vRA Agent (Gugent) on RHEL/CentOS/OracleLinux 8.x

[KocPawel]

Hi,

I tried to install vRA Agent (7.5) on operating systems:

- CentOS

- RHEL

- Oracle Linux

version: 8.1 (CentOS: 8.0)

But I cannot install rpm.

error: Failed dependencies:

     /usr/bin/python is nedded by gugent-t.5.0.-9915762.x84_64.rpm

Of course I have installed python2, python3 and python36 packages.

There is a symlink between /usr/bin/python -> python2 and python2 -> python2.7

Does anyone know how to install gugent agent on such OS?

Does upgrade to 7.6 will help?

And yes, I know that 8.x versions are not officially supported.

[KocPawel]

Noboby installed vRA Agent on Linux 8.x?

[r0j]

Hi,

Sorry, cant help you there.

We don't use the vRA agent in our environment.

I have deployed CentOS 8 blueprint without issue, using Open-VM-Tools and python pre-installed in the template and a custom spec to configure the networking dns and time zone.

We use puppet and ansible for getting the vm up with a configuration.

Debian 10 has been a real hassle for us from vm template.

We are at vRA version 7.6.

[virtualhobbit]

I'm experiencing the same issue on 7.6, upgrading to that won't help.

I've installed python2 and python3, tried switching between each one using the alternatives command, and then re-running setup - that doesn't work.

The RPM won't install as it knows that /usr/bin/python is just a symbolic link. I've tried the Force switch but that doesn't work either.

My last resort was to hack the prepare script and replace the RPM command with dnf localinstall - alas that doesn't work either

VMware need to sort this out.

-Mark

[virtualhobbit]

This document (written October 2019) states RHEL 8.0 certification is "in progress" (page 12).

https://docs.vmware.com/en/vRealize-Automation/7.0/vrealize-automation-6x7x-support-matrix.pdf

I believe 7.5 HF9 (released 17 December) added this support, and 7.6 HF3 will do too when released. I plan to try this out later this evening. Will report back.

-Mark

[virtualhobbit]

I have patched my 7.5 installation to HF9 and can confirm that the updated Gugent successfully installs on CentOS 8.

-Mark

[KocPawel]

Does anyone have information when HF3 will be released ?

[gradinka]

Late Jan maybe - nothing is set in stone yet.

[KocPawel]

Thanks

[whatplantscrave]

HF3 is supposed to fix this but we don't have it yet. I did the following to get the agent installed:

1. alternatives --set python /usr/bin/python3

2. Edits in the "preprare_vra_template.sh"

     a) add --nodeps to the "rpm -i" statements. in my version these were the 3 lines

          rpm -i $TEMP_DIR/$distro/$GuestAgentRPMName --nodeps

          rpm -i $TEMP_DIR/$vRAInstallUnzipDir/$distro/$GuestAgentRPMName --nodeps

          rpm -i $TEMP_DIR/$package_file_name --nodeps

     b) add 2 lines for RHEL8/whatever in the if loop. grep for the error you get in the script for the location.

          elif [[ $(cat /etc/*release | grep -i "release 8") ]]; then

              distro="rhel$arch"

Good luck!