joshabts Posted March 26, 2010 Share Posted March 26, 2010 I am pleased to announce the release of the first WHMCS server module specifically for VMware! This module provides basic client area functionality allowing clients to perform power operations on their own VMs through the WHMCS Client Portal. It also supports basic system functionality such as suspensions and unsuspensions will automatically suspend and resume client VMs based on the product status. It does all of this with NO special dependencies or prerequisites outside the normal WHMCS requirements. For more info, check out the basic documentation page here. To order this module (or the trial), click here! There is also a free 7-day trial that we are offering to allow people to at least get a feel for the current basic functionality. We are going to continue to update and improve on this module and would love any and all feedback regarding this module and any issues you might run into. We have plans for eventually including performance statistics as well as allowing for finer-tuned control and more detailed information and reporting. The other key feature we are working on is VM deployment on new account orders. Licensing is $60/year for this module. We are going to be releasing a PHP class that is the basis of this, if you have a desire to use just the class to either write your own module or to use in other endeavors, and that will be included in the yearly cost. We will do our best to provide the highest level of support possible, but since I am the main developer and I have another job as well, I can only do so much! But I have developed this to be as user friendly and dead simple as possible. Hope this helps others out there that were like me and had no reasonable or usable solution! 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
remcom Posted March 27, 2010 Share Posted March 27, 2010 Quick question. Is there a warning message to users when they push actions? I'd hate for a customer to accidentally push reboot and not mean it and have no second chance to say yes/no. Does the module update status if graceful restart does not work? 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joshabts Posted March 27, 2010 Author Share Posted March 27, 2010 As of right now there is no confirmation, but that is definitely something easy enough to add. Not sure what update you mean but they can see the current power status of the system so itd be easy enough to tell of it did or not. Ill keep that in mind to see about having detailed status messages. Hope that helps. I can write more later. On blaclberry atm. Josh 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joshabts Posted April 1, 2010 Author Share Posted April 1, 2010 Updated v1.0.1 has been released. This version adds in confirmation for client power actions and admin controls in the admin area as well as numerous bug fixes. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
getup Posted April 3, 2010 Share Posted April 3, 2010 Are you planning extra functionality, like taking snapshots for instance? What is to be expected in the future? 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joshabts Posted April 3, 2010 Author Share Posted April 3, 2010 Are you planning extra functionality, like taking snapshots for instance? What is to be expected in the future? Definitely looking at adding extra functionality. I have added a section to the information link found here, that details bugs as they have been reported as well as other features that I am looking to add. It will be slightly slow adding features beyond the base set included since there is no prebuilt API for this so I am writing all the code myself to interact with vSphere/ESX(i) that way there are no dependencies that others have had (like having to install the perl api sdk). Makes it faster and able to provide more functionality. As always any input on features is definitely welcome, to help provide direction (read: no guarantee). But I will do my best. As to the snapshots, the only concern I have with such a feature (have yet to do much research) is how to limit clients from using tons of space constantly making snapshots and using tons of server resources during the process. Maybe VMware has a way of limiting the # of snapshots per VM instance? But yeah any discussion or input I would gladly take. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rodeoXtreme Posted April 19, 2010 Share Posted April 19, 2010 Hi Josh, We are using vsphere; will your module work for our system? Thanks 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joshabts Posted April 19, 2010 Author Share Posted April 19, 2010 Hi Keith, I currently use it in our own vSphere environment, however the only notable exception is that you have to enter the host IP that the VM is on, not the vSphere account itself. So if you are doing things like dynamic resource allocation or migrating VMs constantly this module may not quite yet work the way you would hope (since you can't see the vSphere server). But if you are keeping VMs on the same server most of the time, then it works fine with vSphere, just use the ESX/ESXi host ip address. If you have other questions either post here or contact me via chat on our website! I would be glad to help however I can. Thank! 