RDP Console Facility for windows Server running in Gns3 VM (running In Vmware Workstation) from Windows Client Machine

[aksplease]

HI Jeremy/Team ,

Can RDP console feature option be integrated in place of VNC for windows server/client running in gns3 VM(vmware workstation )like the feature available in EVE-MG. ?please look in to the snapshot provided

.?

[josephmhiggins]

Oh, a lot harder than I thought. It took me 2 hours. Instead of in the VNC tab, tvnviewer.exe %h:%p You want an RDP tab (or maybe the VNC tab renamed as Serial (Com???) and %windir%\system32\mstsc.exe /v %h:%p Right? Looks legit.

[aksplease]

dear josephhiggins

yes, i want the RDP console to servers/clients ruuning in GNS3 VM from my Hosting windows machine. which can help me to take control of server /client windows running inside qemu vm and also help in file transfer etc etc .or something work-around like that you can explore the feature in EVE-NG which has that facility. regardsashok  On Monday, 3 October, 2022 at 05:40:26 pm IST, josephhiggins @.***> wrote:

Oh, a lot harder than I thought. It took me 2 hours. Instead of in the VNC tab, tvnviewer.exe %h:%p You want an RDP tab (or maybe the VNC tab renamed as Serial (Com???) and %windir%\system32\mstsc.exe /v %h:%p Right? Looks legit.

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[josephmhiggins]

Strictly, by the book ("Windows 2019 Server In and Out"), I made it to the second paragraph....I mean literally the second paragraph in the book and the book says: "Windows Server is designed to be administered remotely rather than locally. ... The vast majority of Windows Server instances are running as virtual machines, either in datacenters or in the cloud, and we are long past the days where your primary method of switching between different servers that you were working on was by selecting different options on a KVM switch."

In other words, the book does not want you to use the console. But, we are just learning so your request is fine with me.

Just a word of caution at the developers that David Bombal has videos and they will reference that VNC tab, but that is not my call. Hopefully, everyone that watches youtube videos know that things can go out of date quickly.

[aksplease]

thank you for your answer. I am asking for the feature for lab purpose same facility is provided by EVE-NG as well.it will be nice to get the feature or some thing work-around like that ...as through this method we can share file etc. from our local machine to windows running in gns3 vm .hopefullt developer team will find some work-around  can you share me david link on which he has explained something how to implement rdp in place of vnc .

thank u  ...   On Monday, 3 October, 2022 at 05:51:21 pm IST, josephhiggins @.***> wrote:

Strictly, by the book ("Windows 2019 Server In and Out"), I mad it to the second paragraph....I mean literally the second paragraph in the book and the book says: "Windows Server is designed to be administered remotely rather than locally. ... The vast majority of Windows Server instances are running as virtual machines, either in datacenters or in the cloud, and we are long past the days where your primary method of switching between different servers that you were working on was by selecting different options on a KVM switch."

In other words, the book does not want you to use the console. But, we are just learning so your request is fine with me.

Just a word of caution at the developers that David Bombal has videos and they will reference that VNC tab, but that is not my call. Hopefully, everyone that watches youtube videos know that things can go out of date quickly.

— Reply to this email directly, view it on GitHub, or unsubscribe. You are receiving this because you authored the thread.Message ID: @.***>

[aksplease]

yes, i got the link of David let me check .

On Monday, 3 October, 2022 at 05:57:34 pm IST, Ashok Sahoo ***@***.***> wrote:  

thank you for your answer. I am asking for the feature for lab purpose same facility is provided by EVE-NG as well.it will be nice to get the feature or some thing work-around like that ...as through this method we can only share file etc. from our local machine to windows running in gns3 vm only .hopefullt developer team will find some work-around  can you share me david link on which he has explained something how to implement rdp in place of vnc .

thank u  ...   On Monday, 3 October, 2022 at 05:51:21 pm IST, josephhiggins @.***> wrote:

Strictly, by the book ("Windows 2019 Server In and Out"), I mad it to the second paragraph....I mean literally the second paragraph in the book and the book says: "Windows Server is designed to be administered remotely rather than locally. ... The vast majority of Windows Server instances are running as virtual machines, either in datacenters or in the cloud, and we are long past the days where your primary method of switching between different servers that you were working on was by selecting different options on a KVM switch."

