I created an EC2 instance from Amazon Linux ami-74f0061d.

My instance id is: i-bd1d81d1

NormallyI am able to install software in my Linux instances via yum.

In this case, I cannot find yum packages that normally are available.

For example, no gnome-session or groupinstall "GNOME Desktop Environment":

For example:

[2011-02-05 02:36 root@ip-10-114-153-59 /home/ec2-user]# yum -y install gnome-session
Loaded plugins: fastestmirror, security
Loading mirror speeds from cached hostfile
amzn                                                     | 2.1 kB     00:00     
Setting up Install Process
No package gnome-session available.
Error: Nothing to do


Why aren't standard Linux packages available for Amazon Linux and how can I make them become available?

Hi,

While we try to ensure that our repository has a standard subset of packages available (though, these are designed to be specific to common EC2 use cases), it certainly isn't exhaustive. However, Amazon Linux is CentOS 5.x binary compatible, so you can add a CentOS repository to your yum configuration and install packages from there. If you'd be willing to share a bit about your use-case and how it requires the GNOME packages (or if there are other required packages you need from our repository, please include them as well), I'd certainly be willing to let the Amazon Linux team know that you'd like these packages available from our repository. Please let me know.

Best regards,

Scott V.
Amazon Web Services
=======================================

To contact us again about this case, please return to the AWS Support Center using the following URL:

https://aws.amazon.com/support/case?caseId=31325331

*Please note: this e-mail was sent from an address that cannot accept incoming e-mail. Please use the link above if you need to contact us again about this same issue.

Amazon Web Services LLC is a subsidiary of Amazon.com, Inc. Amazon.com is a registered trademark of Amazon.com, Inc. This message produced and distributed by Amazon Web Services, LLC, 1200 12th Ave South, Seattle, WA 98144.

In the past I have simply used Red Hat and went with what yum provided.

So I am not fluent in repository lingo.  I just went with what Red Hat provides via `yum search ...`.

Now I would like to try Amazon Linux.

I need the following packages for x86_64 arch to work:

yum -y groupinstall "GNOME Desktop Environment"
yum -y groupinstall "FreeNX and NX"
yum install xclock

If you can provide a pointer to what I need to place into /etc/yum.repos.d/, that would be nice.

Thanks,
Dennis

The complete set of software I want to install is:

yum -y groupinstall "GNOME Desktop Environment"
yum -y groupinstall "FreeNX and NX"
yum -y install xclock
yum -y install firefox
yum -y groupinstall emacs
yum -y groupinstall "Text-based Internet"
yum -y groupinstall "System Tools"

If you can provide a pointer to what I need to place into /etc/yum.repos.d/, that would be nice.

thanks
Dennis

BTW, I am experimenting using a RightScale yum repository.  That may solve my issue.  Will advise later today (evening, Pacific Time).

BTW, I am experimenting using a RightScale yum repository.  That may solve my issue.  Will advise later today (evening, Pacific Time).

Hi,

Sorry for the delay in response. Just let me know if you using the RightScale repository gets those packages for you. Thanks!

Best regards,

Scott V.
Amazon Web Services
=======================================

To contact us again about this case, please return to the AWS Support Center using the following URL:

https://aws.amazon.com/support/case?caseId=31325331

*Please note: this e-mail was sent from an address that cannot accept incoming e-mail. Please use the link above if you need to contact us again about this same issue.

Amazon Web Services LLC is a subsidiary of Amazon.com, Inc. Amazon.com is a registered trademark of Amazon.com, Inc. This message produced and distributed by Amazon Web Services, LLC, 1200 12th Ave South, Seattle, WA 98144.

It's a no go...

After launching my Amazon Linux instance in a state before having installed any software, I copied in the RightScale yum repository and tried ran into problems on my very first attempt to install GNOME...

