diff --git a/dev-tools/packaging/packages.yml b/dev-tools/packaging/packages.yml
index fd4e83acce62..3cda43b0f2cb 100644
--- a/dev-tools/packaging/packages.yml
+++ b/dev-tools/packaging/packages.yml
@@ -54,10 +54,10 @@ shared:
       /etc/init.d/{{.BeatServiceName}}:
         template: '{{ elastic_beats_dir }}/dev-tools/packaging/templates/{{.PackageType}}/init.sh.tmpl'
         mode: 0755
-      /etc/{{.BeatName}}/beats/filebeat-{{ beat_version }}-{{.GOOS}}-{{.AgentArchName}}.tar.gz:
+      /etc/{{.BeatName}}/data/downloads/filebeat-{{ beat_version }}-{{.GOOS}}-{{.AgentArchName}}.tar.gz:
         source: '{{ elastic_beats_dir }}/x-pack/filebeat/build/distributions/filebeat-{{ beat_version }}{{if .Snapshot}}-SNAPSHOT{{end}}-{{.GOOS}}-{{.AgentArchName}}.tar.gz'
         mode: 0644
-      /etc/{{.BeatName}}/beats/metricbeat-{{ beat_version }}-{{.GOOS}}-{{.AgentArchName}}.tar.gz:
+      /etc/{{.BeatName}}/data/downloads/metricbeat-{{ beat_version }}-{{.GOOS}}-{{.AgentArchName}}.tar.gz:
         source: '{{ elastic_beats_dir }}/x-pack/metricbeat/build/distributions/metricbeat-{{ beat_version }}{{if .Snapshot}}-SNAPSHOT{{end}}-{{.GOOS}}-{{.AgentArchName}}.tar.gz'
         mode: 0644
 
@@ -97,10 +97,10 @@ shared:
         source: 'agent.yml'
         mode: 0600
         config: true
-      /etc/{{.BeatName}}/beats/filebeat-{{ beat_version }}-{{.GOOS}}-{{.AgentArchName}}.tar.gz:
+      /etc/{{.BeatName}}/data/downloads/filebeat-{{ beat_version }}-{{.GOOS}}-{{.AgentArchName}}.tar.gz:
         source: '{{ elastic_beats_dir }}/x-pack/filebeat/build/distributions/filebeat-{{ beat_version }}{{if .Snapshot}}-SNAPSHOT{{end}}-{{.GOOS}}-{{.AgentArchName}}.tar.gz'
         mode: 0644
-      /etc/{{.BeatName}}/beats/metricbeat-{{ beat_version }}-{{.GOOS}}-{{.AgentArchName}}.tar.gz:
+      /etc/{{.BeatName}}/data/downloads/metricbeat-{{ beat_version }}-{{.GOOS}}-{{.AgentArchName}}.tar.gz:
         source: '{{ elastic_beats_dir }}/x-pack/metricbeat/build/distributions/metricbeat-{{ beat_version }}{{if .Snapshot}}-SNAPSHOT{{end}}-{{.GOOS}}-{{.AgentArchName}}.tar.gz'
         mode: 0644
 
@@ -131,10 +131,10 @@ shared:
     <<: *common
     files:
       <<: *agent_binary_files
-      'beats/filebeat-{{ beat_version }}-{{.GOOS}}-{{.AgentArchName}}.tar.gz':
+      'data/downloads/filebeat-{{ beat_version }}-{{.GOOS}}-{{.AgentArchName}}.tar.gz':
         source: '{{ elastic_beats_dir }}/x-pack/filebeat/build/distributions/filebeat-{{ beat_version }}{{if .Snapshot}}-SNAPSHOT{{end}}-{{.GOOS}}-{{.AgentArchName}}.tar.gz'
         mode: 0644
-      'beats/metricbeat-{{ beat_version }}-{{.GOOS}}-{{.AgentArchName}}.tar.gz':
+      'data/downloads/metricbeat-{{ beat_version }}-{{.GOOS}}-{{.AgentArchName}}.tar.gz':
         source: '{{ elastic_beats_dir }}/x-pack/metricbeat/build/distributions/metricbeat-{{ beat_version }}{{if .Snapshot}}-SNAPSHOT{{end}}-{{.GOOS}}-{{.AgentArchName}}.tar.gz'
         mode: 0644
 
