Virtual Machines
This section allows you to monitor all the Parallels virtual machines in use with your organization and delete them in case of need. The list shows not only the corporate machines installed from the Golden Images but also other virtual machines running on your users' Parallels Desktop installations.
You can use the drop-down menu in the top-left corner to select which of the following parameters you want to monitor:
Note: All fifteen parameters cannot fit on most screens. Use horizontal scrolling to see more information.
User name. This parameter is derived from the user account name on that Mac;
Computer name;
VM name. As designated during the virtual machine’s image preparation process;
VM state. This parameter has the following possible values: Running, Stopped, Suspended, Unknown;
VM status. This parameter will help you sort between active virtual machines, the ones whose Parallels Desktop setup had been deactivated, and the ones that have failed to delete;
VM OS, VM Edition, VM OS build. This sorts your organization’s virtual machines by the operating systems, including editions and build numbers;
VM Source. This parameter helps you indentify which virtual machines were set up using your company's Golden Images;
Last used date (UTC). This shows when the particular virtual machine was last launched. This parameter may help you quickly find unused virtual machines;
Last reported date (UTC). This parameter shows the date and time a specific virtual machine’s presence was reported to the server;
Parallels Desktop Version. This shows the major version number of the Parallels Desktop installation used to run a particular virtual machine. This may help you identify installations that have failed to upgrade to a newer, better version of Parallels Desktop;
Parallels Tools Version. Using this parameter, you can, for example, identify the machines in your organization that either do not have Parallels Tools installed or use an outdated version;
Mac serial number;
CPU. In this column, you can sort your virtual machines by their operating systems’ target architecture: Intel or Arm (Apple silicon);
Uncheck the parameters you won’t need for your monitoring requirements.
Use the drop-down menu in the bottom-right corner to adjust the number of virtual machines shown per page from 10 to 40.
Use the search bar in the top right corner to find virtual machines by their known parameters, or use the individual filters in each column to search by that column’s parameter. Clicking on the funnel symbol in the header of each column will help you filter virtual machines by a specific parameter.
This may, for example, help you quickly identify the machines that require your immediate attention when an urgent upgrade is required to plug a known severe vulnerability.
Deleting a specific virtual machine
Once you have located a specific virtual machine, you can delete it by right-clicking on it and selecting Delete Virtual Machine. Read the dialog carefully and confirm by clicking Delete.
Note: Be aware that the Management Portal does not push commands to client endpoints; instead, Parallels Desktop apps on user devices periodically connect with the management infrastructure to check for new commands. Because of this, a virtual machine may be listed as Pending Deletion
If you delete the only virtual machine that was running on a particular Parallels Desktop installation, its user will be offered to download a new virtual machine from the Golden Image supplied by your organization.
Incomplete or missing information on a specific virtual machine
Sometimes, information on a specific virtual machine may be incomplete or entirely missing from the Parallels Management Portal's virtual machine monitoring panel described earlier in this chapter. This section provides a list of possible explanations for each case so that you may follow it to eliminate potential causes.
A virtual machine is missing
The VM is no longer active or has been removed.
The Parallels Desktop for Mac application did not manage to report/communicate with the Parallels backend after the VM was created.
Incomplete information for a virtual machine
The Parallels Desktop for Mac application is on an older version that does not support reporting these specific details. Use the Parallels Desktop Version parameter to verify.
The Parallels Desktop for Mac application has been updated but hasn’t reported to the portal yet. Use the Last reported date (UTC) parameter to verify.
Information for a virtual machine is outdated
Parallels Tools is not installed.
Parallels Tools is installed but outdated and requires an update. Use the Parallels Tools Version parameter to verify.
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