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How to install zabbix server on Ubuntu

Authors
  • avatar
    Name
    Marcio Moreira Junior

Are you looking to enhance your IT monitoring capabilities? Installing Zabbix Server on Ubuntu can be a game changer. In this guide, we will walk through the installation process step-by-step, ensuring that you are well-equipped to monitor your systems efficiently.

Prerequisites

Before you begin the installation, ensure you have the following prerequisites in place:

  • A clean installation of Ubuntu (20.04 LTS or newer recommended).
  • Root or sudo access.
  • Basic familiarity with the Linux command line.
  • A basic understanding of MySQL or PostgreSQL.

Step 1: Update Your System

Start by updating your operating system to ensure all packages are up to date. Open your terminal and run:

sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade -y

Expected Output:

... (a list of packages that are being updated)

This command fetches the latest package lists and upgrades outdated packages, which is a good practice before installing new software.

Step 2: Install Required Packages

Zabbix requires a few packages, including a web server, database server, and PHP. For this guide, we will install Apache, MySQL, and PHP. Run the following command:

sudo apt install apache2 mysql-server php php-mysql libapache2-mod-php php-gd php-xml php-mbstring php-bcmath php-json -y

Expected Output:

... (a list of packages that are being installed)

After installing these packages, you will need to start and enable the Apache and MySQL services:

sudo systemctl start apache2
sudo systemctl enable apache2
sudo systemctl start mysql
sudo systemctl enable mysql

Expected output (for each service):

... (there won't be explicit output, but the command prompt will return)

Step 3: Create Zabbix Database

Next, you need to create a database and user for Zabbix in MySQL. Log into the MySQL prompt:

sudo mysql -u root -p

Expected Output:

Enter password for user root:

Once logged in, run the following commands to create a database named zabbix and a user zabbix_user:

CREATE DATABASE zabbix CHARACTER SET utf8mb4 COLLATE utf8mb4_unicode_ci;
CREATE USER 'zabbix_user'@'localhost' IDENTIFIED BY 'your_password';
GRANT ALL PRIVILEGES ON zabbix.* TO 'zabbix_user'@'localhost';
FLUSH PRIVILEGES;
EXIT;

Replace 'your_password' with a strong password of your choice. The output confirms the successful execution of these commands.

Step 4: Install Zabbix Server

To install Zabbix, first, you need to add the Zabbix repository. Use the following commands:

wget https://cdn.zabbix.com/zabbix/6.0/zabbix-official-repo-6.0-ubuntu22.04_all.deb
sudo dpkg -i zabbix-official-repo-6.0-ubuntu22.04_all.deb
sudo apt update

Expected Output after each command:

... (a series of confirmations showing repository setup and package list updates)

Now, install the Zabbix server, frontend, and agent:

sudo apt install zabbix-server-mysql zabbix-frontend-php zabbix-agent -y

Expected Output:

... (package installation confirmations)

Step 5: Configure Zabbix Server

Now it’s time to configure Zabbix Server. Open the Zabbix server configuration file:

sudo nano /etc/zabbix/zabbix_server.conf

Find and edit the database section:

DBName=zabbix
DBUser=zabbix_user
DBPassword=your_password

Make sure to replace your_password with the password you defined.

Step 6: Initialize the Database Schema

Next, import the initial schema and data to the zabbix database using the following command:

sudo zcat /usr/share/doc/zabbix-server-mysql*/create/schema.sql.gz | mysql -uzabbix_user -p zabbix

Expected Output:

... (no output is displayed, returns to command prompt)

Step 7: Configure Apache

Next, configure the Apache web server. You need to create a virtual host configuration for Zabbix:

sudo nano /etc/apache2/sites-available/zabbix.conf

Add the following content:

<VirtualHost *:80>
    ServerName your_domain_or_IP
    DocumentRoot /usr/share/zabbix
    <Directory /usr/share/zabbix>
        Options FollowSymLinks
        AllowOverride All
        Require all granted
    </Directory>
    ErrorLog ${APACHE_LOG_DIR}/zabbix_error.log
    CustomLog ${APACHE_LOG_DIR}/zabbix_access.log combined
</VirtualHost>

Set your domain or IP accordingly. Save and exit, then enable the new site and restart Apache:

sudo a2ensite zabbix
sudo systemctl reload apache2

Step 8: Start Zabbix Server and Agent

Now that everything is set up, start the Zabbix Server and Agent and enable them to run at boot:

sudo systemctl start zabbix-server zabbix-agent
sudo systemctl enable zabbix-server zabbix-agent

Troubleshooting Common Issues

  • Zabbix Web Interface Doesn't Load: Ensure Apache and Zabbix Server are running. Check error logs for hints:
sudo tail -f /var/log/apache2/zabbix_error.log
sudo tail -f /var/log/zabbix/zabbix_server.log
  • Error Connecting to the Database: Verify your MySQL credentials and that MySQL is running:
sudo systemctl status mysql
  • Firewall Blocks Access: If you cannot access the Zabbix web interface, check your firewall settings and allow HTTP traffic:
sudo ufw allow 80/tcp

Conclusion

Installing Zabbix Server on Ubuntu is a straightforward task that can greatly enhance your system monitoring capabilities. With this guide, you've learned not just the installation steps but also how to troubleshoot common issues. As you become familiar with Zabbix, you can explore its powerful features to create an efficient monitoring solution tailored to your needs.