need to install it.

In this chapter, we discuss the ins and outs of VIC. We look at how to install it and how it organizes your virtual and physical infrastructure components. By the end of the chapter, you should feel pretty comfortable using VIC.

Introducing the VMware Infrastructure Client

VMware Infrastructure Client (VIC) is your one-stop-shopping for all your VMware Infrastructure 3 needs. VIC can log in to and manage ESX hosts directly, or as a proxy through VirtualCenter.

Using VirtualCenter is the better way to go because it allows you to manage your entire infrastructure from a single point instead of logging in to each server separately. Additionally, VirtualCenter provides server fault-tolerant add-ons, such as VMware clusters, VMotion, VMware Distributed Resource Scheduling (DRS), and VMware High Availability (HA) (all of which are discussed in Chapter 12).

All the ...