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I run a Hyper-V server running several Hyper-V VMs. I was wondering if there is any way for me to manage

  • the Hyper-V server itself (just Hyper-V role, not the rest of the server box) and
  • the Hyper-V VMs (like connecting into them)

via Mac OS?

I'm on Mac OS 10.8 on my main laptop. From what I've been seeing the Hyper-V management tools are all Windows based.

DeepSpace101
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  • Remote Desktop? – HopelessN00b Aug 20 '12 at 02:18
  • Thanks @HopelessN00b ! But 1) I'd need to enable Remote Desktop in each client and the server (attack surface) 2) Remote Desktop for Mac doesn't understand the newer Windows Live authentication for logging into Windows 8 VMs. It always fails login requiring a manual login. 3) Managing the server this way introduces an additional step (of remote desktoping to the server) just to launch the hyper-v management tools. Of course, I might use this route if Mac OS isn't supported in any other legit manner. – DeepSpace101 Aug 20 '12 at 02:50
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    There are no native Hyper-V management tools for OSX. – SpacemanSpiff Aug 20 '12 at 03:46
  • Is this still an issue with remote desktop or has it caught up now? – Aran Mulholland Sep 06 '14 at 07:46

4 Answers4

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I can give you two options:

1) Install a hypervisor and make yourself a Windows 7 VM with the appropriate tools... this is costs a few hundred dollars at most, probably a good investment either way.

2) Use some kind of thin client app using TS Web Services or Citrix.

SpacemanSpiff
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  • I'm using the official MS tools via VirtualBox + my Windows 7 Dev VM on the Macbook Pro. I've also setup HopelessN00b's suggestion of RDP. Over time, I'll see if the inconvenience of firing up the Win7 VirtualBox VM on the Mac is worse or if Mac RDP + opening RDP on all the Hyper-V VMs firewalls + enable service is worse ... – DeepSpace101 Aug 20 '12 at 05:04
  • @Sid Virtual machine is the way to go. The MS Remote Desktop client for Mac is unstable. – Skyhawk Aug 20 '12 at 06:37
  • Yes it is... it completely hoses the network stack on my 10.6 machine from time to time. The open source alternatives seem better. The VM will go much further for you I think. – SpacemanSpiff Aug 20 '12 at 12:42
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Alternatives: (in order of easiest and most reliable to not really what you are asking)

  1. Install vmware Fusion on your MAC. Use fusion to create a VM for Windows 8.1 and then you can connect with the hyper-v tools in MS.

  2. Install a windows 8.1 workstation on your Hyper-V as a virtual machine to manage the actual hyper-v (this is a little more difficult) and then RDP to that box instead of a server.

  3. Try using an ESXi Server instead of Hyper-V (*use the free version.) Download a trial/free version from VMWare (you will have to register) and then you can load ESXi on a box to host virtual machines. I have been able to access the web client from a Mac using vshpere in esx5.1

masegaloeh
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digidwain
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This still shows high on search results so,

Official Microsoft Remote Desktop is pretty stable now though only gives you terminal style tools (flat connection and some remapped keys) like the old mstsc.

Another work around if you cannot enable RD on all clients is use an old or existing physical windows machine/server that you can enable Remote Desktop for, from your Mac use the official Microsoft Remote Desktop then use the tools on that to remote manage clients; this does become tricky with key bindings and screen resolution (set resolution/scale in the RD app edit) but can allow you to admin windows, even from iOS.

user390570
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It's a shame nobody has posted another answer in almost a year. I've had the same concern recently as I'm wanting to test the VDI-in-a-box solution from Citrix without having to buy a lot of Microsoft products just to get going. There are several solutions available now that run on the server itself without the need of remote tools such as RSAT which, as you pointed out, are Windows only.

The first place to start is here: http://stephanco.blogspot.com/

This is where to find a free set of GUI tools that run on the 2012 Hyper-V free server core. Really amazing product.

Another option is the free tools from 5nine.com although they really would prefer you buy their fee-based product.

Lastly, many have reported good results with vtutilities which also run on the server.

Hope that helps. I had to do a few hours of research to find all of that but it is working well for me so far. I'm using an older Dell PowerEdge SC1430 with dual quad cores and 8 gigs of RAM. Very decent (for a test server.)

Mark Conger
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