To manage a StarWind-based infrastructure from a centralized console, StarWind provides a Management Web Console with a full access to your StarWind environment from any HTML5-capable web browser.
The management via browser makes use of the StarWind Gateway VM that accepts incoming HTTP connections and transforms them into RDP sessions to target servers.
Deploy StarWind Gateway VM in vSphere
From StarWind website, download the zipped OVF template StarWind Gateway VM and save it anywhere in your computer. Extract the files from the ZIP file.
Open the VMware Sphere Web Client, right click the cluster object from the Inventory and select Deploy OVF Template.
Click Browse to select the two files extracted from the downloaded ZIP file. Click Next.
Enter a Name for the VM and the location then click Next.
Specify the resource to use and click Next.
Click Next.
Select the virtual disk format and the Datastore to use then click Next.
Specify the Destination Network and click Next.
Click Finish to begin the deployment.
Install StarWind Web Console feature
To be reachable from the Management Web Console, you need to install the StarWind Web Console feature to each StarWind VSAN server you want to manage.
Run the StarWind VSAN installer and click Next after accepting the EULA.
From the Components list, select the Configure user account for Web-access to Management Console option then click Next.
Go through next steps and complete the installation of the StarWind VSAN server.
Configure the StarWind appliance
By default, the StarWind Gateway VM is configured to receive an automatic IP address via DHCP. Before powering on the Gateway VM, the creation of a DHCP reservation is recommended to assign a static IP address to the appliance to simplify the connection. Make sure you configure also a DNS resolving.
Creating a DHCP reservation
To create a DHCP reservation, we need to get the MAC address of the appliance's NIC. From the vSphere Web Client right click the virtual machine and select Edit Settings.
From Virtual Hardware tab, expand Network Adapter 1 and write down the MAC Address value.
Access the configuration of your DHCP Server (Windows version in the example) and create a New Reservation.
Enter a Reservation name, the IP address to assign and the MAC address of the StarWind appliance's NIC. Click Add when done.
The DHCP reservation has been created.
Creating a DNS entry
Now access the configuration of your DNS Server (Windows version in the example) and create a New Host (A record). Enter the Name and the IP address then click Add Host.
Configure the StarWind Gateway VM
When the DHCP reservation and DNS entry have been configured, power on the VM. Right click the VM and select Power > Power On.
Check if the assigned IP Address reported in the vSphere Web Client matches your DHCP configuration.
From your favorite browser and enter the DNS name of the appliance to open the StarWind Management Web Console. Enter the default credentials and click Login.
Username: starwind
Password: starwind
The system establishes the connection with the appliance.
Press ALT+CTRL+SHIFT combination to access the Settings pop up menu. Click the user's icon and select Settings.
Go to Connections tab and click StarWind Web Console.
In the Hostname field type the IP address of target server then click Save. By default the system uses port 3389 for RDP, specify the correct Port value if you have configured a custom RDP port instead.
The system connects the configured server. Click Add Server to add StarWind servers to Management Web Console.
Enter the IP address or DNS name of the Host then click OK.
Right click the discovered server and select Connect.
The configuration of target server is displayed. Note this is same view you have while opening the console directly from the StarWind VSAN server.
You can add all your StarWind environment components and manage them from a centralized web console. In the example, the web console is configured to manage servers for StarWind VSAN and VTL services.
Using the Management Web Console you are able to monitor and control the storage-related operations centrally from any HTML5-capable web browser.
