You can use Workstation Pro to connect to a remote server that is running ESXi, or vCenter Server.

When you connect to a remote server for the first time, Workstation Pro asks you whether to save your login information. You can configure Workstation Pro to never ask you to save login information for a remote server. See Turn Off the Prompt to Save Remote Login Information.

Prerequisites

Verify that the remote server is running or ESXi or vCenter Server 4.1 or later.

Procedure

  1. Select File > Connect to Server.
  2. Type the host name or IP address, your user name and password, and click Connect.
  3. (Optional) If Workstation Pro asks you whether to save your login information, select an option.
    Option Description
    Remember Workstation Pro saves your login information so that you do not need to provide it the next time you log in to the server.
    Never for this Host Workstation Pro saves the server name to an exceptions list and does not prompt you to save your login information for this server again.
    Not Now Workstation Pro does not save your login information, but it prompts you to save your login information the next time you connect to this server.

Results

After you connect to the remote server, the remote host appears in the library. At a minimum, remote virtual machines also appear in the library.

If you are using Workstation Pro on a Windows host and the remote server is running vCenter Server, other objects can appear in the library. In this situation, when vCenter Server appears in the library, you can toggle between the Hosts and Clusters view and the VMs view. The Hosts and Clusters view displays datacenters, clusters, ESXi hosts, resource pools, vApps, and virtual machines. The VMs view lists datacenters, folders, and virtual machines.

What to do next

Interact with the remote host and remote virtual machines. See Interacting with Remote Hosts and Virtual Machines.