vSphere HTML5 Web Client Fling v1.2 (h5client) arrives as VMware moves away from Client Integration Plugin (CIP)
You may recall my rejoicing over the arrival of the responsive and snappy HTML5 UI, see:
Even better, that ESXi Embedded Host Client is now baked right into ESXi 6.0U2, which happens to be a super quick and easy upgrade from any 6.x version, see:
Now, at last, we have a glimpse at that path forward we've been hoping for for years, a way to liberate ourselves from the sluggish vSphere Web Client that never achieved the snappy performance of the vSphere Client we've been used to for a decade.
The clear path forward is called vSphere HTML5 Web Client.
vSphere HTML5 Web Client
The latest version is currently 1.2, available at the VMware Flings site:
- vSphere HTML5 Web Client
Apr 19 2016
This is a Fling (beta!) so snapshot and/or backup first
I would still recommend grabbing a snapshot and/or backup of your VCSA appliance and your prior version of your h5client appliance before you begin upgrading. You know, just in case. You've been warned!
Read the upgrade installation instructions
As far as step-by-step install procedures for this appliance, the Fling authors now have a new easier upgrade procedure, right over on the same download site's Instructions tab.
Read the fresh installation instructions
In case you get stuck, here's the more thorough, but rather different instructions, for the previous 1.0 release:
I hope to get a chance to try the upgrade myself, and record a video of the process, soon. If I do get it working, I'll make an addition to this article, of course.
Let us know how the upgrade goes for you by dropping a comment below.
Closing thoughts...
This initial release is not feature complete. Also note that my own testing is by no means complete, I'm just not able to work on this currently. But I sure do look forward to it! I seriously doubt anybody will be missing Adobe Flash, along with clumsy Windows-only browser extensions and Chrome's NPAPI restrictions. This combination of Javascript and HTML5 should hopefully prove to be a much better long-term architecture choice.
To run the vSphere HTML5 Web Client VM, you will want a beefy home server with lots of RAM and many cores, since the System Requirements are a bit on the high side:
Keep in mind you still also need your VCSA, that really wants 8GB to itself, although small labs can get away with 6GB.
See also at TinkerTry
-
vSphere HTML5 Web Client arrives as a VMware Fling, a glimpse at vSphere's future UI
- Faster HTML5 future for VMware vSphere Web Client? ESXi Embedded Host Client Fling flies! [30 second install instructions]
See also
- vSphere HTML5 Web Client Fling v1.2 (h5client) – Moving away from Client Integration Plugin (CIP)
Apr 19 2016 by Dennis Lu at VMware vSphere Blog