@@ -149,10 +149,10 @@ shared:
       uninstall-service-{{.BeatName}}.ps1:
         template: '{{ elastic_beats_dir }}/dev-tools/packaging/templates/windows/uninstall-service.ps1.tmpl'
         mode: 0755
-      'beats/filebeat-{{ beat_version }}-{{.GOOS}}-{{.AgentArchName}}.zip':
+      'data/downloads/filebeat-{{ beat_version }}-{{.GOOS}}-{{.AgentArchName}}.zip':
         source: '{{ elastic_beats_dir }}/x-pack/filebeat/build/distributions/filebeat-{{ beat_version }}{{if .Snapshot}}-SNAPSHOT{{end}}-{{.GOOS}}-{{.AgentArchName}}.zip'
         mode: 0644
-      'beats/metricbeat-{{ beat_version }}-{{.GOOS}}-{{.AgentArchName}}.zip':
+      'data/downloads/metricbeat-{{ beat_version }}-{{.GOOS}}-{{.AgentArchName}}.zip':
         source: '{{ elastic_beats_dir }}/x-pack/metricbeat/build/distributions/metricbeat-{{ beat_version }}{{if .Snapshot}}-SNAPSHOT{{end}}-{{.GOOS}}-{{.AgentArchName}}.zip'
         mode: 0644
 
diff --git a/dev-tools/packaging/templates/docker/Dockerfile.agent.tmpl b/dev-tools/packaging/templates/docker/Dockerfile.agent.tmpl
index 5ac98b091299..c85099c54324 100644
--- a/dev-tools/packaging/templates/docker/Dockerfile.agent.tmpl
+++ b/dev-tools/packaging/templates/docker/Dockerfile.agent.tmpl
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@ RUN chmod 755 /usr/local/bin/docker-entrypoint
 
 RUN groupadd --gid 1000 {{ .BeatName }}
 
-RUN mkdir {{ $beatHome }}/data {{ $beatHome }}/logs && \
+RUN mkdir -p {{ $beatHome }}/data {{ $beatHome }}/logs && \
     chown -R root:{{ .BeatName }} {{ $beatHome }} && \
     find {{ $beatHome }} -type d -exec chmod 0750 {} \; && \
     find {{ $beatHome }} -type f -exec chmod 0640 {} \; && \
diff --git a/x-pack/agent/CHANGELOG.asciidoc b/x-pack/agent/CHANGELOG.asciidoc
index e554df40b87c..b543eadb4182 100644
--- a/x-pack/agent/CHANGELOG.asciidoc
+++ b/x-pack/agent/CHANGELOG.asciidoc
@@ -17,3 +17,4 @@
 ==== New features
 
 - Generate index name in a format type-dataset-namespace {pull}16903[16903]
+- OS agnostic default configuration {pull}17016[17016]
diff --git a/x-pack/agent/_meta/agent.docker.yml b/x-pack/agent/_meta/agent.docker.yml
index eb0e4d3771cc..07f764269b08 100644
--- a/x-pack/agent/_meta/agent.docker.yml
+++ b/x-pack/agent/_meta/agent.docker.yml
@@ -52,15 +52,15 @@ download:
   # e.g /windows-x86.zip
   sourceURI: "https://artifacts.elastic.co/downloads/beats/"
   # path to the directory containing downloaded packages
-  target_directory: "/home/elastic/downloads"
+  target_directory: "${path.data}/downloads"
   # timeout for downloading package
   timeout: 30s
   # file path to a public key used for verifying downloaded artifacts
   # if not file is present agent will try to load public key from elastic.co website.
-  pgpfile: "/home/elastic/elastic.pgp"
+  pgpfile: "${path.data}/elastic.pgp"
   # install_path describes the location of installed packages/programs. It is also used
   # for reading program specifications.
-  install_path: "/home/elastic/install"
+  install_path: "${path.data}/install"
 
