Issue with multiple extensions on RHEL 8.0

There are issues with multiple extension on RHEL 8.0 (RedHat:RHEL:8:latest)

ISSUE

waagent uses /usr/libexec/platform-python from the platform-python package, all the python extensions use the unversioned python command which is not installed on the image:

# waagent --version
WALinuxAgent-2.2.32.2 running on redhat 8.0
Python: 3.6.8
Goal state agent: 2.2.40
..
# /usr/bin/env python --version
/usr/bin/env: ‘python’: No such file or directory

Because of this the extensions fail to install:

[stderr]
/usr/bin/env: ‘python’: No such file or directory
..
[stderr]
No Python interpreter found on the box

SOLUTION

I recommend you install python 2.7 using the command below as I have seen some issues with some extensions and python 3.6:

sudo yum install python2 -y
sudo alternatives --set python /usr/bin/python2

RELATED

• [VMAccess] Does not work in RHEL-8
• [OmsAgentForLinux] Install fails on RHEL 8.0
• [VMSnapshotLinux] Install fails on RHEL 8.0 / Backups fails

REQUEST

Maybe waagent could check for the unversioned python command and report a error in the log if it cannot find it.

[johanburati]

@larohra a lot of people are having this issue, you might want to leave this open so it is easier for people to find

[bureado]

See https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/virtual-machines/extensions/issues-using-vm-extensions-python-3

If it’s not an image problem or an agent problem, is it an extension problem? If it’s an extension WONTFIX, then extensions should graciously fail or ensure proper guardrails are applied to set user expectations accordingly.