Quicktip: Use your own VNC client for Softlayer CloudLayer console
Contrary to what Softlayer sales would have me believe, Softlayer’s CloudLayer service does, in fact, provide console access. It’s provided via a java VNC applet accessible from https://manage.softlayer.com.
I use Linux on the desktop, though, so anything involving the words “java” and “applet” seems destined for failure. Fortunately, Softlayer is stand-up enough to provide the VNC connection information on the same page, so I thought I might fire up PPtP and give it a shot.
Strangely, I was unable to get Vinagre or gtkvncviewer to work. They would connect and send keystrokes successfully, but the display would remain blank. Bummer. The jtightvncviewer provided by Ubuntu’s tightvnc-java package works, though, and I don’t care enough to figure out why Vinagre didn’t work.
Good Luck, and if you figure out why Vinagre doesn’t work please let me know.
tech stuff. 
Found you from googling the issue with vinagre. Quite strange. At first I thought it wasn’t sending keystrokes but then I logged in and saw myself in the output from w. Any later developments on this?
jmw
2012-05-30 at 14:14
Nope, I never did figure it out. I’d love to hear the details if you solve the puzzle, though.
verb
2012-05-30 at 14:40
I also use Linux on the desktop (Ubuntu Lucid at the moment) and I find xtightvncviewer works for most of my VNC needs.
garrydolley
2012-07-04 at 04:36