Zabbix 6.0 Setup Steps

My standard steps for setting up a new Zabbix server

This example is tuned for an install on Ubuntu 20.04 Server, but can be adapted to any Linux box

All commands are being run while logged in as root

Install/Setup MariaDB

• Zabbix 6.0 requires MariaDB 10.5 or later, but Ubuntu 20.04 Server wants to use 10.3 by default as of this writing (2022-04-25)
  • Run apt search mariadb-server and check if the found version is less than 10.5
  • If the version is less than 10.5, then use the non-default instructions below, otherwise use the default

Install NON-DEFAULT (10.5+) MariaDB version

# Download the repo installation script
wget https://downloads.mariadb.com/MariaDB/mariadb_repo_setup
#
# Make the script executable
chmod +x mariadb_repo_setup
#
# Execute the script to add the repo
./mariadb_repo_setup --mariadb-server-version="mariadb-10.5"
#
# Install MariaDB
apt install mariadb-server
#
# Run the setup wizard
mysql_secure_installation

Install DEFAULT MariaDB version

# Install MariaDB
apt install mariadb-server
#
# Run the setup wizard
mysql_secure_installation

Install Zabbix

# Download package list for Debian 11
wget https://repo.zabbix.com/zabbix/6.0/ubuntu/pool/main/z/zabbix-release/zabbix-release_6.0-1+ubuntu20.04_all.deb
#
# Install package list
dpkg -i zabbix-release_6.0-1+ubuntu20.04_all.deb
apt update
#
# Install packages
apt install -y zabbix-server-mysql zabbix-frontend-php zabbix-apache-conf zabbix-sql-scripts zabbix-agent
#
# Set up database
mysql -uroot -p
create database zabbix character set utf8mb4 collate utf8mb4_bin;
create user zabbix@localhost identified by 'password';
grant all privileges on zabbix.* to zabbix@localhost;
quit;
#
# Import database schema
zcat /usr/share/doc/zabbix-sql-scripts/mysql/server.sql.gz | mysql -uzabbix -p zabbix
#
# Adjust server config file
nano /etc/zabbix/zabbix_server.conf
#  - Set DB password like: DBPassword=password
#  - Set timeout like: Timeout=30
#  - Set VMWare collectors like: StartVMwareCollectors=5
#
# Adjust agent config file
nano /etc/zabbix/zabbix_agentd.conf
#  - Allow agent to run scripts with: AllowKey=system.run[*]
#
# Set timezone in PHP config file
nano /etc/zabbix/apache.conf
#  - Set: php_value date.timezone America/Los_Angeles
#
# Set the locale for the Zabbix server
dpkg-reconfigure locales
#  - Check the box for "en_US.UTF-8" and select "OK"
#  - Select "OK" again to exit the menu
#
# Restart Zabbix Server and Agent
systemctl restart zabbix-server zabbix-agent apache2
systemctl enable zabbix-server zabbix-agent apache2
systemctl status zabbix-server zabbix-agent apache2

Set up Apache

• Create a self-signed cert

# Create a directory for the cert files
mkdir /etc/ssl/zabbix/
#
# Create the files
openssl req -newkey rsa:2048 -nodes -keyout /etc/ssl/zabbix/certificate.key -x509 -days 3650 -out /etc/ssl/zabbix/certificate.pem
#  - Answer openssl questions

• Adjust Apache modules and sites

# Enable needed modules
a2enmod ssl
a2enmod rewrite
#
# Disable the default site
a2dissite 000-default

• Create Apache non-SSL site file with: nano /etc/apache2/sites-available/zabbix.conf

<VirtualHost *:80>
        DocumentRoot /usr/share/zabbix
        ErrorLog ${APACHE_LOG_DIR}/error.log
        CustomLog ${APACHE_LOG_DIR}/access.log combined
        RewriteEngine on
        # If accessing via the public NAT using the DNS name, then rewrite with the custom port
        RewriteRule ^ https://%{SERVER_NAME}%{REQUEST_URI} [R]
</VirtualHost>

• Create Apache SSL site file with: nano /etc/apache2/sites-available/zabbix-ssl.conf

<IfModule mod_ssl.c>
  <VirtualHost *:443>
        DocumentRoot /usr/share/zabbix
        ErrorLog ${APACHE_LOG_DIR}/error.log
        CustomLog ${APACHE_LOG_DIR}/access.log combined

        ServerName zabbix.example.com
        SSLCertificateFile /etc/ssl/zabbix/certificate.pem
        SSLCertificateKeyFile /etc/ssl/zabbix/certificate.key
  </VirtualHost>
</IfModule>

• Enable the non-SSL and SSL sites

# Enable the sites
a2ensite zabbix.conf
a2ensite zabbix-ssl.conf
#
# Restart Apache
systemctl reload apache2

Optimize MariaDB settings

• Adjust the MariaDB settings with nano /etc/mysql/mariadb.conf.d/50-server.cnf
• Add the below section under the [mysqld] header

# Custom Settings
innodb_buffer_pool_size=2G
innodb_buffer_pool_instances=8
innodb_flush_log_at_trx_commit=0
innodb_flush_method=O_DIRECT
innodb_log_file_size=134217728
innodb_io_capacity=2000
query_cache_size=0
query_cache_type=0

• Restart MariaDB: systemctl restart mariadb.service
• Check status: systemctl status mariadb.service

Set up SNMP and MIBs

# Install the packages
apt install snmp snmp-mibs-downloader
#
# Check the service status
systemctl status snmpd.service
#
# Download all the Cisco MIBs into the MIBs folder
cd /usr/share/snmp/mibs
wget ftp://ftp.cisco.com/pub/mibs/v2/*.my

Misc Apps

# Install DNSUtils to have `dig` available
apt install dnsutils
dig
#
# Install Fail2Ban
apt install fail2ban
systemctl status fail2ban.service
#
# Install Byobu
apt install byobu
byobu
#  - Hit CTRL-A, hit 1 and then ENTER
exit  # byobu
#
# Install MTR
apt install mtr
mtr google.com
#
#

Create MTR script

• Install MTR with apt install mtr
• Create the script file: nano /usr/lib/zabbix/externalscripts/mtrtrace.sh
• Put the below in the file

#!/usr/bin/env bash
IP=$1
mtr -r -c3 -w -b $IP

• Make the file executable: chmod +x /usr/lib/zabbix/externalscripts/mtrtrace.sh
• Test it: /usr/lib/zabbix/externalscripts/mtrtrace.sh google.com
• Download Zabbix template and follow instructions from: https://jeremyverda.net/traceroute-with-zabbix-and-mtr/