Remote Virtual Console

Function

The remote virtual console allows you to remotely access a server to control and manage the server, install and restore the operating system (OS), and install the driver.

   •  On the local PC, you can use the keyboard and mouse to remotely operate the server.

   •  You can use a server to remotely access the local PC over a network by using a virtual floppy driver or CD/DVD driver. From the view of the server, the method of using a virtual floppy driver or virtual CD/DVD driver is the same as that of using a physical Universal Serial Bus (USB) device.

   •  You can use a server to remotely access the local PC over a network in the mode of virtual directory. From the view of the server, the virtual directory is displayed as the CD-ROM drive.

Table 2 describes the buttons in the Remote Control window.

Use the CD/DVD driver as an example. Figure 1 shows the process for using the image file, virtual CD/DVD driver, and virtual floppy driver on the toolbar.

Page Description

In the navigation tree on the left, choose Remote Control. On the Remote Control page that is displayed, click the Remote Virtual Console (shared mode) or Remote Virtual Console (private mode) link. The Remote Control screen is displayed.

The Remote Control screen consists of three areas, as shown in Figure 2. Table 3 describes area functions.

Procedure

Sending Combination-key Commands

1. On the Remote Control screen, click on the toolbar.

   A combination-key window is displayed. Combination keys are described as follows:

       •  Ctrl+Shift: switches input methods.

       •  Ctrl+Esc: displays or collapses the "Start" menu.

       •  Ctrl+Alt+Del: allows you to lock the OS window, deregister the user, change the password, open the task manager, or restart the server.

       •  Alt+Tab: allows you to switch between running programs.

       •  Ctrl+Space: enables or disables the input method.

       •  ResetKeyboad: makes the keyboard popped up.

2. Click a group of combination keys.

   The server performs the operation related to the group of combination keys.

Installing the Virtual CD/DVD Driver

The CD/DVD driver of the local PC is virtualized for the server.

1. On the Remote Control screen, click on the toolbar.

   The window shown in Figure 3 is displayed.

   Figure 3 Installing the virtual CD/DVD driver
   
   
2. Click the CD/DVD option button.
3. Select a CD/DVD driver, for example, G: to be virtualized from the drop-down list.
4. Click Connect.

   The virtual CD/DVD driver is installed on the server.

   NOTE:

   If you want to uninstall the virtual CD/DVD driver, click Disconnect, and click Yes in the Select an Option dialog box that is displayed.

Installing the Virtual CD/DVD Driver by Using the CD/DVD Image File and Loading the CD/DVD Image File to the Virtual CD/DVD Driver

The CD/DVD image file on the local PC is used to virtualize a CD/DVD driver for the server, and the CD/DVD image file is loaded to the virtual CD/DVD driver.

Before performing these operations, ensure that the *.iso CD/DVD image file is stored on the local PC.

1. On the Remote Control screen, click on the toolbar.

   The window shown in Figure 3 is displayed.

2. Click the Image File option button.
3. Click Browse.

   The Open window is displayed.

4. Select the CD/DVD image file stored on the local PC, and click Open.

   The window shown in Figure 3 is displayed.

5. Click Connect.

   The virtual CD/DVD driver is installed on the server, and the CD/DVD image file is loaded to the virtual CD/DVD driver.

   NOTE:

       •  If you want to upload a new CD/DVD image file, click Eject to eject the existing CD/DVD image file, select another CD/DVD image file, and click Insert.

       •  If you want to uninstall the virtual CD/DVD driver, click Disconnect, and click Yes in the Select an Option dialog box that is displayed.

Installing the Virtual Floppy Driver

The floppy driver is virtualized by using the floppy driver of the local PC or floppy disk image file.

1. On the Remote Control screen, click on the toolbar.

   The window shown in Figure 4 is displayed.

   Figure 4 Installing the virtual floppy driver
   
   
2. Click the Floppy option button.
3. Select a floppy driver to be virtualized from the drop-down list, for example A:.
4. Select the Write Protect check box.
   NOTE:

   Write protection is a mechanism that prevents modification or erasure of important data. If write protection is enabled, no data can be written to the floppy driver.

5. Click Connect.

   The virtual floppy driver is installed on the server.

   NOTE:

   If you want to uninstall the virtual floppy driver, click Disconnect, and click Yes in the Select an Option dialog box that is displayed.

Installing the Virtual Floppy Driver by Using the Floppy Disk Image File and Loading the Floppy Disk Image File to the Virtual Floppy Driver

The floppy disk image file on the local PC is used to virtualize a floppy driver for the server, and the floppy disk image file is loaded to the virtual floppy driver.

Before installing the virtual floppy driver, ensure that the *.img floppy disk image file is stored on the local PC.

1. On the Remote Control screen, click on the toolbar.

   The window shown in Figure 4 is displayed.

2. Click the Image File option button.
3. Click Browse.

   The Open window is displayed.

4. Select the floppy disk image file stored on the local PC, and click Open.

   The window shown in Figure 4 is displayed.

5. Click Connect.

   The virtual floppy driver is installed on the server, and the floppy disk image file is loaded to the virtual floppy driver.