 process:
   # minimal port number for spawned processes
diff --git a/x-pack/agent/_meta/agent.fleet.yml b/x-pack/agent/_meta/agent.fleet.yml
index 3157dc31c16e..883f1c35835f 100644
--- a/x-pack/agent/_meta/agent.fleet.yml
+++ b/x-pack/agent/_meta/agent.fleet.yml
@@ -10,15 +10,15 @@ download:
   # e.g /windows-x86.zip
   sourceURI: "https://artifacts.elastic.co/downloads/beats/"
   # path to the directory containing downloaded packages
-  target_directory: "/home/elastic/downloads"
+  target_directory: "${path.data}/downloads"
   # timeout for downloading package
   timeout: 30s
   # file path to a public key used for verifying downloaded artifacts
   # if not file is present agent will try to load public key from elastic.co website.
-  pgpfile: "/home/elastic/elastic.pgp"
+  pgpfile: "${path.data}/elastic.pgp"
   # install_path describes the location of installed packages/programs. It is also used
   # for reading program specifications.
-  install_path: "/home/elastic/install"
+  install_path: "${path.data}/install"
 
 process:
   # minimal port number for spawned processes
diff --git a/x-pack/agent/_meta/agent.yml b/x-pack/agent/_meta/agent.yml
index 12e550f75328..7c36499b8ea0 100644
--- a/x-pack/agent/_meta/agent.yml
+++ b/x-pack/agent/_meta/agent.yml
@@ -53,15 +53,15 @@ download:
   # e.g /windows-x86.zip
   sourceURI: "https://artifacts.elastic.co/downloads/beats/"
   # path to the directory containing downloaded packages
-  target_directory: "/home/elastic/downloads"
+  target_directory: "${path.data}/downloads"
   # timeout for downloading package
   timeout: 30s
   # file path to a public key used for verifying downloaded artifacts
   # if not file is present agent will try to load public key from elastic.co website.
-  pgpfile: "/home/elastic/elastic.pgp"
+  pgpfile: "${path.data}/elastic.pgp"
   # install_path describes the location of installed packages/programs. It is also used
   # for reading program specifications.
-  install_path: "/home/elastic/install"
+  install_path: "${path.data}/install"
 
 process:
   # minimal port number for spawned processes
diff --git a/x-pack/agent/_meta/common.p2.yml b/x-pack/agent/_meta/common.p2.yml
index c9bb83f76f28..adf61fcd2540 100644
--- a/x-pack/agent/_meta/common.p2.yml
+++ b/x-pack/agent/_meta/common.p2.yml
@@ -78,15 +78,15 @@ download:
   # e.g /windows-x86.zip
   sourceURI: "https://artifacts.elastic.co/downloads/beats/"
   # path to the directory containing downloaded packages
-  target_directory: "/home/elastic/downloads"
+  target_directory: "${path.data}/downloads"
   # timeout for downloading package
   timeout: 30s
   # file path to a public key used for verifying downloaded artifacts
   # if not file is present agent will try to load public key from elastic.co website.
-  pgpfile: "/home/elastic/elastic.pgp"
+  pgpfile: "${path.data}/elastic.pgp"
   # install_path describes the location of installed packages/programs. It is also used
   # for reading program specifications.
-  install_path: "/home/elastic/install"
+  install_path: "${path.data}/install"
 
