Digi AnywhereUSB/2 reliably attaches my keyboard and mouse to Windows 10 VM on a VMware ESXi SuperServer that is also my primary workstation
Backstory
Ever since VMware's ESXi 5.1, you've been able to attach a variety of USB devices to your VMs. Those devices were attached to either the server the VM is running on, or the client connecting to the VM. See also at TinkerTry:
Then full USB 3.0 support arrived:
The thing is, what if you want vMotion? That magical ability to move a VM around from server-to-server without losing its connection to a USB device, such as a USB dongle? Software protection (licensing) dongles are a common problem in the datacenter.
Goal - run a VM as a full-featured workstation
Or, in my case, what if I was trying to do GPU pass through? Huh? Let me explain.
It's also known as VMDirectPath or VT-d, when you take a video card and "pin it" to a particular VM, passing it right through. This way, the VM's OS "sees" that device directly, so the appropriate 3D accelerated video drivers can then be installed.
Great, now I have up to 3 4K outputs, but here's the rub. How did I get my keyboard and mouse and mouse attached? That's right, when you go to the vSphere Client or vSphere Web Client, it'll let you add usb flash drives, webcams, UPSs, etc. But it won't let you add certain USB devices to the VM. Such as keyboards and mice, that only need USB 2.0 support. Uh oh.
Well, folks like me really want to be able to use my ESXi server as a workstation as well, saving up-front cost and electricity. So I was highly motivated to fix this. It worked, I've been successfully running my hybrid for months now, using a solution anybody can buy, see also:
Challenges
When trying out competing (admittedly much less costly) products first from SIIG USB over IP 1-Port (ID-DS0611-S1) and SEDNA - 10/100/1000 Mbps Gigabit 4 Port USB over IP Device Server (SE-USB-SERV-24G), I admit I struggled with firmware stability, having to power cycle these devices multiple times per work day. I'm not alone, [here]((https://tinkertry.com/locate-your-4k-pc-20-feet-away#comment-2220262275)'s a TinkerTry visitor and I discussing our quest. Getting the drivers to auto-start with those other products was also a challenge, since by default, the required software that go with those drivers doesn't get started as a service. Yes, that Shell:Common Startup folder doesn't help, since you may need to use your keyboard to login to that the VM. Oops.
I needed a solution that just worked for my particulare use-case. I am sorry I didn't find this solution sooner for my visitor. This article will hopefully help folks out, with those software and hardware struggles behind me. Been using my Digi full time for almost 4 weeks now, with no incidents of lost keyboard or mouse control.
Downloads
ANYWHEREUSB/2 Product Detail and Downloads:
I did contact Digi technical support to inquire about possible plans for Windows 10 drivers, and quickly received an incredibly detailed and thorough response. He even passed along feedback from an engineer who works on drivers. This gist is that Digi is putting the drivers through their Windows 10 release testing, and updates should be announced soon. Whether that's a release of the same driver stating Windows 10 support in the release notes, or new drivers, is not yet determined. Read more about Windows hardware certification here.
If you want to be notified when the driver is released, just subscribe to the RSS feed icon in the upper right corner of the product page here.
The difference between Digi's support and the competitors made all the difference for me. Above average build construction, threaded power supply connection to the unit (to prevent accidental disconnection), and world-wide adapters for that power supply are nice touches. Note, all USB servers seem to only offer USB 2.0 support, so the 100Mbps network connection is more than adequate, see:
I use a gigabit switch for all my gear, and don't notice any latency related issues when rapidly touch-typing, or mousing. Admittedly, I'm more productivity worker and content creator than gamer.
Conclusion
Solid construction, software stability, and excellent support may be worth the extra cost for you, especially if the reliability of your USB Server solution is important for your particular use-case scenario.
I can't see how this Digi wouldn't work just fine in a Hyper-V environment as well, just not something I've tried. Browse their many different models here.
The video below starts with a quick unboxing and close look at the device, then dives in pretty deep, covering the exact behavior of the current drivers under Windows 10. I even did a v. 1.82 firmware upgrade, rebooting the device and my PC afterward, and all was still well. I never had to resort to reading the quick-start-guide or User Manual / Installation Guide, but if you're troubleshooting LED blinking patterns, you'll likely need them. My experience is likely very similar to how the drivers will behave on other client and server OSs, and soon, on Windows 2016.
Let us know about your experience with the Digi AnyUSB/2 in your environment. Just drop a comment below!
Nov 01 2015 Update
By the way, after 30 years, Digi has a new logo. Article updated accordingly.
After months of ownership, I can safely say that this device sure is stable, despite no Windows 10 specific driver announcements yet. Yes, that Windows 8.1 driver continues to live happily in Windows 10.
It seems I don't really don't need to think about this device again, and that's frankly exactly what I had hoped for.
Dec 03 2015 Update
See also
Jan 16 2016 Update
See also another kind of product that could help some folks who need remote USB support, using a software on Windows approach, rather than a stand-alone device plus Windows approach:
- USB Network Gate
Share USB over Network for Windows
USB Network Gate (former USB to Ethernet Connector) easily connects one or more remote USB devices to your computer over Ethernet (Internet/LAN/WAN) as if the device was plugged into your own machine. Doesn't matter if you are in other country or in next door office, you can always use remote scanner, printer, webcam, modem, USB dongle or anything else as if they were connected directly to your PC.
May 03 2017 Update
I'm revisiting this article with the latest:
- Windows 10 Creators Update Version 1703 Build 15063
- 64-bit AnywhereUSB DRIVER for Windows - Version 3.90.213 (Rev N) February 2017
- AnywhereUSB/2 Firmware v. 1.92
and will report back here with results.
See also at TinkerTry
-
Superguide: Supermicro SuperServer 5028D-TN4T - THE Ultimate Home Virtualization Lab
-
Home Server Show Meetup 2015 - My experience and my Superserver presentation
-
How to locate your triple monitor 4K PC 20 feet away for less noise and more joy
- Hydra Multi OS Gaming Console and Controller
Click to read reviews or buy at Amazon.
See also
Digi AnywhereUSB/2 Remote I/O Concentrator - Parts:
Digi Technical Support
Digi Forum - No login required to search for stuff:
