Run 2 consoles at the same time

Usage and Config
1

Hi Guys

Maybe a stupid question, but is it possible to run 2 consoles next to each other?
I’ve tried running as a different user etc, but it always open my console that is already open.

We have 2 different environments, so it would be nice if I don’t need to close and open the console all the time…

Thanks!

2

You could open the other over RDP or using VirtualBox/VMWare.

You can’t run 2 instances on the same console as the same user.

You could try opening the console once, then right click on the console and run it as a different user for the 2nd.

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3

The problem with RDP is that only 2 sessions are allowed and we have at least 6 people who frequently use the both. So that’s not an option.

And a VM for just the console seems a bit of an overkill, no? But there is no other way to start a console in the same log on session?

4

Try the “run as” option mentioned above.

Nope, not without some sort of workaround.

5

I’ve tried that… I have an admin account and a normal account, but it always opens the same console.

(thanks btw for your input!)

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6

I mean RDP into a VM hosted externally to the computer you are on.

While not mandatory, generally you should be accessing the console from a terminal server or similar in the same data center as the root server for best performance.

Also, you could use the WebUI. The WebUI may not have all of the functionality you are looking for today, but this is the eventual answer to your issue.

7

Yeah, we’ve tried the WebUI, but let’s be honest, in comparison with the console it’s not very usefull… :smile:

I’ll put it on the agenda point for our next meeting, thanks!

If anybody has another idea, please let me know.

8

Expect this to change over time. Also expect the WebUI to be able to do things in the future that the existing windows console can’t do at all.

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9

Then i’m looking forward to it!

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10

The only option to run more than one instance locally that we’ve found is to virtualize the console with Citrix or App-v. That has worked well if you have that option.

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11

Has anyone tried Sandboxie with the BES Console? http://www.sandboxie.com/

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12

How about enabling terminal services or RDS to allow more sessions?

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13

I think this will be my best option…

thanks all for the replies!

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14

What are you doing when you have both consoles open that requires this?

If you are exporting content from one console and importing it into another, there is an option to sync content between root servers that might be a better solution.

15

We have a DEV environment and a PROD environment with different devices etc in so we can test first everything before sending it in production…

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16

I have not tested theory but if you install BES client 2x, once to default location then maybe create new directory c:\bigfix\9.5 would this work?

17

You would have to use different ports for each implementation of BigFix if you tried to run two clients, and even then I suspect Windows would complain about two instances of the “BES Client” service.

My solution for this dilemma was to create two separate BigFix deployments, and I RDP into another computer to run the Test/Dev Console. If I want to move systems from Production into Test, I have Tasks that switch the Masthead, and a match Tasks to move them back to Production.

18

Actually the clients lock themselves into a single instance so you cannot run two instances of the client on a single endpoint

1 Like
19

Thank you Tim and Alan I opted for the VDI solution which works just fine. Forgot about the port numbers ha!