Guest OS Customization (Perl based) for AlmaLinux is not fully supported (cannot customize hostname and network)

Products

• VMware vCenter Server
• VMware vSphere ESXi

Issue/Introduction

Symptoms:
For AlmaLinux, Guest OS Customization (Perl based) does not fully work.

Customization for Timezone, domain name and DNS setting works. But Hostname and Network setting(DHCP and StaticIP) cannot be customized.

Environment

VMware vCenter Server 6.7.x
VMware vSphere ESXi 6.7
VMware vCenter Server 7.0.x

Resolution

This issue has been resolved in vSphere 6.7 U3p and vSphere 7.0 U3d

Workaround:

1. In Guest OS, update file

/etc/redhat-release, replace "AlmaLinux" with "CentOS Linux"

or

2. Enable Cloud-init based guest customization, Refer to  "Enabling or disabling Linux guest customization with cloud-init "