Adding userdata on create VM operation with Python SDK for Azure

Question

I am using Python sdk for azure creation virtual machine operation. I want some script to be executed whenever the VM starts. So, I have tried adding the custom-data while creating VM with Python.

My directory:

• user-data.sh
• create_VM.py

user-data.sh file will be similar to this:

#!/bin/bash
sudo apt install apache2 -y
sudo apt install git -y

I have used the base64 package on create_VM.py file, which looks like:

import base64

...

file = open("user-data.sh", "r")
a = file.read().encode()
encoded_string = base64.b64encode(a)

...

poller = compute_client.virtual_machines.create_or_update(RESOURCE_GROUP_NAME, VM_NAME,
    {
        "location": LOCATION,
        "storage_profile": {
            "image_reference": {
                "publisher": 'Canonical',
                "offer": "UbuntuServer",
                "sku": "16.04.0-LTS",
                "version": "latest"
            }
        },
        "hardware_profile": {
            "vm_size": "Standard_DS1_v2"
        },
        "os_profile": {
            "computer_name": VM_NAME,
            "admin_username": USERNAME,
            "admin_password": PASSWORD,
            "custom_data": encoded_string
        },
        "network_profile": {
            "network_interfaces": [{
                "id": nic_result.id,
            }]
        }
    }
)
...

The error I am getting is:

Azure Error: InvalidParameter\nMessage: Custom data in OSProfile must be in Base64 encoding and with a maximum length of 87380 characters.\nTarget: customData

How can I fix the issue?

Answer 1

please try this one, it's working on mine.

import base64

...

file = open("user-data.sh", "r")
a = file.read().encode()

...
                
CUSTOM_DATA = base64.b64encode(a.encode('utf-8')).decode('latin-1')