What to do if your system is on a Python version lower than 3.8

The IBM Storage Scale Bridge for Grafana, version v7.0.8 onwards, requires Python to be at a minimum level of 3.8 (recommended 3.9).

Should the system be at a lower Python version, it is necessary to install the requisite version. RedHat allows the running of multiple Python versions on the same machine. Further details may be found in the RedHat documentation.

Directions for the possible problem investigations

1. Verify the Python and RHEL version on your system

   Example output:

   # python3
   Python 3.6.8 (default, Jan 23 2023, 22:31:05)
   [GCC 8.5.0 20210514 (Red Hat 8.5.0-18)] on linux
   Type "help", "copyright", "credits" or "license" for more information.
   >>>
   
   # cat /etc/redhat-release
   Red Hat Enterprise Linux release 8.8 (Ootpa)
   

2. Install Python3.8 on your system

   # dnf install python3.8
   

3. Verify Python3.8 is properly installed

   Example output:

   # python3.8
   Python 3.8.16 (default, Dec 21 2022, 10:58:32)
   [GCC 8.5.0 20210514 (Red Hat 8.5.0-17)] on linux
   Type "help", "copyright", "credits" or "license" for more information.
   >>>
   

4. Install additional packages

   # pip3.8 install cherrypy
   # pip3.8 install requests       ## required only for python3.8
   

5. Verify that Grafana-Bridge starts properly with Python 3.8

   # python3.8 zimonGrafanaIntf.py
   2024-06-05 07:42 - MainThread                               - INFO     -  *** IBM Storage Scale bridge for Grafana - Version: 8.0.0 ***
   2024-06-05 07:42 - MainThread                               - INFO     - Successfully retrieved MetaData
   2024-06-05 07:42 - MainThread                               - INFO     - Received sensors:CPU, DiskFree, GPFSBufMgr, GPFSFilesystem, GPFSFilesystemAPI, GPFSNSDDisk, GPFSNSDFS, GPFSNSDPool, GPFSNode, GPFSNodeAPI, GPFSRPCS, GPFSVFSX, GPFSWaiters, IPFIX, Load, Memory, Netstat, Network, TopProc, CTDBDBStats, CTDBStats, SMBGlobalStats, SMBStats, GPFSDiskCap, GPFSFileset, GPFSInodeCap, GPFSPool, GPFSPoolCap
   2024-06-05 07:42 - MainThread                               - INFO     - Initial cherryPy server engine start have been invoked. Python version: 3.8.16 (default, Dec 21 2022, 10:58:32)
   [GCC 8.5.0 20210514 (Red Hat 8.5.0-17)], cherryPy version: 18.9.0.
   2024-06-05 07:42 - MainThread                               - INFO     - Registered applications:
    OpenTSDB Api listening on Grafana queries
   2024-06-05 07:42 - MainThread                               - INFO     - server started
   

6. Update the Python path in the grafana-bridge.service file

   If you use the grafana-bridge.service file to start and stop the IBM Storage Scale Bridge for Grafana, you need to update the Python path in the ExecStart command and restart the service.

   ExecStart=/usr/bin/python3.8 -u source/zimonGrafanaIntf.py