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Features, installation, and advantages
Today, Zabbix stands as one of the most comprehensive open-source solutions for network, server, and application monitoring. Originally developed in 2001 by Alexei Vladishev, Zabbix is used by thousands of organizations worldwide to ensure the availability and performance of their critical IT systems. In this review, we will delve into its features, compare it to popular alternatives, and assess its relevance for IT professionals.
What problems does Zabbix solve?
Many companies seek to replace commercial monitoring tools such as Nagios XI, PRTG Network Monitor, or SolarWinds, often deemed expensive or closed.
Zabbix addresses several key issues:
High licensing costs: Zabbix is 100% free and open source.
Siloed features: It combines network, server, cloud, and application monitoring into a single tool.
- Lack of flexibility: Its modularity allows for extensive customization and advanced integrations.
Scalability issues: It supports monitoring thousands of nodes on a large scale.
Key features and capabilities
Interface
Responsive Web Dashboard
Customizable Widgets
Multi-user support with role management
- Support for dark/light themes
Performance
Asynchronous and distributed data collection
Automatic Low-level discovery (LLD)
- Compressed history to save disk space
Customization
Predefined templates and creation of custom models
User macros
Configurable notification scripts
Comprehensive REST API
Security
LDAP/SAML/2FA authentication
TLS/SSL encryption between agents and the server
Logging of accesses and user actions
How to Install and Configure Zabbix?
Download the LTS or stable version from https://zabbix.com/download .
- Install the packages via your package manager (apt, yum, dnf).
- Configure:
The database (MySQL/PostgreSQL)
The Web interface (Apache/Nginx + PHP)
Agents on remote hosts
Log in to the Web interface and start monitoring your assets.
Tip: Use the official Docker containers or cloud templates (AWS, Azure, GCP) for a quick installation.
Use Cases for Zabbix
Company A (Telecom Sector): Monitoring of 12,000 devices spread across 8 data centers with real-time alerts, reducing the mean time to repair (MTTR) by 28%.
- University B (Higher Education): Tracking of critical services (Moodle, LDAP, SSO) with automated weekly reports, integrated into their existing free software support.
- Hospital C (Healthcare): Proactive detection of anomalies on application servers, compliant with GDPR and HDS standards.
Comparison with Alternatives
| Feature | Zabbix | Nagios Core | PRTG |
|---|---|---|---|
| Open Source | ✅ | ✅ | ❌ |
| Complete Web Interface | ✅ | ❌ (third-party plugin) | ✅ |
| REST API | ✅ | ❌ | ✅ |
| Automatic Discovery | ✅ | ❌ | ✅ |
| License Cost | Free | Free | Paid |
| Enterprise Support Available | ✅ (Zabbix SIA) | Third-party | ✅ |
| Native Cloud Monitoring | ✅ | ❌ | ✅ |
Advantages and disadvantages
| ✅ Advantages | ❌ Disadvantages |
|---|---|
| ✅ 100% open source and free | ❌ Complex interface for beginners |
| ✅ Highly scalable for large infrastructures | ❌ Requires a steep learning curve |
| ✅ Native support for SQL databases, agents, SNMP | ❌ Fewer out-of-the-box integrations than PRTG |
| ✅ Strong open-source community ecosystem | ❌ More technical initial installation |
Conclusion
Zabbix is a powerful, flexible, and free solution that is perfectly suited for:
System administrators monitoring heterogeneous environments
DevOps developers looking for an API and real-time alerts
Large IT accounts wanting to centralize the monitoring of thousands of assets
If you are looking for a reliable alternative to proprietary solutions like PRTG, SolarWinds, or Nagios XI, Zabbix seriously deserves your attention.
