6.0.1

n
If you are using a session manager or environment that does not support the Desktop Application
Autostart Specification, available from http://standards.freedesktop.org.
n
If you upgrade VMware Tools.
Procedure
u
Start the VMware User process.
Option Action
Start the VMware User process
when you start an X session.
Add vmware-user to the appropriate X startup script, such as
the .xsession or .xinitrc file.
Start the process after a VMware
Tools software upgrade, or if
certain features are not working.
Open a terminal window and type the vmware-user command.
Security Considerations for Configuring VMware Tools
Some VMware Tools settings might expose security risks. For example, VMware Tools enables you to
connect virtual devices such as serial and parallel ports to virtual machines. A connected device could be a
potential channel of attack. To harden a virtual machine and reduce security risks as much as possible,
disable the VMware Tools features that might be vulnerable to security threats.
For complete information about securely deploying VMware vSphere in a production environment,
including security recommendations for hosts, virtual machines, management components, and a
networking infrastructure, see the vSphere Hardening Guide. VMware Tools settings relate only to the virtual
machine aspect of a deployment.
Virtual machines are encapsulated in a small number of files. One of the important files is the configuration
file (.vmx file). This file governs the performance of the virtual hardware and other settings. You can use
several methods to see and modify the configuration settings:
n
Open the .vmx file directly in a text editor.
n
Use the vSphere Web Client to edit virtual machine settings. In the vSphere Web Client, editing these
configuration parameters is an advanced option in the virtual machine Edit Settings dialog box.
n
Use the vSphere Client to edit virtual machine settings. In the vSphere Client, editing these
configuration parameters is an advanced option in the virtual machine Edit Settings dialog box.
n
Use a vSphere API-based tool, such as Power CLI, to view and modify .vmx parameters.
After you edit a setting, the change does not take effect until you restart the virtual machine.
Review the following list of potential security threats and the corresponding VMware Tools parameters to
set in the virtual machine's .vmx file. The defaults for many of these parameters are already set to protect
virtual machines from these threats.
Chapter 11 VMware Tools Components, Configuration Options, and Security Requirements
VMware, Inc. 209