How to Install Zabbix 4.0 Monitoring System with Apache on Ubuntu Linux

Zabbix is a popular open-source monitoring software tool that helps you gain insights and simplifies log data from servers, networking devices, and others so you can make sense of them. It helps you, monitor, search and analyze the vast amount of data, (especially in larger environments) into a simple format that you can easily read and digest.

Zabbix supports the majority of the operating systems in use today. from Windows to Linux and Mac OS. including the vast majority of the networking devices deployed.

This brief tutorial is going to show students and new users how to install Zabbix software on Ubuntu 16.04 / 17.10  and 18.04 LTS servers.

For more about Zabbix, please check its homepage.

When you’re ready to install Zabbix, follow the steps below:

Install Apache2 HTTP Server on Ubuntu

Apache2 HTTP Server is the most popular web server in use. so install it since Zabbix needs it.  To install Apache2 HTTP on the Ubuntu server, run the commands below.

sudo apt update
sudo apt install apache2

After installing Apache2, the commands below can be used to stop, start and enable the Apache2 service to always start up with the server boots.

sudo systemctl stop apache2.service
sudo systemctl start apache2.service
sudo systemctl enable apache2.service

To test the Apache2 setup, open your browser and browse to the server hostname or IP address and you should see the Apache2 default test page as shown below. When you see that, then Apache2 is working as expected.

http://localhost

Install MariaDB Database Server

MariaDB database server is a great place to start when looking at open-source database servers to use with Zabbix. To install MariaDB run the commands below.

sudo apt-get install mariadb-server mariadb-client

After installing MariaDB, the commands below can be used to stop, start and enable the MariaDB service to always start up when the server boots.

Run these on Ubuntu 16.04 LTS

sudo systemctl stop mysql.service
sudo systemctl start mysql.service
sudo systemctl enable mysql.service

Run these on Ubuntu 18.04 and 18.10 LTS

sudo systemctl stop mariadb.service
sudo systemctl start mariadb.service
sudo systemctl enable mariadb.service

After that, run the commands below to secure the MariaDB server by creating a root password and disallowing remote root access.

sudo mysql_secure_installation

When prompted, answer the questions below by following the guide.

• Enter current password for root (enter for none): Just press the Enter
• Set root password? [Y/n]: Y
• New password: Enter password
• Re-enter new password: Repeat password
• Remove anonymous users? [Y/n]: Y
• Disallow root login remotely? [Y/n]: Y
• Remove test database and access to it? [Y/n]:  Y
• Reload privilege tables now? [Y/n]:  Y

Next, run the commands below to open the MariaDB default config file…

sudo nano /etc/mysql/mariadb.conf.d/50-server.cnf

Then add the lines below and save…

innodb_file_format = Barracuda
innodb_large_prefix = 1
innodb_default_row_format = dynamic

Restart MariaDB after that…

To test if MariaDB is installed, type the commands below to logon into the MariaDB server

sudo mysql -u root -p

Then type the password you created above to sign on. if successful, you should see MariaDB welcome message

Install PHP 7.2 and Related Modules

PHP 7.2 may not be available in Ubuntu default repositories. to install it, you will have to get it from third-party repositories.

Run the commands below to add the below third-party repository to upgrade to PHP 7.2

sudo apt-get install software-properties-common
sudo add-apt-repository ppa:ondrej/php

Then update and upgrade to PHP 7.2

sudo apt update

Next, run the commands below to install PHP 7.2 and related modules.

sudo apt install php7.2 libapache2-mod-php7.2 php7.2-common php7.2-mysql php7.2-gmp php7.2-curl php7.2-intl php7.2-mbstring php7.2-xmlrpc php7.2-mysql php7.2-gd php7.2-xml php7.2-cli php7.2-zip

After installing PHP 7.2, run the commands below to open the PHP default config file for Apache2.

sudo nano /etc/php/7.2/apache2/php.ini

Then make the changes on the following lines below in the file and save. The value below is a great setting to apply in your environment.

file_uploads = On
allow_url_fopen = On
short_open_tag = On
memory_limit = 256M
upload_max_filesize = 100M
max_execution_time = 360
date.timezone = America/Chicago

After making the change above, save the file and close it. Next, restart Apache2 by running the commands below:

sudo systemctl restart apache2.service

To test PHP 7.2 settings with Apache2, create a phpinfo.php file in the Apache2 root directory by running the commands below

sudo nano /var/www/html/phpinfo.php

Then type the content below and save the file.