[2011-02-06 04:06 root@ip-10-116-217-84 /home/ec2-user]# grep baseurl /etc/yum.repos.d/CentOS-Base.repo
baseurl = http://mirror.rightscale.com/centos/5.4/os/x86_64/archive/latest/
baseurl = http://mirror.rightscale.com/centos/5.4/addons/x86_64/archive/latest/
baseurl = http://mirror.rightscale.com/centos/5.4/centosplus/x86_64/archive/latest/
baseurl = http://mirror.rightscale.com/centos/5.4/extras/x86_64/archive/latest/
baseurl = http://mirror.rightscale.com/centos/5.4/updates/x86_64/archive/latest/
baseurl = http://mirror.rightscale.com/epel/5/x86_64/archive/latest/
baseurl = http://mirror.rightscale.com/rightscale_software/epel/5/x86_64/archive/latest/
[2011-02-06 04:07 root@ip-10-116-217-84 /home/ec2-user]# 
[2011-02-06 04:07 root@ip-10-116-217-84 /home/ec2-user]# #dga- (.) Install the GNOME Desktop Environment ...
[2011-02-06 04:07 root@ip-10-116-217-84 /home/ec2-user]# 
[2011-02-06 04:07 root@ip-10-116-217-84 /home/ec2-user]# yum -y groupinstall "GNOME Desktop Environment"
Loaded plugins: fastestmirror, security
Loading mirror speeds from cached hostfile
addons                                                   |  951 B     00:00     
addons/primary                                           |  203 B     00:00     
amzn                                                     | 2.1 kB     00:00     
base                                                     | 2.1 kB     00:00     
base/primary_db                                          | 2.0 MB     00:00     
centosplus                                               | 1.9 kB     00:00     
centosplus/primary_db                                    | 117 kB     00:00     
epel                                                     | 3.7 kB     00:00     
epel/primary_db                                          | 3.5 MB     00:00     
extras                                                   | 2.1 kB     00:00     
extras/primary_db                                        | 206 kB     00:00     
rightscale-epel                                          |  951 B     00:00     
rightscale-epel/primary                                  |  29 kB     00:00     
rightscale-epel                                                         118/118
updates                                                  | 1.9 kB     00:00     
updates/primary_db                                       | 760 kB     00:00     
Setting up Group Process
Loading mirror speeds from cached hostfile
base/group                                               | 920 kB     00:00     
epel/group_gz                                            | 167 kB     00:00     
extras/group                                             | 9.7 kB     00:00     
Package hal-gnome is obsoleted by hal, trying to install hal-0.5.14-3.7.amzn1.x86_64 instead
Resolving Dependencies
--> Running transaction check
---> Package NetworkManager-gnome.x86_64 1:0.7.0-9.el5_4 set to be updated
--> Processing Dependency: NetworkManager-glib = 1:0.7.0-9.el5_4 for package: 1:NetworkManager-gnome-0.7.0-9.el5_4.x86_64
--> Processing Dependency: NetworkManager = 1:0.7.0-9.el5_4 for package: 1:NetworkManager-gnome-0.7.0-9.el5_4.x86_64
--> Processing Dependency: libnotify >= 0.4.2 for package: 1:NetworkManager-gnome-0.7.0-9.el5_4.x86_64

... [ many lines not shown ... ]

