Session() get_available_regions for some services returns an empty list

[aaoswal]

Original Issue:

• botocore.session.Session().get_available_regions("appconfig") return empty list boto/botocore#2631
• Session get_available_regions memorydb returns an empty list boto/boto3#3190
• Imagebuilder is not in endpoints.json boto/botocore#2656

Description

Trying to retrieve the available regions for the "memorydb" service returns an empty list where it should return some regions.

get_available_regions returns an empty list for "appconfig" and some other services.

Imagebuilder is not in the endpoints list. Which does not allow us to know in which region the service is available and returns an empty list

Expected Behavior

A full list of the regions where the service is available.

[tim-finnigan]

Linking this comment that mentions a few other missing services: boto/boto3#1662 (comment)

[aaoswal]

P61501590

[bblommers]

The iot-data service also returns an empty list in version 1.24.30.

This bug was introduced with the latest release - it worked up until 1.24.29.

[aaoswal]

Mentioning a similar case: boto/botocore#2656

[bblommers]

The signer service also returns an empty list in boto3 version 1.24.50 when calling boto3.Session().get_available_regions("signer")

[tim-finnigan]

This feature request is not currently under consideration — as an alternative please consider the approach referenced in this blog post for these capabilities: https://aws.amazon.com/blogs/aws/new-query-for-aws-regions-endpoints-and-more-using-aws-systems-manager-parameter-store/

[github-actions]

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[bblommers]

Hi @tim-finnigan, I'm a little confused by your comment.
Are you saying that the get_available_regions-method, part of botocore, is now considered deprecated, and will no longer return useful information for new services?

[tim-finnigan]

Upon discussing this further with a colleague we wanted to clarify that the Python SDK team is currently investigating paths forward for this method, and deprecation is one possible outcome. Here is why:

As mentioned above, the source of information returned by get_available_regions is the endpoints.json file. This file is embedded in botocore and until version 1.28.0 was used for endpoint resolution in botocore.

The get_available_regions method was introduced many years ago as a secondary use of endpoints.json data, long before other sources of service availability were available. This has always been a sub-optimal solution because the information in endpoints.json is inherently frozen at release time. And even at release time the data in endpoints.json may lag behind reality due to how it is generated internally. The boto3 documentation addresses this (the function is not documented in the botocore documentation).

Since get_available_regions was introduced, the SSM Parameter Store API was introduced to solve the same user need better in 2019. Endpoint resolution in SDKs migrated to a different data source starting with botocore 1.28.0. As a result, endpoints.json will become an even less complete and up-to-date data source.

If completeness and recency of information is important for your use, switching to the SSM API is, and has been, the recommended approach.

[bblommers]

Hi @tim-finnigan, a very late clarification on this topic:

What would be the recommended approach to retrieve ISO region information?
For example the following call:
sess.get_available_regions("stepfunctions", partition_name="aws-iso-b")

As far as I can tell, the SSM parameter store does not contain any information about ISO regions. (It does have US-GOV and CH-regions.)

[tim-finnigan]

@bblommers I would not rely on get_available_regions for ISO information. I recommend referencing this documentation: https://aws.amazon.com/compliance/iso-certified/

[bblommers]

Thanks @tim-finnigan. It would be nice to have a programmatic (official) way to retrieve this information - is it worth opening a feature request for this (in a separate issue)?

[tim-finnigan]

Thanks @tim-finnigan. It would be nice to have a programmatic (official) way to retrieve this information - is it worth opening a feature request for this (in a separate issue)?

Sure you could open a separate issue for that feature request. I recommend outlining specifically what your use case is and how what you're requesting would help address that. (If you have a support plan then we advise reaching out directly through AWS Support for feature requests like this.) Also for retrieving info on ISO certification, a service like AWS Artifact may be better suited for what you are trying to do.

[lorengordon]

Thanks @tim-finnigan. It would be nice to have a programmatic (official) way to retrieve this information - is it worth opening a feature request for this (in a separate issue)?

Sure you could open a separate issue for that feature request. I recommend outlining specifically what your use case is and how what you're requesting would help address that. (If you have a support plan then we advise reaching out directly through AWS Support for feature requests like this.) Also for retrieving info on ISO certification, a service like AWS Artifact may be better suited for what you are trying to do.

@tim-finnigan The ISO partitions are actual AWS partitions, I.e. aws-iso and aws-iso-b , same as aws and aws-us-gov are partitions. Nothing to do with the ISO certification.... Please rethink the request from @bblommers ?