Summary
VisualEsxtop is an enhanced version of resxtop and esxtop. VisualEsxtop can connect to VMware vCenter Server or ESX hosts, and display ESX server stats with a better user interface and more advanced features.
Features
- Live connection to ESX host or vCenter Server
- Flexible way of batch output
- Load batch output and replay them
- Multiple windows to display different data at the same time
- Line chart for selected performance counters
- Flexible counter selection and filtering
- Embedded tooltip for counter description
- Color coding for important counters
Bug Fixed:
Now works with ESXi 5.5.
Also see: How to Run VMware’s Fling VisualEsxtop on Mac OS X
System Requirements
You must have ESX 3.5 or above. Works with vCenter Server 4.0, 4.1, 5.0 and 5.1. Make sure Java 1.6 is in the PATH.
Instructions
- Download visualEsxtop.zip and unzip the file.
- Make sure Java 1.6 is in the PATH.
- Type
export JAVA_OPTS=-Xmx2048mif loading large amounts of data - Run
visualEsxtop.sh(linux) orvisualEsxtop.bat(Windows)
Video
Change Log
Engineers
 | Priya SethuramanR&D: Performance | |
 | Zhelong PanR&D: Performance | |
 | Haiping YangR&D: Performance | |
 | Joanna GuanR&D: Performance |
Add Comment
Hi All,
I got to say that’s a real great tool. However I must mention a weird problem I ran into using that tool :
When doing Storage vMotions on ESXi hosts (5.1 U2) and looking at “Disk World” stats on the ESXi host who was running the storage vmotion, the host will get disconnected from vCenter near the end of completion of the task (At the state where the ESXi host do some local disk I/O).
This problem did not happened all the time. Most often the problem has been seen on VMs that were more than 100-150 GB.
I was able to reproduce this error on 3 different machine types. All of my environment was checked and upgraded : last firmwares on servers, HDDs, SANs, and fiber switches. Also, most recent drivers were installed on ESXi hosts. Nothing did resolve my problem until I quit looking at my live “Disks stats” with visualEsxtop when doing storage vmotions.
Note : I was using the “visualesxtop.zip” downloaded before march 2014. I know that after March 5th 2014, the “vtop-core.jar” was modified and one line was added in the included file “StatsParser.class”, who was about a certain “wPerDevQueueDepth”.
Thanks,
Nicolas
I’m succeeding connecting to a single esxi 5.5 host but fails to connect to a vCenter.
I’m trying as it is written in the example . which port should i use : (443 ??).
is it just a question of port or am i doing something wrong ??
any one had luck with connecting to VC ?
I’m able to connect to a VC, I used xx.xx.xx.xx/xx.xx.xx.xx, make sure you entered the credentials of your VC, not the host
Thanks, I have omitted the port and was able to connect to an ESXi.
When i use Visualesxtop to connect to esx 4.1 systems it works well but when i use it to connect to esx 4.0 i get the following error:
Connection failed: failed to convert value of type [java.lang.string] to required…
Any hints how to fix this?
Thank you.
I am having the same problem as Alexandre, Visual ESXTop displays the same problem when connecting to ESX 4.0 hosts.
Looks like a great tool to monitor stats with advanced options but doesnt connect to ESxi5.5 any updates on the code,
Regards,
Anil
Hi Anil,
You can try it now, it should work with esxi 5.5 now
The tool is very useful indeed. Unfortunately, after upgrading to 5.5 we cannot use it any longer. Dear engineers, is there any plan about fixing the tool for the latest vsphere version?
Hi Francesco,
visualEsxtop should work with esxi 5.5 now
Cool tool!
But it seems like statistics for our NFS datastores are not displayed. Any plans to implents those is future?
Hi Guys, any plans to make this compatible with vSphere and vCenter 5.5 ?
visualEsxtop is now working with esxi 5.5
please help with usage of application
Make sure Java 1.6 is in the PATH. what does this means
Type export JAVA_OPTS=-Xmx2048m if loading large amounts of data. not able to run this command
Run visualEsxtop.sh (linux) or visualEsxtop.bat (Windows) bat file doesnt starts.
its windows 2008 server os where am trying to run this program
All — if this helps — I’m on Win7 x64 and JAVA 7u45 — I’m finding that if I use FQDN names all around within the program instead of short names — then the program does not freeze and does allow me to use AD login credentials
ie: vcenter.domain.com:443/esxihostname.domain.com
or
esxihostname.domain.com
Same as below, doesnt work with 5.5 :-(
visualEsxtop is now working with esxi5.5
I was able to connec to ESXi 5.1 hosts. Used to lockup every now and then but still was useful. After upgrading to 5.5, I get “Connection failed: /by zero”. I still have a few 5.1 host and I can connect to those fine.
the bug is fixed, it should work with esxi 5.5 now
Love the concept of this, however I’ve tested it out in Windows 7, Windows 2008R2, Windows2k3 x64 and all experience lockups, especially when trying to save to batch. Would definitely welcome any advice into making this more stable (I’ve tried adjusting java_opts). I’ve attempted to use both the x64 and x32 JDK (java version “1.7.0_40″)
please use java 1.6 instead of 1.7, the locking should go away.