   NOTE:

       •  If you want to upload a new floppy disk image file, click Eject to eject the existing floppy disk image file, select another floppy disk image file, and click Insert.

       •  If you want to uninstall the virtual floppy driver, click Disconnect, and click Yes in the Select an Option dialog box that is displayed.

Creating an Image File

Use a floppy disk or CD/DVD to create an image file. The image file is stored on the local PC and can be used to install and load the virtual floppy driver or virtual CD/DVD driver.

Before creating an image file, ensure that the floppy disk or CD/DVD is inserted to the floppy drive or CD/DVD drive on the local PC.

1. On the Remote Control screen, click on the toolbar.

   The window shown in Figure 5 is displayed.

   Figure 5 Creating an image file
   
   
2. Select a floppy driver or CD/DVD driver from the Driver drop-down list.
3. Click Browse. The Save window is displayed.
4. Select the directory where the local image file is stored, and enter the image file name in the File Name: text box.
   NOTE:

   The system supports only *.iso CD/DVD image files and *.img floppy disk image files.

5. Click Save.

   The window shown in Figure 5 is displayed.

6. Click Make.

   The system displays a message indicating that the image file is created.

   The Progress bar shows the image file creation progress in percentage.

   NOTE:

   You can click Stop to stop creating the image file.

Installing a Virtual Directory

This operation allows you to mount the directories on the local PC to the server so that the server can access the local directories in read-only mode.

1. On the Remote Control screen, click from the toolbar.

   The page shown in Figure 6 is displayed.

   Figure 6 Installing a virtual directory
   
   
2. Click the Directory option button.
3. Click Browse.

   The dialog box for selecting a local directory is displayed.

4. Select the required local directory and click Open.
5. Click Connect.
   NOTE:

       •  The virtual directory is displayed in the server OS list if the connection is successful. You can copy files from this directory.

       •  You can click Disconnect to uninstall the virtual directory if the connection is successful.

Powering On the Server

1. On the Remote Control screen, click on the toolbar, and choose Power On from the shortcut menu.

   The Select an Option dialog box is displayed.

2. Click Yes.

   The server is powered on.

   NOTE:

   The time required to power on a server is determined by the number of dual in-line memory modules (DIMMs).

Powering Off the Server

1. On the Remote Control screen, click on the toolbar, and choose Forcibly Power Off or Graceful Power Off from the shortcut menu.

   The Select an Option dialog box is displayed.

2. Click Yes.

   The server is powered off.

Restarting the Server

1. On the Remote Control screen, click on the toolbar, and choose Cold Reset or Graceful Reboot from the shortcut menu.

   The Select an Option dialog box is displayed.

2. Click Yes.

   The server is restarted.

   NOTE:

   The time required to restart a server is determined by the number of DIMMs.

Resetting the USB Device

The USB keyboard and mouse are plugged and unplugged simultaneously.

1. On the Remote Control screen, click on the toolbar, and choose USB Reset from the shortcut menu.

   The Select an Option dialog box is displayed.

2. Click Yes.

   The USB is reset.

Recording a Video for the Real-time Desktop

Perform these operations to record a video for the real-time desktop displayed on the remote virtual console.

1. On the Remote Control screen, click on the toolbar, and choose Video from the shortcut menu.

   The Select an Option dialog box is displayed.

2. Click Yes.

   The Save window is displayed.

3. Select the local PC directory where the video file will be stored, and enter the video file name in the File Name: text box.
4. Click Save.

   The Remote Control page is displayed, and the real-time desktop is recorded as a video.

5. After the real-time desktop is recorded, click , and select Video Stop from the shortcut menu.

   The Select an Option dialog box is displayed.

6. Click Yes.

   The video file is stored in the specified directory on the local PC.

The video file is a *.rep file and can be played and captured on the video replay page. For detailed operations on the video replay page, see Video Play.

Using a Single Mouse

If the mouse of the local PC is not synchronized with that of the real-time desktop, you can use the single mouse function to hide the mouse of the local PC. Only the mouse of the real-time desktop is displayed on the Remote Control screen.

1. On the Remote Control screen, click on the toolbar, and choose Single Mouse from the shortcut menu.

   The Select an Option dialog box is displayed.

2. Click Yes.

   The mouse of the real-time desktop is displayed on the Remote Control screen.

Accelerating the Remote Mouse

Perform these operations to accelerate the mouse of the real-time desktop to synchronize it with the mouse of the local PC.

    •  If the server OS is SUSE Linux, perform the following operations:

    1. On the Remote Control screen, click .

        The Remote Control screen is displayed in full screen.

    2. Click on the toolbar.

        The mouse of the real-time desktop is synchronized with the mouse of the local PC.

    •  If the server OS is not SUSE Linux, perform the following operations:

    1. On the Remote Control screen, click on the toolbar, and choose Mouse Acceleration from the shortcut menu.

        The Select an Option dialog box is displayed.

    2. Click Yes.

       The mouse of the real-time desktop is accelerated and is synchronized with the mouse of the local PC.