--> Processing Dependency: libxklavier.so.11()(64bit) for package: 1:control-center-2.16.0-16.el5.x86_64
---> Package gdbm.i386 0:1.8.0-35.3.amzn1 set to be updated
---> Package gnome-applets.x86_64 1:2.16.0.1-19.el5 set to be updated
--> Processing Dependency: libxklavier.so.11()(64bit) for package: 1:gnome-applets-2.16.0.1-19.el5.x86_64
---> Package libFS.x86_64 0:1.0.0-3.5.amzn1 set to be updated
---> Package libpurple.x86_64 0:2.6.6-2.el5_4 set to be updated
--> Processing Dependency: libdes425.so.3(des425_3_MIT)(64bit) for package: libpurple-2.6.6-2.el5_4.x86_64
--> Processing Dependency: libkrb4.so.2(krb4_2_MIT)(64bit) for package: libpurple-2.6.6-2.el5_4.x86_64
--> Processing Dependency: libkrb4.so.2()(64bit) for package: libpurple-2.6.6-2.el5_4.x86_64
--> Processing Dependency: libdes425.so.3()(64bit) for package: libpurple-2.6.6-2.el5_4.x86_64
---> Package perl.i386 4:5.8.8-27.el5 set to be updated
--> Processing Dependency: libdb-4.3.so for package: 4:perl-5.8.8-27.el5.i386
---> Package poppler.x86_64 0:0.5.4-4.4.el5_4.11 set to be updated
--> Processing Dependency: libpoppler-glib.so.1()(64bit) for package: evince-0.6.0-9.el5.x86_64
---> Package pygtk2.x86_64 0:2.10.1-12.el5 set to be updated
--> Processing Dependency: python2 >= 2.3 for package: pygtk2-2.10.1-12.el5.x86_64
---> Package pyorbit.x86_64 0:2.14.1-3.el5 set to be updated
--> Processing Dependency: python2 >= 2.3 for package: pyorbit-2.14.1-3.el5.x86_64
---> Package ttmkfdir.x86_64 0:3.0.9-23.4.amzn1 set to be updated
--> Processing Conflict: redhat-artwork-5.1.0-28.el5.centos.x86_64 conflicts redhat-logos < 4.9.8
--> Finished Dependency Resolution
Error: redhat-artwork conflicts with system-logos
Error: Package: libpurple-2.6.6-2.el5_4.x86_64 (updates)
           Requires: libkrb4.so.2()(64bit)
           Available: krb5-libs-1.6.1-36.el5.x86_64 (base)
               libkrb4.so.2()(64bit)
           Available: krb5-libs-1.6.1-36.el5_4.1.x86_64 (updates)
               libkrb4.so.2()(64bit)
Error: Package: 1:gnome-applets-2.16.0.1-19.el5.x86_64 (base)
           Requires: libxklavier.so.11()(64bit)
           Available: libxklavier-3.0-3.el5.x86_64 (base)
               libxklavier.so.11()(64bit)
Error: Package: libpurple-2.6.6-2.el5_4.x86_64 (updates)
           Requires: libkrb4.so.2(krb4_2_MIT)(64bit)
           Available: krb5-libs-1.6.1-36.el5.x86_64 (base)
               libkrb4.so.2(krb4_2_MIT)(64bit)
           Available: krb5-libs-1.6.1-36.el5_4.1.x86_64 (updates)
               libkrb4.so.2(krb4_2_MIT)(64bit)
Error: Package: libpurple-2.6.6-2.el5_4.x86_64 (updates)
           Requires: libdes425.so.3()(64bit)
           Available: krb5-libs-1.6.1-36.el5.x86_64 (base)
               libdes425.so.3()(64bit)
           Available: krb5-libs-1.6.1-36.el5_4.1.x86_64 (updates)
               libdes425.so.3()(64bit)
Error: Package: evince-0.6.0-9.el5.x86_64 (base)
           Requires: libpoppler-glib.so.1()(64bit)
           Available: poppler-0.5.4-4.4.el5_3.9.x86_64 (base)
               libpoppler-glib.so.1()(64bit)
           Available: poppler-0.5.4-4.4.el5_4.11.x86_64 (updates)
               libpoppler-glib.so.1()(64bit)
Error: Package: pygtk2-2.10.1-12.el5.x86_64 (base)
           Requires: python2 >= 2.3
           Available: python-2.4.3-27.el5.x86_64 (base)
               python2 = 2.4.3
Error: Package: 4:perl-5.8.8-27.el5.i386 (extras)
           Requires: libdb-4.3.so
           Available: db4-4.3.29-10.el5.i386 (base)
               libdb-4.3.so
Error: Package: pyorbit-2.14.1-3.el5.x86_64 (base)
           Requires: python2 >= 2.3
           Available: python-2.4.3-27.el5.x86_64 (base)
               python2 = 2.4.3
Error: Package: libpurple-2.6.6-2.el5_4.x86_64 (updates)
           Requires: libdes425.so.3(des425_3_MIT)(64bit)
           Available: krb5-libs-1.6.1-36.el5.x86_64 (base)
               libdes425.so.3(des425_3_MIT)(64bit)
           Available: krb5-libs-1.6.1-36.el5_4.1.x86_64 (updates)
               libdes425.so.3(des425_3_MIT)(64bit)
Error: Package: 1:control-center-2.16.0-16.el5.x86_64 (base)
           Requires: libxklavier.so.11()(64bit)
           Available: libxklavier-3.0-3.el5.x86_64 (base)
               libxklavier.so.11()(64bit)
 You could try using --skip-broken to work around the problem
 You could try running: rpm -Va --nofiles --nodigest
[2011-02-06 04:08 root@ip-10-116-217-84 /home/ec2-user]# 



