Learn how to monitor, add, or remove vCenter Server client plug-ins. You can monitor client plug-in activities including installation progress, failures, deployments, upgrades, and uninstallations.
From the vSphere Client, you can monitor vCenter Server client plug-ins using the Recent Tasks pane, the Task Console, or the view. In addition to monitoring installation progress, you can troubleshoot installation failures and plug-in incompatibilities. You can also add and remove client plug-ins.
For more information about how to develop client plug-ins, see the Developing Remote Plug-ins with the vSphere Client SDK documentation on https://developer.vmware.com.
View Details about a Client Plug-In
In the vSphere Client home page, click .
The Client Plugins main view shows a list of all deployed client plug-ins. You can view information about the name, version, deployment status, type, certification status, vendor, and plug-in ID of each client plug-in.
- (Optional)
In the Name column, click a client plug-in name to open the client plug-in details view.
You can use the client plug-in details view to view more information about the client plug-in instances, control the visibility of the client plug-ins on specific vCenter Server systems, and remove client plug-ins from the vSphere Client.
Hide and Show a Client Plug-In on a vCenter Server Instance
If your environment includes several vCenter Server systems joined in Enhanced Linked Mode, the vSphere Client can load views from client plug-ins added to any of the linked vCenter Server instances. You configure what is visible in a specific vCenter Server system, by using the Hide and Show options from the details view of a selected client plug-in.
From the vSphere Client Home menu, select Administration.
Under Solutions, click Client Plugins.
From the Name column, click the client plug-in name.
The detailed client plug-in view opens.
Change the visibility of a client plug-in instance on a vCenter Server instance.
Select the check box on the client plug-in instance.
To hide a client plug-in in the vSphere Client UI for a vCenter Server instance, select the check box on the instance version and click Hide.
To make a client plug-in instance visible in the vSphere Client UI for a vCenter Server instance, select the client plug-in version and click Show.
Confirm your choice in the pop-up dialog box that appears.
Add a Client Plug-In with the vSphere Client
Staring with vSphere 8.0, you can deploy remote client plug-ins using the vSphere Client. In an environment with several vCenter Server instances connected with Enhanced Linked Mode, you can select on which vCenter Server systems to deploy the client plug-in.
From the vSphere Client Home menu, select Administration.
Under Solutions, click Client Plugins.
In the Client Plugins pane, click Add.
The Install new solution wizard opens.
On the Select an OVF template page, specify the location of the client plug-in OVF descriptor file and click Next.
Option
Action
URL
Enter the URL to the OVF descriptor file located on the Internet. The only supported URL sources are HTTPS.
Note:Make sure that all elements of the client plug-in are at the same location as the OVF descriptor file. Missing files might lead to failure in plug-in deployment.
Local file
Click Upload files and select all files associated with the client plug-in.
On the Select a name and folder page, enter a unique name for the virtual machine, select a deployment location, and click Next.
The default name for the virtual machine is the same as the human-readable name of the plug-in defined in the OVF file. If you change the default name, choose a name that is unique within each vCenter Server virtual machine folder.
On the Select a compute resource page, select a resource where to run the deployed client plug-in VM, and click Next.
On the Review details page, verify the client plug-in details and click Next.
On the License agreement page, accept the end-user license agreements and click Next.
On the Select storage page, define where and how the files for the deployed client plug-in are stored.
Select a storage policy for the virtual machine.
This option is available only if storage policies are enabled on the destination resource.
- (Optional)
Select the Disable Storage DRS for this virtual machine check box to deactivate Storage DRS for the virtual machine.
Select a datastore to store the deployed client plug-in.
The plug-in manifest file and virtual disk files are stored on the datastore. Select a datastore large enough to accommodate the virtual machine and all associated virtual disk files.
On the Select networks page, select a source network and map it to a destination network. Define the IP allocation settings of the client plug-in server. Click Next.
The Source Network column lists all networks as defined in the OVF descriptor file.
- (Optional)
On the Customize template page, view the read-only settings of the client plug-in and click Next.
On the Associate vCenter Servers page, select the vCenter Server instances on which the client plug-in is deployed and click Next.
On the Ready to complete page, review your selections and click Finish.
As a result new tasks for downloading and installing the client plug-in appear in the Recent Tasks pane. After successful completion of the tasks, refresh your browser to see the newly added client plug-in.
Remove a Client Plug-In from a vCenter Server Instance
You can remove a client plug-in from the vSphere Client UI for a vCenter Server instance. In an environment with several vCenter Server instances connected with Enhanced Linked Mode, you can select from which vCenter Server systems to remove the client plug-in.
When you remove a client plug-in from the vSphere Client UI, the virtual machine on which the client plug-in instance is running is not removed from the vCenter Server instance. You must delete the virtual machine from the datastore to complete the client plug-in removal.
From the vSphere Client Home menu, select Administration.
Under Solutions, click Client Plugins.
From the Name column in the Client Plugins pane, select the client plug-in.
The detailed client plug-in view opens.
Select the check box on one of the client plug-in instances and click Remove.
In the confirmation dialog box, click Yes to remove the client plug-in instance.
As a result, the client plug-in is undeployed from the vCenter Server instance. Make sure that you refresh your browser to remove the client plug-in from the vSphere Client UI.