<?php phpinfo( ); ?>

Save the file. then browse to your server hostname followed by /phpinfo.php

http://localhost/phpinfo.php

You should see the PHP default test page.

Create Zabbix Database

Now that you’ve installed all the packages that are required for Zabbix to function, continue below to start configuring the servers. First, run the commands below to create a blank Zabbix.

To log on to the MariaDB database server, run the commands below.

sudo mysql -u root -p

Then create a database called zabbix

CREATE DATABASE zabbix character set utf8 collate utf8_bin;

Create a database user called zabbixuser with a new password

CREATE USER 'zabbixuser'@'localhost' IDENTIFIED BY 'new_password_here';

Then grant the user full access to the database.

GRANT ALL ON zabbix.* TO 'zabbixuser'@'localhost' IDENTIFIED BY 'user_password_here' WITH GRANT OPTION;

Finally, save your changes and exit.

FLUSH PRIVILEGES;
EXIT;

Install Zabbix

Now that you’ve installed and configured the servers above, run the commands below to add Zabbix repositories.

cd /tmp
wget https://repo.zabbix.com/zabbix/4.0/ubuntu/pool/main/z/zabbix-release/zabbix-release_4.0-2+bionic_all.deb
wget https://repo.zabbix.com/zabbix/4.0/ubuntu/pool/main/z/zabbix-release/zabbix-release_4.0-2+xenial_all.deb
sudo dpkg -i zabbix-release_4.0-2+bionic*.deb
sudo dpkg -i zabbix-release_4.0-2+xenial*.deb

After that, install these other packages to complete the Zabbix installation.

sudo apt update
sudo apt install zabbix-server-mysql zabbix-agent zabbix-frontend-php php7.2-bcmath

Configure Zabbix

After installing Zabbix, run the commands below to open the Zabbix server config file and change the highlighted lines below:

sudo nano /etc/zabbix/zabbix_server.conf

Then make the highlighted changes below and save the file.

#       Database name.
#       For SQLite3 path to database file must be provided. DBUser and DBPassword are ignored.
#
# Mandatory: yes
# Default:
# DBName=

DBName=zabbix

### Option: DBSchema
#       Schema name. Used for IBM DB2 and PostgreSQL.
#
# Mandatory: no
# Default:
# DBSchema=

### Option: DBUser
#       Database user. Ignored for SQLite.
#
# Mandatory: no
# Default:
# DBUser=

DBUser=zabbixuser

### Option: DBPassword
#       Database password. Ignored for SQLite.
#       Comment this line if no password is used.
#
# Mandatory: no
# Default:
 DBPassword= zabbixuser_password_here

Save the file and exit.

Next, run the commands below to open the Zabbix agent config file. and change the add a hostname.

sudo nano /etc/zabbix/zabbix_agentd.conf

Then add a hostname for your server.

# Mandatory: no
# Default:
# Hostname=

Hostname=zabbix.example.com

Save the file and exit.

Import initial schema and data for the server with MySQL:

zcat /usr/share/doc/zabbix-server-mysql/create.sql.gz | mysql -u zabbixuser -p zabbix

Enter your Zabbix database user password when prompted.

After that, restart and enable the Zabbix service.

sudo systemctl restart zabbix-server
sudo systemctl enable zabbix-server
sudo systemctl reload apache2.service

Now open your browser and browse to the Zabbix hostname or IP address followed by /zabbix/

http://zabbix.example.com/zabbix/

You should see the Zabbix setup page. Continue with the setup wizard until you’re done.

Verify that all the PHP requirements are met. then continue with the database configuration. Type the database connection info you created above and continue.

Then type the Zabbix server name and continue.

Finally, complete the installation.

When you’re done, log in with:

Username: admin
Password zabbix

That’s it!

Conclusion:

You’ve successfully installed Zabbix 4.0 on Ubuntu 16.04 | 18.04 and 18.10 servers. Hope you continue to read our tutorials on Linux and Ubuntu.

Enjoy!

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