I am going to give up on Amazon Linux and go with a Right Scale CentOS image, since I have already successfully setup a 32 bit RightScale CentOS instance and now wish to create a 64-bit Linux instance.

There are a few things in the GUI of CentOS that are irritating (having to do with keyboard accelerators which seem impossible to get rid of) and I was simply hoping to have a better experience with Amazon Linux.

But this has gotten out of hand.

I will let you know how my CentOS install goes.

Dennis

Scott:

I have created a CentOS 64-bit instance successfully based on a RightScale AMI.

All software is installed (including Flashplayer working in x86_64 system via nspluginwrapper, which was not at all obvious - I still can't believe that Firefox with Flash pre-installed is not built in to all Linux distributions by now).

In addition, the accelerator keystroke conflicts with emacs are not a problem for my new instance, so I am a happy camper (so far).

You may close this case.

Thanks,
Dennis

I am reopening this case only to log this final comment.  You may close this case immediately.

Closing remark:

Amazon makes Amazon Linux available yet does not provide standard packages that are normally available via yum for Red Hat, CentOS, and Fedora distributions.

Scott spoke of the "use case" for my instance.  This instance is intended to cover many different future uses of a 64-bit CentOS install.  I would like to later fork the image for a variety of uses, including a reports server running SAP Business Objects Enterprise.  Or, as a completely separate use, a high end developer workstation running Oracle Express, Tomcat, Apache, Eclipse, and NX server to display Desktop remotely via an NX client.  In short, anything that a 64-bit Linux could be used for.

A much more complete yum repository should be installed as part of 64-bit Amazon Linux Images so that the user who creates instances can choose which packages they wish to install via yum for future uses of the image.

Thanks,
Dennis

Scott:

I would like, once again, to try to create a 64-bit EBS-backed Amazon Linux instance, in the hope that I can run SAP Business Objects on the instance.

My use case involves creating a GNOME Desktop environment and running a web browser used to admin various tools.  The Desktop is displayed to a remote NX client via a resident NX server.

My request is that Amazon provide a yum repository that would support the following yum installs:

yum -y groupinstall "GNOME Desktop Environment"
yum -y install xclock
yum -y install firefox
yum -y groupinstall emacs
yum -y groupinstall "Text-based Internet"
yum -y groupinstall "System Tools"
yum -y install flash-plugin
yum -y install nspluginwrapper
yum -y install httpd
yum -y install php
yum -y groupinstall "FreeNX and NX"

Thanks,
Dennis

Hi Dennis,

Thanks for the full list of the packages and groups you need. I'll pass your request to have those packages added to our repository along to the Amazon Linux team. I also tested the installation of these packages on (at least a 32-bit Amazon Linux installation) my instance, and the following should be available:

yum -y install httpd 
yum -y install php
yum -y groupinstall "Text-based Internet"
yum -y groupinstall "System Tools"

Are there specific RPM's or features from the above packages that are missing? If so, just let me know and I'll ensure that I update the Amazon Linux team with that information. Once I have more information from the Amazon Linux team, I'll update you via this case.

