3 files changed, 17 insertions, 1 deletions
diff --git a/cloudinit/distros/__init__.py b/cloudinit/distros/__init__.py
index 38b2f829..ff325b40 100644
--- a/cloudinit/distros/__init__.py
+++ b/cloudinit/distros/__init__.py
@@ -35,6 +35,11 @@ from cloudinit import util
 
 from cloudinit.distros.parsers import hosts
 
+OSFAMILIES = {
+    'debian': ['debian', 'ubuntu'],
+    'redhat': ['fedora', 'rhel']
+}
+
 LOG = logging.getLogger(__name__)
 
 
@@ -143,6 +148,16 @@ class Distro(object):
     def _select_hostname(self, hostname, fqdn):
         raise NotImplementedError()
 
+    @staticmethod
+    def expand_osfamily(family_list):
+        distros = []
+        for family in family_list:
+            if not family in OSFAMILIES:
+                raise ValueError("No distibutions found for osfamily %s"
+                                 % (family))
+            distros.extend(OSFAMILIES[family])
+        return distros
+
     def update_hostname(self, hostname, fqdn, prev_hostname_fn):
         applying_hostname = hostname
 
@@ -515,7 +530,6 @@ def _get_package_mirror_info(mirror_info, availability_zone=None,
 
     return results
 
-
 def _get_arch_package_mirror_info(package_mirrors, arch):
     # pull out the specific arch from a 'package_mirrors' config option
     default = None
diff --git a/cloudinit/distros/debian.py b/cloudinit/distros/debian.py
index 7422f4f0..49b73477 100644
--- a/cloudinit/distros/debian.py
+++ b/cloudinit/distros/debian.py
@@ -48,6 +48,7 @@ class Distro(distros.Distro):
         # calls from repeatly happening (when they
         # should only happen say once per instance...)
         self._runner = helpers.Runners(paths)
+        self.osfamily = 'debian'
 
     def apply_locale(self, locale, out_fn=None):
         if not out_fn:
diff --git a/cloudinit/distros/rhel.py b/cloudinit/distros/rhel.py
index bc0877d5..e65be8d7 100644
--- a/cloudinit/distros/rhel.py
+++ b/cloudinit/distros/rhel.py
@@ -60,6 +60,7 @@ class Distro(distros.Distro):
         # calls from repeatly happening (when they
         # should only happen say once per instance...)
         self._runner = helpers.Runners(paths)
+        self.osfamily = 'redhat'
 
     def install_packages(self, pkglist):
         self.package_command('install', pkglist)