Did anybody try that to connect to vSphere 5.5 esx host or vCenter? I am getting info, that it is not able to Connect:
“Connection failed: / by zero”
When I have try that before with vSphere 5.1 it works.
Thanks
I receive the same. Doesn’t say vSphere 5.5 supported though :(
it works with 5.5 now
What is the maximum snapshot supported when “Load All Batch Output”?
I have a batch file of 3 hours with 5 seconds interval (2160 snapshots) and unable to load this data without run into java heap OOM. I have already allocate 4096M to java heap and still no go.
Thanks,
Tommy S.
Check this blog post for installation instructions:
http://blogs.vmware.com/kb/2013/09/using-visualesxtop-to-troubleshoot-performance-issues-in-vsphere-2.html
Does anyone have an idea of how many data points are supported? I seem to be seeing only a limited number of a longer-term capture. I’d like to widen the “domain” scope.
Could you provide more detail into the directions for running in Windows OS? What does “Make sure Java 1.6 is in the PATH” mean exactly?
Mike…it means that if you open a command prompt and type “java -version” you get a legit response :) Basically that your machine understands how to execute Java stuff. You should have no problem using Google to get Java into your path if you don’t get a response to the above command.
I’m trying to chart an ESXTOP trace that was conducted over a period of 4 hours w/5 sec samples. I can open the CSV alright but I only seem to be able to see the last ~15 minutes of data (loading the entire batch file, not replaying it). Is there some limitation on the number of data points the tool will allow?
Any word on an update for this Fling?
do anyone successful connect to vcenter server on this tools? and how please thanks
Is there anyway to invoke the ‘v’ that you’d hit after connecting to ESXtop to display VM stats?
Works well on XP x64. Windows7 x64 hangs consistently.
It would be great to make the graph page exportable to CSV, especially considering that the saved batch file native counters don’t have names that can be easily identify them for graphhing using other means.
If I want to compare storage CMDS/s or GAVG/s I can’t find that in the saved counter set but I can graph them within the tool if I load the saved file. Is CMDS/s calculated? I’d love to know how some of these counters are accessed or named to get at them directly so I can greate more advanced graphs.
Excellent job!!!
The zip file for download comes up as corrupt or empty even though it shows 4.6 meg in size. Any suggestions?
file corrupt too, zip is empty
1. download the zip.
2. extract it.
3. rename the visualEsxtop-1 file (without extension) to visualEsxtop-1.tar
4. extract this one also.
When I try to extract the zip, it says it doesn’t contain any files.
Allright, got it extracted with 7 zip
Getting Zip File is corrupt.
Hi,
Do you try to running it on Windows?
1. download the zip.
2. extract it.
3. rename the visualEsxtop-1 file (without extension) to visualEsxtop-1.tar
4. extract this one also.
Now you see the batch scripts and the lib folder.
have fun.
Application “locks” after a few seconds. I can see in vSphere client that visualesxtop is still requesting data every 5 seconds, but the application window never refreshes.
Win7 32bit, Java 7 update 25. Tested connecting to ESXi 5.1 and 4.1 and got same results.
Log file shows hundreds of lines with this type of error:
2013-07-12 10:28:57,036 INFO impl.StatsSnapshot [pool-2-thread-8] – Queried for a non-existing object type: AdapterName
2013-07-12 10:28:57,036 INFO impl.StatsSnapshot [pool-2-thread-8] – Queried for a non-existing object type: Nfs
2013-07-12 10:28:57,036 INFO impl.StatsSnapshot [pool-2-thread-8] – Queried for a non-existing object type: MountName
Using the local administrator user on the vCenter (which works on the vSphere Client) also fails with the same error.
I’m able to connect directly to my ESX servers. When I’m trying to connect to my vCenter with my domain user,
I’m receiving the following error: Connection failed: com.vmware.vtop.data.VTopDataException: Cannot find E…
(I can’t expand the windows to see the entire error message).
I’m having this same problem. Here is a screenshot: http://i.imgur.com/zBtYxUx.png
no java needs to be installed on vcenter.
does java have to be installed on the vCenter for this fling to work ?
