How to Install Zabbix: A Step-by-Step Guide

Zabbix is a renowned open-source monitoring solution for network systems and applications. This guide will demonstrate how to install Zabbix on a server, ensuring proper setup for effective monitoring.

Prerequisites

• A server running a compatible operating system like Ubuntu or CentOS.
• Access to an account with sudo privileges.
• A basic understanding of terminal commands.
• Internet connectivity for downloading packages.

Step 1: Update Your Server

Begin by updating your server’s package index and upgrading existing packages to their latest versions. Use the following commands:

sudo apt update
sudo apt upgrade

Step 2: Install the Required Packages

Since Zabbix relies on MySQL/MariaDB as its database server, we’ll install it alongside the necessary PHP modules:

sudo apt install -y apache2 mysql-server php php-mbstring php-gd php-xml

Step 3: Configure the Database

Secure your MySQL installation and create a database for Zabbix:

mysql -u root -p
CREATE DATABASE zabbixdb CHARACTER SET UTF8 COLLATE UTF8_BIN;
CREATE USER 'zabbixuser'@'localhost' IDENTIFIED BY 'strongpassword';
GRANT ALL PRIVILEGES ON zabbixdb.* TO 'zabbixuser'@'localhost';
FLUSH PRIVILEGES;
EXIT;

Step 4: Download and Install Zabbix

Retrieve the latest Zabbix package and install it:

wget https://repo.zabbix.com/zabbix/5.0/ubuntu/pool/main/z/zabbix-release/zabbix-release_5.0-1%5Fubuntu.deb
sudo dpkg -i zabbix-release_5.0-1%5Fubuntu.deb
sudo apt update
sudo apt install zabbix-server-mysql zabbix-agent

Step 5: Configure Zabbix Server

Edit the Zabbix server configuration file to set the database details:

sudo nano /etc/zabbix/zabbix_server.conf

Update the DBName, DBUser, and DBPassword fields:

DBName=zabbixdb
DBUser=zabbixuser
DBPassword=strongpassword

Step 6: Start Zabbix and Related Services

Enable and start the services:

sudo systemctl restart zabbix-server zabbix-agent apache2
sudo systemctl enable zabbix-server zabbix-agent apache2

Troubleshooting

If you encounter issues, ensure you have configured your firewall to allow Zabbix ports and that all services are running without error. You might also want to check logs located at /var/log/zabbix/.

Summary Checklist

• Update and upgrade your server packages.
• Install and configure MySQL, create a user and database.
• Download and install Zabbix.
• Configure Zabbix server and database settings.
• Restart and enable Zabbix services.

For more insights on monitoring tools, you can visit our article on top Linux monitoring tools.