Best regards,

Scott V.
Amazon Web Services
=======================================

To contact us again about this case, please return to the AWS Support Center using the following URL:

https://aws.amazon.com/support/case?caseId=31325331

*Please note: this e-mail was sent from an address that cannot accept incoming e-mail. Please use the link above if you need to contact us again about this same issue.

Amazon Web Services LLC is a subsidiary of Amazon.com, Inc. Amazon.com is a registered trademark of Amazon.com, Inc. This message produced and distributed by Amazon Web Services, LLC, 1200 12th Ave South, Seattle, WA 98144.

Thanks for following up on this Scott.

First, to answer your specific question, I did not try to install the yum packages you installed but suspect those are easy.  As you may recall, I tried to utilize a RightScale repository.  The first thing I tried to install was the yum groupinstall "GNOME Desktop Environment".  It failed, spitting out a slew of dependency errors.  For example:

Error: redhat-artwork conflicts with system-logos
Error: Package: libpurple-2.6.6-2.el5_4.x86_64 (updates)
           Requires: libkrb4.so.2()(64bit)
           Available: krb5-libs-1.6.1-36.el5.x86_64 (base)
               libkrb4.so.2()(64bit)
           Available: krb5-libs-1.6.1-36.el5_4.1.x86_64 (updates)
               libkrb4.so.2()(64bit)
Error: Package: 1:gnome-applets-2.16.0.1-19.el5.x86_64 (base)
           Requires: libxklavier.so.11()(64bit)
           Available: libxklavier-3.0-3.el5.x86_64 (base)
               libxklavier.so.11()(64bit)


(There was many more dependency problems).

Admittedly GNOME Desktop is a gigantic package.  My successful installs of it (on Fedora and CentOS images) bring in 256 packages.

When it failed to install for me on Amazon Linux with the RightScale yum repo, I just bailed and did not even attempt the other installs.

FYI, it would be very interesting to get this nailed down because I will then be able to attempt to install SAP Business Objects Enterprise (BOE) on Amazon Linux.  Officially SAP only supports Red Hat and Suse Linux and I have discovered that Red Hat Linux EC2 instances are quite expensive currently since Amazon does not offer reserved instances.  So for production use, at this time, the cost can be prohibitive.  That being said, I am going to bring up a Red Hat EC2 instance just for testing installation of BOE.  If that works, and after we get all of these yum packages going for Amazon Linux, I will attempt to duplicate the BOE install on Amazon Linux.  If THAT works, it will be very cool and a cost effective way to deploy BOE.

Hence, I appreciate you following up on this and making an effort to get that set of yum installs and group installs set up for Amazon Linux.

If you prefer to close this case for now and reopen it later, that's fine.  Or just leave it open until we hear back from your development team about a resolution.

regards,
Dennis

Hi Dennis,

I remember the bit with the RightScale repository, and admittedly I didn't think about the fact that the dependencies would likely be listed as CentOS packages, and ours have different naming conventions. That makes things a bit tricky. I've had some success with other packages installing directly out of the CentOS repository (using RPM and not YUM), though for the number of packages you'd have to install, I don't think this would be a viable method. 

I certainly don't want to close this case at this point, as I don't want to lose track of this. I've passed on all of the details about your use case (getting SAP BOE running on Amazon Linux) to the team, and will let you know once I hear back. Thanks for your patience!

Best regards,

Scott V.
Amazon Web Services
=======================================

To contact us again about this case, please return to the AWS Support Center using the following URL:

https://aws.amazon.com/support/case?caseId=31325331

*Please note: this e-mail was sent from an address that cannot accept incoming e-mail. Please use the link above if you need to contact us again about this same issue.

Amazon Web Services LLC is a subsidiary of Amazon.com, Inc. Amazon.com is a registered trademark of Amazon.com, Inc. This message produced and distributed by Amazon Web Services, LLC, 1200 12th Ave South, Seattle, WA 98144.

Hi,

The Amazon Linux team has indicated that support for Gnome and other desktop applications is not a priority for Amazon Linux at this time, and they do not expect to be adding these packages to the Amazon Linux repository.  They've suggested that you try CentOS AMIs for this use case.