 process:
   # minimal port number for spawned processes
diff --git a/x-pack/agent/_meta/common.reference.p2.yml b/x-pack/agent/_meta/common.reference.p2.yml
index db487a32b48c..9fb2e0a9dbd5 100644
--- a/x-pack/agent/_meta/common.reference.p2.yml
+++ b/x-pack/agent/_meta/common.reference.p2.yml
@@ -78,15 +78,15 @@ download:
   # e.g /windows-x86.zip
   sourceURI: "https://artifacts.elastic.co/downloads/beats/"
   # path to the directory containing downloaded packages
-  target_directory: "/home/elastic/downloads"
+  target_directory: "${path.data}/downloads"
   # timeout for downloading package
   timeout: 30s
   # file path to a public key used for verifying downloaded artifacts
   # if not file is present agent will try to load public key from elastic.co website.
-  pgpfile: "/home/elastic/elastic.pgp"
+  pgpfile: "${path.data}/elastic.pgp"
   # install_path describes the location of installed packages/programs. It is also used
   # for reading program specifications.
-  install_path: "/home/elastic/install"
+  install_path: "${path.data}/install"
 
 process:
   # minimal port number for spawned processes
diff --git a/x-pack/agent/agent.docker.yml b/x-pack/agent/agent.docker.yml
index eb0e4d3771cc..07f764269b08 100644
--- a/x-pack/agent/agent.docker.yml
+++ b/x-pack/agent/agent.docker.yml
@@ -52,15 +52,15 @@ download:
   # e.g /windows-x86.zip
   sourceURI: "https://artifacts.elastic.co/downloads/beats/"
   # path to the directory containing downloaded packages
-  target_directory: "/home/elastic/downloads"
+  target_directory: "${path.data}/downloads"
   # timeout for downloading package
   timeout: 30s
   # file path to a public key used for verifying downloaded artifacts
   # if not file is present agent will try to load public key from elastic.co website.
-  pgpfile: "/home/elastic/elastic.pgp"
+  pgpfile: "${path.data}/elastic.pgp"
   # install_path describes the location of installed packages/programs. It is also used
   # for reading program specifications.
-  install_path: "/home/elastic/install"
+  install_path: "${path.data}/install"
 
 process:
   # minimal port number for spawned processes
diff --git a/x-pack/agent/agent.reference.yml b/x-pack/agent/agent.reference.yml
index bba0c8d06f96..e7d6ba45d6e9 100644
--- a/x-pack/agent/agent.reference.yml
+++ b/x-pack/agent/agent.reference.yml
@@ -83,15 +83,15 @@ download:
   # e.g /windows-x86.zip
   sourceURI: "https://artifacts.elastic.co/downloads/beats/"
   # path to the directory containing downloaded packages
-  target_directory: "/home/elastic/downloads"
+  target_directory: "${path.data}/downloads"
   # timeout for downloading package
   timeout: 30s
   # file path to a public key used for verifying downloaded artifacts
   # if not file is present agent will try to load public key from elastic.co website.
-  pgpfile: "/home/elastic/elastic.pgp"
+  pgpfile: "${path.data}/elastic.pgp"
   # install_path describes the location of installed packages/programs. It is also used
   # for reading program specifications.
-  install_path: "/home/elastic/install"
+  install_path: "${path.data}/install"
 
 process:
   # minimal port number for spawned processes
diff --git a/x-pack/agent/agent.yml b/x-pack/agent/agent.yml
index 0594288dacb4..711cdc61f92e 100644
--- a/x-pack/agent/agent.yml
+++ b/x-pack/agent/agent.yml
@@ -83,15 +83,15 @@ download:
   # e.g /windows-x86.zip
   sourceURI: "https://artifacts.elastic.co/downloads/beats/"
   # path to the directory containing downloaded packages
-  target_directory: "/home/elastic/downloads"
+  target_directory: "${path.data}/downloads"
   # timeout for downloading package
   timeout: 30s
   # file path to a public key used for verifying downloaded artifacts
   # if not file is present agent will try to load public key from elastic.co website.
-  pgpfile: "/home/elastic/elastic.pgp"
+  pgpfile: "${path.data}/elastic.pgp"
   # install_path describes the location of installed packages/programs. It is also used
   # for reading program specifications.
-  install_path: "/home/elastic/install"
+  install_path: "${path.data}/install"
 
