Manage Your Microsoft Virtual Server Environment with VMRCPlus

A new and much needed tool has entered the Microsoft Virtual Server R2 SP1 world. Called VMRCPlus, this Virtual Machine Remote Control Client Plus tool is a welcomed addition to managing any Microsoft Virtual Server environment.

The tool has been used for quite some time internally at Microsoft. Originally designed and developed by a Microsoft employee, Paul Despe, the tool was used internally but wasn’t available to the public as it wasn’t really polished for end-user consumption. A Microsoft consultant, Matthijs ten Seldam, took up the torch and ran with it, as he continued development to further enhance and polish the tool for others to use.

So if you are tired of the old look and feel of Microsoft Virtual Server’s Web based management application, I invite you to take a look at this VMRCPlus replacement.

Microsoft describes it, like so:

VMRCplus is a tool for both configuration management of Virtual Server and remote control of virtual machines. It allows for local and remote management of Virtual Server and supports simultaneous management of up to 32 Virtual Server hosts.

Remote control sessions of virtual machines are grouped in a single window using Tab pages. The interface enables sorting virtual machines based on various properties like name, status and description. Multi-select of virtual machines enable you to perform actions to change their status or open remote control sessions all at once.

VMRCplus is a Windows application and does not require IIS to manage Virtual Server.

Some of the features found in this tool include:

• Direct control of local or remote instances of the Virtual Server service. IIS and IE browser are no longer required!

• Tabbed interface to quickly jump between Virtual Server hosts and guest VMRC sessions.

• Reusable saved states: this feature allows users to preserve a particular saved state and return to that state at any time.

• Multiple guest selection supported for startup/shutdown/save/display.

• Browse button navigation for media, hard disk images, ISO images, .VMC files, etc.

• Drag and Drop support for .VMC files, ISOs images, VHD and VFD files.

• Resizable desktop support for guests running Virtual Machine Additions (maximize VMRC window supported).

• Limited cut and paste of text from host to guest (only).

• A built-in utility to take JPG screenshots of running guests. Useful when filing bugs.

• Built-in error notification with Virtual Server eventlog viewer.

• A Virtual Networks Manager and Virtual Disks Manager that cover all features.

• Keyboard shortcuts (e.g. Ctrl-S to save state a guest).

• Create multiple guests at once.

• Create guest from parent (or multiple guests)

• Automatic reconnect to a designated Virtual Server host.

• Toolbars in both Guest and Console Manager for quick access.

• Unlimited number of guests.

• Maximum of 32 Virtual Server hosts.

• Sorting on columns of guests so you can sort based on status and multi-select.

• Automatic detection of Virtual Machine Additions and notification.

• Detection of Virtual Server 2005 R2 SP1.

You can download a 32-bit or 64-bit version, here.