Linux Virtual Machine Agent Status "Not Ready"

The “Not Ready” status for the Linux VM Agent can occur for several reasons, commonly related to the agent process itself or underlying platform/network issues.

If a reboot resolves the issue, it’s a good idea to check the agent logs at the time the problem occurred. You can find these in:

/var/log/waagent.log
Look for any errors or service restarts during the outage period.

It’s important to note that SSH availability is not directly tied to the VM Agent — they are independent components. However, if both the VM Agent status is 'Not Ready' and SSH is failing at the same time, that typically points to a broader network issue, such as:

Loss of connectivity to the Azure WireServer,What is IP address 168.63.129.16? | Microsoft Learn which the agent depends on

Platform maintenance or underlying host networking issues

In such cases, confirm the VM can reach the WireServer at 168.63.129.16, which is critical for Azure management services.

You can check reachability using:

ping 168.63.129.16

If the issue recurs, inspect:

waagent.log for agent failures

/var/log/syslog or /var/log/messages for broader system issues

NSG/UDR settings that might block platform traffic

Let me know if you’d like help diagnosing based on logs.