In other words, the book does not want you to use the console. But, we are just learning so your request is fine with me.

Just a word of caution at the developers that David Bombal has videos and they will reference that VNC tab, but that is not my call. Hopefully, everyone that watches youtube videos know that things can go out of date quickly.

— Reply to this email directly, view it on GitHub, or unsubscribe. You are receiving this because you authored the thread.Message ID: @.***>

[josephmhiggins]

Remote desktop connection is designed for remote; in other words, you should be going through the GNS3 cloud. If you have some security/financial reason that you can not dedicate another port....then there is nothing I can say.

In the real world, using the console of a device is for emergency use only. Sharing files is not an emergency.

But, like I said, this is the developers' call.

2nd Edit: In the real world, if you make a mistake at the console, then you can get locked out and then you have write a report and explain what happened (usually a configuration error) and then you have to schedule downtime with a whole bunch of entities. If you make a mistake on an ssh/vty line, then you can rollback and get someone remotely to console in or reboot the device before the changes take effect.

[aksplease]

pls find my requested feature from my snapshot the console should have a console by RDP option for lab purpose.as its difficult to transfer file and take control of windows running inside gns3 vm from the gns3 hosting pc

[cristian-ciobanu]

There is a similar request opened a while ago to support RDP connection for accesing Docker containers. https://github.com/GNS3/gns3-gui/issues/2601. RDP server is not tied to Windows servers it is supported also on Linux and Mac machines also. When work on this feature will start (which has a milestone set to version 3.1) I think implementing RDP support for Qemu VMs can also be done, although the Spice + agent protocol does a good job at handling the console connections for Qemu VMs.

[josephmhiggins]

"Spice + agent protocol does a good job" - yeah, kind of a hidden point. Years ago, VNC with the Windows VM in GNS3 was a nightmare to use. Someone, somewhere fixed something. I used VNC for Windows 2016 server in gns3 2.2.34 - and it was great. But aksplease want to use remote desktop for file transfers....so that's up the developers.

[josephmhiggins]

Yeah. If aksplease says it is remote desktop is a console application, then that is good enough for me; it is a console application I just downloaded the 2019 server evaluation copy so I will only update the gns3 windows_server.gns3a

@aksplease You are now the resident gns3 windows server 2022 expert so....you have to update that portion of the windows_server.gnsa

If you do not how to update the 2022 portion of the windows.gnsa file on github, then join the club because I do not know how to update the 2019 server portion of the file.

[eantowne]

Using RDP as the console protocol will not allow file transfer most likely. That will not be a connection to the servers RDP server, it is a connection to a RDP interface into qemu that is serving video, mouse and keyboard interaction.

You need to setup a network connection from the server to your real world lan or use a vm inside of GNS3 to RDP with.

On Mon, Oct 3, 2022 at 19:22 josephhiggins @.***> wrote:

Yeah. If aksplease says it is remote desktop is a console application, then that is good enough for me; it is a console application I just downloaded the 2019 server evaluation copy so I will only update the gns3 windows_server.gns3a

@aksplease https://github.com/aksplease You are now the resident gns3 windows server 2022 expert so....you have to update that portion of the windows_server.gnsa

If you do not how to update the 2022 portion of the windows.gnsa file on github, then join the club because I do not know how to update the 2019 server portion of the file.

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[josephmhiggins]

Yeah...and it kind of late in the game to add Remote Desktop as a console application to GNS3 < 3.0 VNC works great now, so I am a tiny bit against the enhancement. If I come across it in my Windows Server books, then I will mention whether the idea works or not.