Please let us know if you have other questions.

Best regards,

Courtney E.
Amazon Web Services
=======================================

To contact us again about this case, please return to the AWS Support Center using the following URL:

https://aws.amazon.com/support/case?caseId=31325331

*Please note: this e-mail was sent from an address that cannot accept incoming e-mail. Please use the link above if you need to contact us again about this same issue.

Amazon Web Services LLC is a subsidiary of Amazon.com, Inc. Amazon.com is a registered trademark of Amazon.com, Inc. This message produced and distributed by Amazon Web Services, LLC, 1200 12th Ave South, Seattle, WA 98144.

---- Original message ----

Thanks for following up on this Scott.

First, to answer your specific question, I did not try to install the yum packages you installed but suspect those are easy.  As you may recall, I tried to utilize a RightScale repository.  The first thing I tried to install was the yum groupinstall "GNOME Desktop Environment".  It failed, spitting out a slew of dependency errors.  For example:

Error: redhat-artwork conflicts with system-logos
Error: Package: libpurple-2.6.6-2.el5_4.x86_64 (updates)
           Requires: libkrb4.so.2()(64bit)
           Available: krb5-libs-1.6.1-36.el5.x86_64 (base)
               libkrb4.so.2()(64bit)
           Available: krb5-libs-1.6.1-36.el5_4.1.x86_64 (updates)
               libkrb4.so.2()(64bit)
Error: Package: 1:gnome-applets-2.16.0.1-19.el5.x86_64 (base)
           Requires: libxklavier.so.11()(64bit)
           Available: libxklavier-3.0-3.el5.x86_64 (base)
               libxklavier.so.11()(64bit)

(There was many more dependency problems).

Admittedly GNOME Desktop is a gigantic package.  My successful installs of it (on Fedora and CentOS images) bring in 256 packages.

When it failed to install for me on Amazon Linux with the RightScale yum repo, I just bailed and did not even attempt the other installs.

FYI, it would be very interesting to get this nailed down because I will then be able to attempt to install SAP Business Objects Enterprise (BOE) on Amazon Linux.  Officially SAP only supports Red Hat and Suse Linux and I have discovered that Red Hat Linux EC2 instances are quite expensive currently since Amazon does not offer reserved instances.  So for production use, at this time, the cost can be prohibitive.  That being said, I am going to bring up a Red Hat EC2 instance just for testing installation of BOE.  If that works, and after we get all of these yum packages going for Amazon Linux, I will attempt to duplicate the BOE install on Amazon Linux.  If THAT works, it will be very cool and a cost effective way to deploy BOE.

Hence, I appreciate you following up on this and making an effort to get that set of yum installs and group installs set up for Amazon Linux.

If you prefer to close this case for now and reopen it later, that's fine.  Or just leave it open until we hear back from your development team about a resolution.

regards,
Dennis

The AWS team needs to be aware that with use of NX or other tools, it is extremely feasible to run a Linux Desktop environment on EC2 instances.  We are doing it all the time, doing development with Eclipse and git on a GNOME Desktop, displayed to a remote NX client machine.  It works great.

It is unfortunate that we cannot implement this on Amazon Linux out of the box due to a lack of adquate yum repositories. 

Hi,

I will be sure to pass that feedback on.  I'm sorry that Amazon Linux is currently unable to meet your needs.

Please let us know if you have other questions.

Best regards,

Courtney E.
Amazon Web Services
=======================================

To contact us again about this case, please return to the AWS Support Center using the following URL:

https://aws.amazon.com/support/case?caseId=31325331

*Please note: this e-mail was sent from an address that cannot accept incoming e-mail. Please use the link above if you need to contact us again about this same issue.

Amazon Web Services LLC is a subsidiary of Amazon.com, Inc. Amazon.com is a registered trademark of Amazon.com, Inc. This message produced and distributed by Amazon Web Services, LLC, 1200 12th Ave South, Seattle, WA 98144.