How to Access vCenter Remotely Using Putty

Here is a quick and easy way way to access your vCenter remotely using an ssh client like Putty.

Configure Home Network

• Open SSH on your router to a Linux or VM host and create Port Forwarding entry to forward SSH traffic to Linux or VM host

• If using VM host as SSH, go to VM and allow SSH

Configure Laptop/Workstation Used to Access vCenter

• Edit LMhosts on Windows7

go to %systemroot%\Windows\System32\drivers\etc and edit the lmhosts file.  Add an entry at the bottom of the file with any hostname you choose.  In this example, I used the name “myvcenter”

•  Now, Configure Putty
  • Start Putty and create a session with the hostname of your home/work router

• Now, configure the tunnels needed to access the vcenter (TCP ports 80, 443 and 9443)

• When done, you should look like this
• 

• Now, go to sessions again and save this session so you don;t have to added again.
• Go ahead and connect to your SSH session
• Start your vSphere Client and use “myvcenter” as your host name

• Now you should be connected to your vCenter through Putty