But strictly by the book, I will be using Powershell windows remoting to do any file transfers or configuring my servers.........but only yesterday I decided to go all in on Visual studio to do powershell and python and C# and visual studio is extremely, extremely complicated for me. So it will be slow. I am against even for @aksplease please even trying to use Remote Desktop as file transfers through the console. I want him to use the cloud.

So...if someone has more than 1 physical ethernet card on a machine (I have 6), then a person can properly configure a "dead-end" network and the gns3 cloud will choose that ethernet card to communicate with the host; this will be iron-tight security.

[aksplease]

Yeah...and it kind of late in the game to add Remote Desktop as a console application to GNS3 < 3.0 VNC works great now, so I am a tiny bit against the enhancement. If I come across it in my Windows Server books, then I will mention whether the idea works or not.

But strictly by the book, I will be using Powershell windows remoting to do any file transfers or configuring my servers.........but only yesterday I decided to go all in on Visual studio to do powershell and python and C# and visual studio is extremely, extremely complicated for me. So it will be slow. I am against even for @aksplease please even trying to use Remote Desktop as file transfers through the console. I want him to use the cloud.

So...if someone has more than 1 physical ethernet card on a machine (I have 6), then a person can properly configure a "dead-end" network and the gns3 cloud will choose that ethernet card to communicate with the host; this will be iron-tight security.

hi josephmhiggins,

thank you for the effort you did I have 5 Lan port (2 dual port Lan card) +1 in my PC giga port. can you write the step wise how can I to get my desired feature like file transfer and taking console of Qemu window server? Without using RDP. Also once explore how that RDP feature working in EVE-NG KVM Windows Server as well to transfer file from hosting PC by taking console. or make a small video of the process ...

[josephmhiggins]

I am actively engaged. I can not make videos because my Windows 10 GameBar is broken and I am going to throw my Windows 10 machine in the garbage by next year, I hope. So, I do not want to pay for a commercial video recorder for Windows 10 at this time.

You can use RDP through the GNS3 Cloud. I will upload the picture of my topology. My topology is designed to get SSH running through the cloud and then update the gns3 registry for windows server 2019 and windows server 2022 (powershell is different on 2022 vs 2019 and I have to investigate powershell for 2022).

.....I can write a stepwise procedure....but I did know if you wanted such a thing and that kind of thing should be on the GNS3 community board or in the GNS3 Marketplace as a lab. The gns3 developers do not know anything about ssh or windows server 2019,2022. So.....I will post over there and explain what I am doing.

The ensuing picture is for me to make sure I tidy things up so I can submit a pull request to the developers. I know nothing about gns3 registry pull requests...so that will take some time.

Your goal is very simple. Umm, thinking, you have to enable remote service access tools - or whatever they call it on Win2022; try a web search on "windows server 2022 enable rdp server". Then you just have to go through the cloud with your windows 11 (?) host. Try on youtube - "gns3 talks gns3 cloud" and look for videos within the last 3 years.

Most everything in gns3 is: youtube - gns3 talks - i want to do this

[josephmhiggins]

So.....that's why I am into this thread so much. Because, all the stuff I do in my gns3 lab regarding this thread............I am going to copy and paste everything I do and put it on my windows server 2019 Datacenter fully licensed copy.

That is why I am extremely, extremely excited about all of this. But..this is for the gns3 community board and not here on github.

[josephmhiggins]

My suggestion, after you see David Bombal's videos on the gns3 cloud, is: Go to gns3 community board and entitle a post: HowTo Best Upload a File from a Windows 11 host to a Windows Server 2022 in the GNS3 Topology

AND Close this thread out.

David is, arguably, the best in the world.

[aksplease]

Dear josephmhiggins/Dev-Team

please go though the video ,also asking the Dev-team to see it. can in this simple way RDP console be integrated in gns3 or not .please don't make things so complex .i am not asking for a big feature ...as its possible for EVE-NG.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rmKhGbq5UWw

[josephmhiggins]

Okay. I went through the video.

