VMWare Virtual Machine Access

How do I access the department VMware Virtual Machines?

  • For SSH, First "ssh username [at] minix.cs.sunysb.edu (username[at]minix[dot]cs[dot]sunysb[dot]edu) " where username is your department username, and supply your department password.
  • From minix, "ssh root@vmX", where X is the number of the VM you are trying to access. Supply the root password that has been given to you for this VM.
  • For CSE533 there are special instructions which you will receive from your professor or TA.
  • For Remote Console access, you will need to know the port number necessary to connect to your VM. This will be supplied to you when you are assigned your VM. You will use it in place of PORT in the instructions below.

A. From a PC within the department (Grad PC lab, faculty office)

  1. X11 Remote Display
    Start up X Windows on the PC. Create an ssh connection to minix.cs.sunysb.edu, and select X11 tunneling. Make the ssh connection to minix, and on minix start up "vmware-console &". Enter as follows:

    Server: minix.cs.sunysb.edu PORT
    Username: your department username
    Password: your department password

    Select your VM from the list presented and Enter.

  2. VMware Remote Console
    Download and install the VMware Remote Console application. Start up the application and enter as follows:

    Server: minix.cs.sunysb.edu PORT
    Username: your department username
    Password: your department password

    Select your VM from the list presented and Enter.

B. From a PC outside the department (Research lab, dorms, home)

  1. X11 Remote Display
    Start up X Windows on the PC. Create an ssh connection to minix.cs.sunysb.edu, and select X11 tunneling. Make the ssh connection to minix, and on minix start up "vmware-console &". Enter as follows:

    Server: minix.cs.sunysb.edu PORT
    Username: your department username
    Password: your department password

    Select your VM from the list presented and Enter.

  2. VMware Remote Console
    Download and install the VMware Remote Console application. Create an ssh profile for remote console access.
    • Start up ssh on the PC. Click Profiles -> Add Profile.
    • Give your profile a name.
    • Go back and click Profiles -> Edit Profile, and select your new profile.
    • On the Connection tab, fill in the host minix.cs.sunysb.edu and your department username.
    • Leave it set to port 22. Click OK.
    • Do not proceed until you have clicked OK to save settings.
    • Now select the Tunneling Tab.
    • Select the Outgoing Tab and click Add.
    • Give the connection a Display Name of your choosing.
    • Leave type set to TCP.
    • Set Listen Port to 902.
    • Set Destination Host to minix.cs.sunysb.edu.
    • Set Destination Port to 902. Click OK.

    Now start up the VMware Remote Console application. In the server box enter "localhost 902". Enter your department username and password. You will be presented with a list of VMs. Select yours and Enter to get to your console window.

C. From a department Solaris host

  1. X11 Remote Display
    Ssh to minix.cs.sunysb.edu using your department username and password. On minix start up "vmware-console &". Enter as follows:

    Server: minix.cs.sunysb.edu PORT
    Username: your department username
    Password: your department password

    Select your VM from the list presented and Enter.

  2. Using the Citrix Windows Emulator
    Launch /usr/local/bin/winnt. You will be presented with a Windows login screen. Enter your department username and password. From Windows, select Start->Programs->Utilities->VMware->Vmware Remote Console. Enter as follows:

    Server: minix.cs.sunysb.edu PORT
    Username: your department username
    Password: your department password

    Select your VM from the list presented and Enter.