 process:
   # minimal port number for spawned processes
diff --git a/x-pack/agent/pkg/agent/application/configuration_embed.go b/x-pack/agent/pkg/agent/application/configuration_embed.go
index b87532e34ff6..2276d1d32761 100644
--- a/x-pack/agent/pkg/agent/application/configuration_embed.go
+++ b/x-pack/agent/pkg/agent/application/configuration_embed.go
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@ var DefaultAgentFleetConfig []byte
 func init() {
 	// Packed File
 	// _meta/agent.fleet.yml
-	unpacked := packer.MustUnpack("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")
+	unpacked := packer.MustUnpack("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")
 	raw, ok := unpacked["_meta/agent.fleet.yml"]
 	if !ok {
 		// ensure we have something loaded.
diff --git a/x-pack/agent/pkg/agent/operation/operator.go b/x-pack/agent/pkg/agent/operation/operator.go
index 33cbea4fd154..9eee74af1cf2 100644
--- a/x-pack/agent/pkg/agent/operation/operator.go
+++ b/x-pack/agent/pkg/agent/operation/operator.go
@@ -224,6 +224,7 @@ func (o *Operator) runFlow(p Descriptor, operations []operation) error {
 			continue
 		}
 
+		o.logger.Debugf("running operation '%s' for %s.%s", op.Name(), p.BinaryName(), p.Version())
 		if err := op.Run(o.bgContext, app); err != nil {
 			return err
 		}
diff --git a/x-pack/agent/pkg/artifact/download/fs/downloader.go b/x-pack/agent/pkg/artifact/download/fs/downloader.go
index 6c208f0656b1..c17ae5dc0e36 100644
--- a/x-pack/agent/pkg/artifact/download/fs/downloader.go
+++ b/x-pack/agent/pkg/artifact/download/fs/downloader.go
@@ -17,7 +17,10 @@ import (
 
 const (
 	packagePermissions = 0660
-	beatsSubfolder     = "beats"
+)
+
+var (
+	defaultDropSubdir = filepath.Join("data", "downloads")
 )
 
 // Downloader is a downloader able to fetch artifacts from elastic.co web page.
@@ -83,13 +86,13 @@ func (e *Downloader) download(operatingSystem, programName, version string) (str
 func getDropPath(cfg *artifact.Config) string {
 	// if drop path is not provided fallback to beats subfolder
 	if cfg == nil || cfg.DropPath == "" {
-		return beatsSubfolder
+		return defaultDropSubdir
 	}
 
 	// if droppath does not exist fallback to beats subfolder
 	stat, err := os.Stat(cfg.DropPath)
 	if err != nil || !stat.IsDir() {
-		return beatsSubfolder
+		return defaultDropSubdir
 	}
 
 	return cfg.DropPath
diff --git a/x-pack/agent/pkg/artifact/download/fs/verifier.go b/x-pack/agent/pkg/artifact/download/fs/verifier.go
index 2a16790f4457..c8f22b363288 100644
--- a/x-pack/agent/pkg/artifact/download/fs/verifier.go
+++ b/x-pack/agent/pkg/artifact/download/fs/verifier.go
@@ -79,7 +79,7 @@ func (v *Verifier) Verify(programName, version string) (bool, error) {
 
 func (v *Verifier) getPublicAsc(filename string) ([]byte, error) {
 	ascFile := fmt.Sprintf("%s%s", filename, ascSuffix)
-	fullPath := filepath.Join(beatsSubfolder, ascFile)
+	fullPath := filepath.Join(defaultDropSubdir, ascFile)
 
 	b, err := ioutil.ReadFile(fullPath)
 	if err != nil {