More importantly, in "Windows Server 2019 Inside Out" Chapter 1: "Remote Desktop remains the default method for connecting to Azure Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) VMs running the Windows Server 2016 and Windows Server 2019 operating system when those virtual machines are deployed from the PowerShell Gallery. You’ll learn more about running Windows Server on Azure in Chapter 17, 'Azure IaaS and hybrid services.'" - that's deadly

Two (2) buts, Ean is in the game and he does not think you can transfer files:

1. "Using RDP as the console protocol will not allow file transfer most likely."

   • that's deadly.

2. I will support RDP and will switch from a non-gui Windows Server 2019 to a Windows Server 2019 with a gui and change part two of my lab from from Enabling-PSRemoting to modify the default firewall rules of Windows Server 2019s (you have WS2022s). I do not want to explain why I am switching from Enable-PSRemoting to RDP because it is extremely complicated. Hopefully, after I fix the firewall rules and test everything, I will be able to transfer files (I have not used RDP ....think........in quite some time)

I will deal with with Enable-PSRemoting later because no gns3 community members use Powershell.

[josephmhiggins]

Oh, if Azure, or EVE-NG, modified the evaluation images to support RDP via the "console" connections, then I would say that modification would be completely illegal. I do not have the time to research whether, or not, Azure, or EVE-NG, modified the evaluation images.

[eantowne]

For clarity, my caveat about file transfer is if you are using RDP to replace VNC as the console within GNS3.

If you use RDP in the normal use case, workstation to the RDP server on the MS server, it will likely work as long as the capability is turned on in the server.

The console connection in GNS3 are not connected to the VM’s directly. They are connecting to an abstraction layer within kvm/qemu that is providing input/output to a virtual display and mouse keyboard.

On Thu, Oct 6, 2022 at 19:54 josephhiggins @.***> wrote:

Okay. I went through the video.

More importantly, in "Windows Server 2019 Inside Out" Chapter 1: "Note: Remote Desktop remains the default method for connecting to Azure Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) VMs running the Windows Server 2016 and Windows Server 2019 operating system when those virtual machines are deployed from the PowerShell Gallery. You’ll learn more about running Windows Server on Azure in Chapter 17, 'Azure IaaS and hybrid services.'" - that's deadly

Two (2) buts, Ean is in the game and he does not think you can transfer files:

1. "Using RDP as the console protocol will not allow file transfer most likely."

   • that's deadly.

2. I will support RDP and will switch from a non-gui Windows Server 2019 to a Windows Server 2019 with a gui and change part two of my lab from from Enabling-PSRemoting to modify the default firewall rules of Windows Server 2019s (you have WS2022s). I do not want to explain why I am switching from Enable-PSRemoting to RDP because it is extremely complicated. Hopefully, after I fix the firewall rules and test everything, I will be able to transfer files (I have not used RDP ....think........in quite some time)

I will deal with with Enable-PSRemoting later because no gns3 community members user Powershell.

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[aksplease]

hi Team i can take the RDP of Windows server running in GNS3 Qemu from my host machine .pls find the snapshot ,also can easily copy simply from my host machine and paste in Server running inside qemu .

please find my PC basic settings ..

[aksplease]

Well One Thing i Noticed when i introduced a IOSv or Any switch between Qemu Win-Server and the cloud interface i had to make the host machine fire wall disable.the same also been done for Qemu Win Server .

