Client tools are programs that can be invoked by an operator using the Global Console, web console, or Business Dashboard. Access to client tools can be controlled by associating or not associating tools to user profiles. Available client tools are displayed in a pop-up menu when an operator right-clicks on a notification or a device. The VMware Smart Assurance Service Assurance Manager Configuration Guide provides additional information about creating client tools.

Note:

Client tools that require the user to input values are not supported in either the web console or Business Dashboard.

In order for client tools to be invoked, the tool scripts must be placed in a directory accessible from the client machine (where the web browser is running). In an environment where Dashboard users share a network drive, the client tools can be placed in a directory on the network drive, thus avoiding the need to copy the tools onto each client machine.

To enable access to the client tools from the Business Dashboard, add the parameters described in Parameter to enable client tools to the appropriate properties file, for example, dashboard.properties.

Table 1. Parameter to enable client tools

Parameter

Description

com.smarts.clientToolsInApplet=true

When set to true, client tools are enabled in the web console or Business Dashboard.

If this parameter is specified, and the com.smarts.webconsole.sitemod parameter (see below) is not specified, the Dashboard client tool function gets the client tools from the /actions/client directory in the web browser’s default directory. (For IE, this may be Documents and Settings\Desktop. For Firefox, the Firefox installation base directory.) You must put a copy of the tool in this /actions/client path.

com.smarts.webconsole.sitemod

When this parameter is configured in the dashboard.properties file, the Business Dashboard searches for client tools in the directory path(s) specified. For example, com.smarts.webconsole.sitemod=F:/webconsoleSitemod;C:webconsoleSitemod/locl.

If this parameter is specified, then com.smarts.clientToolsInApplet=true must also be specified to enable client tools in the web console or Business Dashboard.

If this parameter is not specified, but com.smarts.clientToolsInApplet=true is specified, then client tools will be accessed from a default directory (see above).