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ezyweb Posted April 25, 2010 Share Posted April 25, 2010 (edited) Hi Josh, With respect, I think $60.00 a year is pretty steep to simply provide clients with some pretty buttons to control the power in their VMs. Any client who has a VM will most likely know how to either RDP to Windows and do a reboot, or SSH to Linux and do a "shutdown -r now". A one-time $60 owned license would be something I'd consider, but at $60 a year for what it does, it's just too expensive. Have you considered adding the ability to power on the VM if it has been Gracefully Powered Off? Otherwise it seems a bit pointless to be able to shut it down in the first place if you can't Power it On later. Kerry Edited April 25, 2010 by ezyweb 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joshabts Posted April 25, 2010 Author Share Posted April 25, 2010 Any client who has a VM will most likely know how to either RDP to Windows and do a reboot, or SSH to Linux and do a "shutdown -r now". What if the client runs a program that locks up their VM? They are unable to RDP or SSH into their VM, then they want the same remote power capabilities as any other server such as hard power off and reset. Have you considered adding the ability to power on the VM if it has been Gracefully Powered Off? Otherwise it seems a bit pointless to be able to shut it down in the first place if you can't Power it On later. The client is able to run any power function as I originally stated not just power off. If the VM is in a powered off state they are able to power on. If the VM is powered on, the client is able to graceful power off, force power off, graceful reboot, forced reset, and even suspend. If the VM is suspended the client is able to unsuspend. In addition to all of this, if the product itself in WHMCS is suspended (i.e. non-payment) the module should suspend the VM as well as prevent the client from unsuspending it until payment has been made. I appreciate your comments but the work that is involved in being able to have a single script that completely by itself interacts with the VMware API is well worth the cost in my opinion. Google around and you will find just about zero information on getting a PHP API setup to work with the SDK and that is what we have implemented here. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PsyberMind Posted April 28, 2010 Share Posted April 28, 2010 I really like this mod, and would be interested in buying. Just a quick question Is automated provisioning on your roadmap? 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joshabts Posted April 28, 2010 Author Share Posted April 28, 2010 I really like this mod, and would be interested in buying. Just a quick question Is automated provisioning on your roadmap? That is the hope for the next major update I am able to make to it. There are a few issues in how to make this work properly with the vSphere environment and API but definitely it is one of the main things I would like to have for myself as well. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PsyberMind Posted April 28, 2010 Share Posted April 28, 2010 That alone would make it worth the $60 I can't wait 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ezyweb Posted May 3, 2010 Share Posted May 3, 2010 I agree. If auto-provisioning was added, then this would be a module I would strongly consider. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scvps Posted August 25, 2010 Share Posted August 25, 2010 Hello, Does this work for vhspere? 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
remcom Posted August 25, 2010 Share Posted August 25, 2010 Yes it does. You just need to add the information for the Hosts directly and not vcenter. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joshabts Posted September 1, 2010 Author Share Posted September 1, 2010 Depends what you mean by vSphere. Currently it only works when connecting directly to a specific ESX or ESXi host. You DO have to have the paid license (hence vSphere) to be able to use this, but you cannot point it at a vCenter server and have it control everything, it has to point at specific hosts (can have multiple copies of the module to connect to multiple hosts). The free license of ESXi won't work because VMware has restricted that API from being able to write, which is necessary for our functionality. Also we have them to thank for all the goofy product naming conventions. ;-) 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joshabts Posted September 1, 2010 Author Share Posted September 1, 2010 Whoops, just realized there was a 2nd page to this. Thanks for the response Jonathan, you are correct. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ehuk Posted September 9, 2010 Share Posted September 9, 2010 Hi There, Very interested in this, is it possible / is it on your roadmap to use vCenter to find which host the VM is on? We use DRS and vMotion so obviously at any one point a VM can change host. Is this a feature you would look into adding? Many Thanks. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
urbee Posted October 27, 2010 Share Posted October 27, 2010 How safe is this? Since the password is getting stored somewhere.. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OggieMagoo Posted November 1, 2010 Share Posted November 1, 2010 I think the $60 per year is a REALLY good price!! 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oscer Posted December 20, 2010 Share Posted December 20, 2010 Im just going to go out on a limb and assume this does not work with vmware server 2 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wiszmaster Posted February 2, 2011 Share Posted February 2, 2011 Hi Josh, Do you have any plans for near future releases? Looking for compatibility with vCenter Server, my hosts are in a DRS enabled 'cluster', VMs are not always on the same host. Thanks. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LunaHost Posted February 19, 2011 Share Posted February 19, 2011 I certainly don't mean to be insulting and I applaud any effort to create a module to integrate functions for VMWare but $60 for a module to power off/power on? You should just give that away to get the registrations so you can sell a product that offers more functionality when you have it. Today, the client just needs to run the viClient and connect to the ESX/ESXi host to manage any VMs in the resource pool and there is much more available than just a power off/power on. I, and others for sure, would be willing to beta test the module but certainly wouldn't pay to do it. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beachbum Posted April 4, 2011 Share Posted April 4, 2011 Has auto provisioning been added yet? Samantha 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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