[aksplease]

Need One Tech support .. When i keep my bridge Port Busy with MS-Loop Back Interface how can i connect my Server to Internet using NAT-Interface ?as i want my Qemu Win-server to be connected to My Host Network Interface port which is connected to Internet Cloud and also simultaneously for LOCAL -Physical accesses as well

[josephmhiggins]

Great. You have RDP working.

this is a new thread and the topic should be de-escalated to the on GNS3 Community: "Well One Thing i Noticed when i introduced a IOSv or Any switch between Qemu Win-Server and the cloud interface i had to make the host machine fire wall disable.the same also been done for Qemu Win Server."

this is a another new thread and the topic should be de-escalated to the on GNS3 Community: "When i keep my bridge Port Busy with MS-Loop Back Interface how can i connect my Server to Internet using NAT-Interface as i want my Qemu Win-server to be connected to My Host Network Interface port which is connected to Internet Cloud and also simultaneously for LOCAL -Physical accesses as well"

These threads should be deescalated because other gns3 users need to learn how to do things properly also. Almost no gns3 users read the developer boards, so it is a waste of my time to post here.

You are not doing things properly.

You should open up 2 new threads on the gns3 community board for these new threads....and close this thread.

[josephmhiggins]

@aksplease Oh, do not close this out. Jeremy put this on the list to take a look sometime around gns3 version 3.1 But yeah, you still need 2 threads open in the gns3 community for your 2 new threads.

[aksplease]

hi , I think all my Issues resolved as for the requirement of my LAB OF SDWAN

i can simultaneously connect my server to Internet could and Local access to VM Devices (access from Host machine ).and Also windows RDP Console with easy file sharing (simple copy/past )

[aksplease]

hi josephmhiggins,

please look to the snapshot . why a console Window opens Automatically when i start gns3 APP, if by mistake i close this one the gns3 app gets closed .this was not there in earlier versions of gns3.how can i make it disappear ?

[josephmhiggins]

Again. This is a new thread. You are running Windows 11. I run Windows 10. Your statement "this was not there in earlier versions of gns3" is false. The question is: did GNS3 start properly in that exact run of GNS3????

How GNS3 starts depends on: your Microsoft .NET class and how the developers configure "the GNS3 start process" I would have to look how the gns3 developers configured GNS3 to start and I would primarily be concerned with the properties (open the twisties in the link) set in ProcessStartInfo Class https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/dotnet/api/system.diagnostics.processstartinfo?view=net-5.0 So we would have to look at: WindowsStyle CreateNewWindow UseShellExecute

and then we would have to look at the methods called in Process Class https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/dotnet/api/system.diagnostics.process?view=net-5.0

If that exact run did not open GNS3 properly, then it would have to be dealt with one way.

If that exact run did open GNS3 properly, then it could be just some kind of typo or your .NET framework version and a change in that from Windows 10....I run .NET 4.8 (and the .NET framework versions and the Microsoft Documentation on .NET is cumbersome). To find your .NET version go here: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/dotnet/framework/migration-guide/how-to-determine-which-versions-are-installed

Some of the Microsoft documentation is tricky because you have to always make sure you open the correct version by clicking on the twistie. But there is no twistie for .NET 4.8 But there is a twistie for .NET 5. So which twistie should I be opening..........I do not know.

On this one, I think we should leave this alone because some of the developers have been doing this for 20 years and any change can impact 100,000 gns3 users. But, if you like, you can learn how a process is started in Windows with the previous links - but you have to choose the correct version.

[aksplease]

OK. thank u for your replay ,still check with Dev. team if its possible to make it disappear ...as this window has no use

regards

[josephmhiggins]

It does not disappear if GNS3 crashes when it loads. You would have to manually close the "console host" crashes when GNS3 crashes. Did GNS3 crash? It looked like it crashed.

When GNS3 Network Simulator on Windows10, you can go into task manager select the Processes tab and then scroll down to open up the twistie GNS3 Network Simulator to see the processes which are "hidden" in the gns3.exe tree

That one you are showing is probably not part of any tree.

And............that console host is shown to be running in Administrator mode; i view that as illegal. The gns3 developers intention when they designed gns3 was to: never need to run gns3 in Administrator mode on windows. I have never run gns3 in Administrator mode, so I can not help you with any strange phenomena you encounter while running gns3 in Administrator mode.