Running on Win 7 x64, program hangs when clicking on ‘CPU’ tab. I can’t click on other tabs or do anything else. No error. In ‘vtop.log’ I keep getting “2013-07-09 07:23:40,749 INFO impl.StatsSnapshot [AWT-EventQueue-0] – Queried for a non-existing object type: Server” over and over – 3500 times per sec. Then get:
2013-07-09 07:23:42,777 INFO impl.PerfObjectTypeManager [AWT-EventQueue-0] – No stats key is available
java.util.MissingResourceException: Can’t find resource for bundle java.util.PropertyResourceBundle, key VCPU.SWAP_WAIT
I re-launched program and tried the graphs tab. I was able to get one or two graph lines to appear but they did not update. Checked config and update was set to 5 sec.
Tried clicking other tabs and was able to do so but info appears static. Shouldn’t it update?
I think it needs some work.
Dan
what is the version/build number of your esx server?
can you please try java 6? I noticed randoms problems with java 7 too.
My vCenter version is 5.1 Update 1a, build 1123961.
port number is optional(default 443), use “/” and user and password.
I meant “/” with user and password.
this is weird, I meant to say vc-server-ip + / + host, but when it’s posted, only “/” is displayed.
How do I connect to vCenter server..? Usage to connect to vcenter server says: “vCenter server:port/ESXi host”
What is the port number that should be passed here..?
Do you have the user guide on this tool ??? this is very useful for us for troubleshooting.
I keep receiving error that Java is not recognized although i have set the path in environment variable…..
Works fine, but hangs in about 2 minutes. Good tool, easy to access, analysis metric etc.
Has anyone been able to get this to work with Active Directory accounts?
Tested with ESXI 5.1 U1, access via AD is allowed.
Seems interesting but as other it freezes on Win 7 x64 with Java 1.7. Tried to connect to an host it is ok, Vcenter is not working, shall I need to pass the port as well? Can I use Ad account to login?
thanks
Gabriele
I am having the same issue; how would you connect to a vCenter server? I’ve tried with AD credentials and a local login.
port number is optional(default 443), you can log in with just vc server and host name and administrator user and password.
Would be nice to be able to remove a graph once it is added or separate graphs into different windows so you can look at them side by side and not overlap (in the case of different metrics).
Cool tool though, works great on Linux (Ubuntu 13.04 x64).
Nice start, a bit rough around the edges. I’d like to eventually see this incorporated in the vCenter VIC/web client. No reason for vCenter performance charts and ESXtop to reside in different places.
Yeah, an effort is going on to add this as a VC NGC plugin. My windows testings were done on my desktop(win xp), I will make sure more testings are done on win7 etc. to make sure the hanging problem is resolved.
Very exciting stuff! I’d look at EsxStop much more often with an app like this. Thank you!
The app is freezing up on me as well. Win 7 (x64) with Java 1.7. Connected to just one ESXi host.
Increasing the heap size did seem to extend the run time for a bit
we will release an update to fix the hanging problem on win7 and win8 asap.
This freezes up for me as well. Windows 8 Enterprise w/ Java 7.0.170.
Increasing the heap size seemed to help with stability. Even with increased heap size, I find when I do freeze, it is almost exclusively while looking through the file menus.
Great idea and more convenient than working from SSH – looking forward to updates!
same Problem with Win8 64Bit und Java 1.7.0_09-b05
Great tool!! It would be nice if the vm name would be displayed in the name column like in esxtop. Have you intention to maybe open source the code?
this fling is a great idea, but after 20 – 40 seconds the application hangs :-(
No chance to keep it running on my system.
Again the same result as previous comments. Works fine for a few seconds and then hangs. Looks good to start with though and certainly looking forward to seeing this fling again when the bug is fixed.
Same with me, connects just fine and looks fantastic for about 20 seconds before hanging. Fingers crossed that development continues as the concept is great!
Windows 8 (x64), Java 1.7.0_25 (x86)
which option did you run? “file->Connect to live server”? I tried windows 7 x64, java version 1.7.0_25, kept it running for hours, was not able to repeat the hang, but I was able to get it to hang after I tried to connect to another esx host in addition to the one already connected. Did you use other options like “save to a batch file” ?
Excellent product, but needs more work, I believe.
With my cluster, it connects fine, works for about 15 to 20 seconds – then just hangs (you have to kill the process)
Windows 7 x64, Java version 1.7.0_01
Still, a great start, all the best of luck in developing this.
Hi Hugo,
Can you be more specific? What info. I send to the tool you can save?
regards
Haiping