Zabbix Server: Installing and Configuring from Scratch

Name: Zabbix Server: Installing and Configuring from Scratch
Rating: 4.5 (76 reviews)

Install a Zabbix server and agent, add hosts and items, draw graphs, set triggers and send email alerts in one hour

Created byVitalii Shumylo

Last updated 9/2026

English

English [Auto],

What you'll learn

Install the Zabbix server
Configure SELinux so that Zabbix runs correctly
Install and configure the Zabbix agent
Create an item to collect a value
Use simple graphs to see the data
Configure the e-mail parameters and create an action that sends an alert

Course content

1 section • 13 lectures • 1h 8m total length

Zabbix server installation12:13
Install and configure the Zabbix server from scratch by adding the repository, installing Apache, MariaDB, and PHP, creating the Zabbix database, and starting services, with SELinux in permissive as needed.
SELinux configuration5:44
Configure SELinux to allow Zabbix server operation by temporarily setting permissive or permanently disabling SELinux through /etc/selinux/config, rebooting, and verifying with sestatus and audit logs.
Getting familiar with frontend1:56
Learn to set up the Zabbix frontend: open the web console, verify prerequisites, configure database and frontend details, log in as admin, and enable monitoring by configuring hosts.
Agent installation and configuration5:33
Install and configure the Zabbix agent on servers, open firewall port 150, start and enable the service, and set the agent to active or passive mode to communicate with server.
Exploring the frontend5:21
Explore the Zabbix frontend by navigating the top and bottom menus, inspecting host groups, and adjusting user profile and login options.
Creating a host5:43
Learn how items provide gathered metrics by attaching them to a host in Zabbix, and how to create a host and assign it to a group for item retrieval.
Creating an item5:51
Create an item for Linux host by naming it and selecting numeric float; then monitor data with filter and ensure agent and server run on ports 10050 and 10051.
Using simple graphs5:31
Explore simple graphs for monitored numeric items, using zoom, scroll bar, and calendar widgets to adjust the displayed period, with gray areas marking outside working hours.
Creating triggers3:56
Create a Zabbix trigger to detect cp load too high by defining an expression tied to an item key, then review triggers in open monitoring and use filters.
Configuring e-mail parameters2:22
Configure zabbix email parameters to enable alerts by setting the mail server, from address, and smtp authentication, then add recipient user emails.
Creating an action2:51
Learn to create and configure actions in zabbix to trigger email notifications under specific conditions, detailing main configuration, operations, and action conditions for recipients such as admin users.
Information ﬂow in Zabbix10:46
Explore how Zabbix wires hosts, items, and triggers to generate events when thresholds are met, drive actions and email alerts, and visualize data with graphs and front-end notifications.
Bonus Lecture: What to Learn Next0:13

Requirements

General familiarity with a Linux server
A Linux machine or virtual machine to install Zabbix on
A mail account for the alert test

Description

A monitoring system earns its keep the first time it emails you before your users call. In about an hour you build a working Zabbix monitoring setup from scratch, from the installation to an email alert, and you see on screen every setting you need along the way.

What the lectures cover

Besides the main topics, you also work through: Get familiar with the Zabbix frontend; Create a host; Create triggers that detect problems; Understand the information flow in Zabbix.

How the course works

The course follows the order in which you would build a real monitoring setup, so every lecture adds one more working piece to the same Zabbix system. By the last lecture you have seen the whole chain from collecting a value to sending a message, and you can rebuild it yourself on a test machine.

Inside the course

The course is organised into these sections: Zabbix configuration from scratch. Lectures you will find include: Zabbix server installation; Getting familiar with frontend; Agent installation and configuration; Exploring the frontend; Creating a host; Creating an item; Using simple graphs; Configuring e-mail parameters; Creating an action; Information ﬂow in Zabbix.

The course runs about 1.1 hours in 13 lectures. It is a quick start on one monitoring setup, so it does not cover templates, auto-discovery, scaling or advanced monitoring design. It is a good first step before you go deeper.

Who this course is for:

Linux users who need a first monitoring system
System administrators who want alerts before users call
DevOps technicians who want to see how Zabbix fits together