VMware GSX 3 - Manual (Page 114)

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114
VMware GSX Server Administration Guide
Securing Virtual Machines and the Host
This section describes how you can set permissions and implement security features
for your virtual machines and the server host. It includes the following topics:
• Understanding Permissions and Virtual Machines on page 114
• Authenticating Users and Running Virtual Machines on a GSX Server for
Windows Host on page 117
• Authenticating Users and Running Virtual Machines on a GSX Server for Linux
Host on page 119
• Checking Permissions in the VMware Management Interface on page 121
• Securing Your Remote Sessions on page 121
The VMware knowledge base has an article about best practices you can use to
improve security for the GSX Server host and virtual machines. For information, see
www.vmware.com/support/kb/enduser/std_adp.php?&p_faqid=1042 .
Understanding Permissions and Virtual Machines
Access to a virtual machine is based on the permissions you, as a user, are granted to
the virtual machine's configuration file (.vmx). Different permissions let you access
virtual machines in different ways. These ways include:
• Browsing virtual machines.
• Interacting with virtual machines.
• Configuring virtual machines.
• Administering virtual machines and the host.
If the virtual machine is on a Windows host, permissions on more virtual machine files
may be needed, depending upon the user account the virtual machine uses while
running. For information, see
Authenticating Users and Running Virtual Machines on a
GSX Server for Windows Host on page 117 .
Browsing a Virtual Machine
Browsing a virtual machine lets you connect to it with a console, but you can see only
the virtual machine’s power state. The virtual machine display is blank, even if the
virtual machine is running. You cannot interact with the virtual machine at all.
To browse a virtual machine, you need Read permission for the virtual machine’s
configuration file on a Windows host, or read (r) permission on a Linux host.