vmware - did anyone get it working?

[mazedk]

So, did anyone actually get the vmware plugin working?

[tallship]

Yes. We did. The day or day after it came out I think.

And then it wouldn't provision. And we and others posted on the kbkp forums about it.

And then it disappeared. And then it stopped working completely.

And then it suddenly appeared as a paid module, and some people bought it. And from what I read it failed to provision for what I think was at least two other parties that were trying to get it to work.

We adopted HostBill back in What, March 2012 or so for two reasons.

• It had native support for Xen
• It had new native support for VMware (4.1)
• It had new native support for CloudStack (buggy)

Okay I lied, four reasons. The three above plus we really liked the way it looked from both the Admin and client side of things, and felt that it would be refreshing for VPS customers to have a different feel than the standard WHMCS/SolusVM feel.

So no. We haven't got the FREE VMware 5 module to work completely, and now it doesn't appear to exist anymore anyway.

Because of that, I have no interest in paying for a module either - unless it's from a third party developer like perhaps some of the folks that @Thetrusteeco has been kind enough to turn us all onto in the developer sections. You should check out those parties.

In fact, I'm looking to replace just about any native functionality of modules in HostBill with third party modules that will adequately replace those native modules - I'll trust just about any third party developer more than kbkp software at this point, and although I think that many here are very reluctant to admit to it, I'm certain that a large percentage of HostBill customers feel the same way.

When I see posts like yours over and over again, I cannot help but see that poor, pathetic thread topic in the kbkp forums during the final days that said merely, "Stop Lying in the Changelogs!".

[UCG_Keith]

We have been able to connect the VMware 5 module to one of our vCenters, it pulls information but doesn't provision.  We came to HB for a specific reason; it supposedly supports vCloud Director.  But that is another large can of worms.

We have decided not to use the modules because they either don't work or they are not reliable so we just manually provision the VM's.

If there is a TBP that is trusted to build a vmware / vcloud module we would consider their proposal.

Cheers,
Keith

[Paul]

So, I had an open ticket for the VMWare module, for it to support v5 (it had been out for over an year after all), and a month or so later Kris said he'd do it, if I provided a test bed. So I gave him access to a fresh ESXi 5.1 system and he began. It was about a week, week and a half of him messing with it, then he released it. Didn't ask me to do any testing, didn't seem to do much testing himself, released it, closed the ticket, and that was that.

I have not gotten it to work properly. Then seeing it as a paid module was surprising. So many reasons why I bought HostBill in the first place flew out the window. WHMCS import script? Defunct. VMWare module? v4 then finally v5 but non-working, then additionally paid version.

The communication from Kris during the process was also very... cold. I mean, I gave him hardware to update his software and tried to be very nice and offered additional help with it, but just got very cold answers if at all.

I really wish this software was under the hands of a different person, a different company. It would be awesome if it was actually being run in a normal way. This dung is all insane. Removing forums, when tickets cost $75? Hell, Forums were listed as a support feature in the product descriptions... removing them appears to be a removal of paid-for functionality. So he's relying on these "unofficial" forums to carry the weight? That's like wal-mart intentionally keeping people as part-time and low wage, and relying on the government to provide food stamps, etc. so they don't have to pay more of their profit. All despicable business tactics if you ask me.

[tallship]

That's like wal-mart intentionally keeping people as part-time and low wage, and relying on the government to provide food stamps, etc. so they don't have to pay more of their profit. All despicable business tactics if you ask me.

I concur.

Hey @Paul, did you see this VMware related thread HERE?

[UCG_Keith]

HEY KRIS,

I have a SERIOUS OFFER - I will BUY HOSTBILL. We have cash, PM me your offer.  I believe in your product but I DO NOT trust you as a business owner.  It's apparent that you are a good developer but a HORRIBLE business manager, Customer Service Representative.  We are willing to even keep you as a Developer.

Cheers,
Keith

[John]

HEY KRIS,

I have a SERIOUS OFFER - I will BUY HOSTBILL. We have cash, PM me your offer.  I believe in your product but I DO NOT trust you as a business owner.  It's apparent that you are a good developer but a HORRIBLE business manager, Customer Service Representative.  We are willing to even keep you as a Developer.

Cheers,
Keith

Many people have offered before, but he has turned them all down.

[mazedk]

Thanks for the replies.

I got it working now, after paying $99 for the vmware 5 plugin.

I wonder if they (Kris) has any plans on adding the option to deploy/provision from different images. Right on its only possible to deploy from say Debian unless you create a new product under your VPS services or so. Which is kinda annoying

[Paul]

good to know the paid version "works". I provide him with a screwing ESXi 5.1 server, he gives us a broken one, then turns around and makes it a $99 paid module for the "working" one? This took him like one week of dicking around, mind you, while doing all the other updates as well. makes my blood boil.

[tallship]

I believe that we are actually entitled to the VMware 5 module for free.


I've posted several times regarding this point.


Having said that, however, it might only be the free broken one we're entitled to from kbkp's standpoint, even though there's no place to download that one either anymore.

[CBlade]

So this vmware 5.1 module work or not?

[mazedk]

Paid version Works for us.

Theres a few Things i'd like to have been able to change/do.. but not sure if thats going to happen.. like deploy different iso/templates under the same product aswell as auto-generate the hostname so its easier for me to keep track in my vcenter.

[CBlade]

Paid version Works for us.

Theres a few Things i'd like to have been able to change/do.. but not sure if thats going to happen.. like deploy different iso/templates under the same product aswell as auto-generate the hostname so its easier for me to keep track in my vcenter.

So the paid module provision in esxi 5.1?

[mazedk]

Well, We do it in vcenter.

[Paul]

he built/upgraded it on one of my ESXi 5.1 servers that I did not have connected to vCenter at the time, so yes, ESXi, as well as partially with vCenter as mazedk confirms.