When you connect a VMware Server Console from VMware Server to a VMware GSX Server 3 or a virtual machine created under GSX Server 3, the console controls adapt to the older virtual machine or server. Certain capabilities, such as creating new virtual machines or configuring the host, are unavailable when you connect to an older virtual machine or server running GSX 3. Certain features available in VMware Server such as Virtual SMP are not available to virtual machines on older servers.
Note: You cannot connect to a host running GSX Server 2 or any other VMware product.
The Home tab and the status bar in the console window display the type (whether the server is a VMware Server, or a GSX Server) and version of the server to which you are connecting.
If you are connected to a virtual machine created under a GSX 3 Server, the virtual machine's summary information indicates that it is a legacy virtual machine; if the virtual machine was created under VMware Server or Workstation 5.x, the virtual machine is considered to be a current virtual machine. Look for the Version information in the virtual machine display when the virtual machine is not running.
In addition, the virtual machine settings editor identifies a virtual machine as a legacy virtual machine.
If you are running an older virtual machine on a VMware Server host, the virtual machine is considered a legacy virtual machine until you upgrade the virtual hardware. Some legacy virtual machine settings are disabled. For example, you cannot add physical disks to a legacy virtual machine on a VMware Server host.
The differences for what you can do when connecting a console to older servers and older virtual machines are outlined below.
You can configure a host running GSX Server 3.
You can create new virtual machines on the GSX 3 host from the VMware Server Console. You can also delete virtual machines on a GSX 3 host from a console.
You can browse for virtual machines on a GSX Server 3 host. You can connect only to those virtual machines that appear in the Open Virtual Machine dialog box.
Using the console, you can upgrade the virtual hardware of a legacy virtual machine to the virtual hardware level supported by VMware Server.
You must upgrade the virtual hardware of a virtual machine created using GSX Server 2. To use a virtual machine running on a GSX Server 2 host, you must uninstall GSX Server and then install VMware Server before you upgrade the virtual machines.
Once you upgrade the virtual hardware, the virtual machine is no longer considered to be legacy.
Note: You can choose to upgrade a virtual machine running on GSX Server 2 to be compatible with GSX Server 3. You can then run that virtual machine in legacy mode on VMware Server.
You can take snapshots of virtual machines running on GSX Server 3 hosts.
You cannot take snapshots of legacy virtual machines running on a VMware Server host. You can neither update the snapshot of a legacy virtual machine nor specify what to do with the snapshot when you power off the virtual machine.
You can enable raw access for the virtual machine. This is known as legacy emulation in VMware Server. You cannot use the DVD/CD-ROM drive on the client.
You cannot connect the DVD/CD-ROM drive exclusively to a legacy virtual machine running on a VMware Server host. Using legacy emulation is the same as if the virtual machine were running on a GSX Server 3 host and you disabled raw access. If you are connecting to the virtual machine from a client, you cannot use the client's DVD/CD- ROM drive.
If you are connected to a legacy virtual machine created under GSX Server 3, you can choose the network adapter type, either vmxnet or vlance. For more information about network adapters on GSX Server, see the GSX Server documentation on the VMware Web site. VMware Server automatically selects the appropriate network adapter type for your configuration.
If you are connecting to a legacy virtual machine on a VMware Server host from a remote client, you cannot configure its virtual network settings.
You can enable bidirectional mode for virtual parallel ports for a virtual machine running on an older host. For more information, see the VMware Server manuals
If the virtual machine is running on a VMware Server host, you cannot enable bidirectional mode, as this is no longer required by the new virtual parallel port implementation.
You can enable repeatable resume for the virtual machine. To enable or disable repeatable resume, choose VM > Settings > Options > General and check or clear the Enable repeatable resume check box. For more information, see the VMware Server manuals.
If you are running a legacy virtual machine on a VMware Server host, you can change the guest operating system selection.
If the virtual machine is on an older host, you cannot set permissions for it to be accessible to all users.
If a legacy virtual machine is running on a current host, you can change this setting.
You cannot specify process priorities for the virtual machine.
If the virtual machine uses physical (raw) disks and is on an older host, you can hide read-only partitions so the virtual machine can see only partitions to which is can write data. You cannot do this if the virtual machine is running on a VMware Server host.
You can add a virtual sound adapter to a virtual machine on an older host, but you cannot configure it.
If a legacy virtual machine is running on a VMware Server host, it can only use the default host sound adapter. The sound adapter does not work when you connect to this virtual machine from a remote client.
Messages that the console displays are based on the version of the server to which you are connecting. References to menu items, interface elements and product terminology are relevant to that server type and version, not necessarily to VMware Server.
You can enter the serial number for a GSX Server 3 host.
You can view the tip of the day when you are connected to a GSX Server 3 host.
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