16 KiB
What is Zabbix?
Zabbix is an enterprise-class open source distributed monitoring solution.
Zabbix is software that monitors numerous parameters of a network and the health and integrity of servers. Zabbix uses a flexible notification mechanism that allows users to configure e-mail based alerts for virtually any event. This allows a fast reaction to server problems. Zabbix offers excellent reporting and data visualisation features based on the stored data. This makes Zabbix ideal for capacity planning.
For more information and related downloads for Zabbix components, please visit https://hub.docker.com/u/zabbix/ and https://zabbix.com
What is Zabbix server?
Zabbix server is the central process of Zabbix software.
The server performs the polling and trapping of data, it calculates triggers, sends notifications to users. It is the central component to which Zabbix agents and proxies report data on availability and integrity of systems. The server can itself remotely check networked services (such as web servers and mail servers) using simple service checks.
Zabbix server images
These are the only official Zabbix server Docker images. They are based on Alpine Linux v3.19, Ubuntu 22.04 (jammy), CentOS Stream 9 and Oracle Linux 9 images. The available versions of Zabbix server are:
Zabbix server 5.0 (tags: alpine-5.0-latest, ubuntu-5.0-latest, ol-5.0-latest)
Zabbix server 5.0.* (tags: alpine-5.0.*, ubuntu-5.0.*, ol-5.0.*)
Zabbix server 6.0 (tags: alpine-6.0-latest, ubuntu-6.0-latest, ol-6.0-latest)
Zabbix server 6.0.* (tags: alpine-6.0.*, ubuntu-6.0.*, ol-6.0.*)
Zabbix server 6.4 (tags: alpine-6.4-latest, ubuntu-6.4-latest, ol-6.4-latest, alpine-latest, ubuntu-latest, ol-latest, latest)
Zabbix server 6.4.* (tags: alpine-6.4.*, ubuntu-6.4.*, ol-6.4.*)
Zabbix server 7.0 (tags: alpine-trunk, ubuntu-trunk, ol-trunk)
Images are updated when new releases are published. The image with latest tag is based on Alpine Linux.
The image uses PostgreSQL database. It uses the next procedure to start:
- Checking database availability
- Checking of having
POSTGRES_DBdatabase. CreatingPOSTGRES_DBdatabase name if it does not exist - Checking of having
dbversiontable. Creating Zabbix server database schema and upload initial data sample if nodbversiontable
How to use this image
Start zabbix-server-pgsql
Start a Zabbix server container as follows:
docker run --name some-zabbix-server-pgsql -e DB_SERVER_HOST="some-postgres-server" -e POSTGRES_USER="some-user" -e POSTGRES_PASSWORD="some-password" --init -d zabbix/zabbix-server-pgsql:tag
Where some-zabbix-server-pgsql is the name you want to assign to your container, some-postgres-server is IP or DNS name of PostgreSQL server, some-user is user to connect to Zabbix database on PostgreSQL server, some-password is the password to connect to PostgreSQL server and tag is the tag specifying the version you want. See the list above for relevant tags, or look at the full list of tags.
Note
Zabbix server has possibility to execute
fpingutility to perform ICMP checks. When containers are running in rootless mode or with specific restrictions environment, you may face errors related to fping:fping: Operation not permittedor lost all packets to all resources in this case add--cap-add=net_rawtodocker runorpodman runcommands. Additionally fping executing in non-root environments can require sysctl modification:net.ipv4.ping_group_range=0 1995where 1995 iszabbixGID.
Container shell access and viewing Zabbix server logs
The docker exec command allows you to run commands inside a Docker container. The following command line will give you a bash shell inside your zabbix-server-pgsql container:
$ docker exec -ti some-zabbix-server-pgsql /bin/bash
The Zabbix server log is available through Docker's container log:
$ docker logs some-zabbix-server-pgsql
Environment Variables
When you start the zabbix-server-pgsql image, you can adjust the configuration of the Zabbix server by passing one or more environment variables on the docker run command line.
DB_SERVER_HOST
This variable is IP or DNS name of PostgreSQL server. By default, value is 'postgres-server'
DB_SERVER_PORT
This variable is port of PostgreSQL server. By default, value is '5432'.
POSTGRES_USER, POSTGRES_PASSWORD, POSTGRES_USER_FILE, POSTGRES_PASSWORD_FILE
These variables are used by Zabbix server to connect to Zabbix database. With the _FILE variables you can instead provide the path to a file which contains the user / the password instead. Without Docker Swarm or Kubernetes you also have to map the files. Those are exclusive so you can just provide one type - either POSTGRES_USER or POSTGRES_USER_FILE!
docker run --name some-zabbix-server-pgsql -e DB_SERVER_HOST="some-postgres-server" -v ./.POSTGRES_USER:/run/secrets/POSTGRES_USER -e POSTGRES_USER_FILE=/run/secrets/POSTGRES_USER -v ./.POSTGRES_PASSWORD:/run/secrets/POSTGRES_PASSWORD -e POSTGRES_PASSWORD_FILE=/var/run/secrets/POSTGRES_PASSWORD --init -d zabbix/zabbix-server-pgsql:tag
With Docker Swarm or Kubernetes this works with secrets. That way it is replicated in your cluster!
printf "zabbix" | docker secret create POSTGRES_USER -
printf "zabbix" | docker secret create POSTGRES_PASSWORD -
docker run --name some-zabbix-server-pgsql -e DB_SERVER_HOST="some-postgres-server" -e POSTGRES_USER_FILE=/run/secrets/POSTGRES_USER -e POSTGRES_PASSWORD_FILE=/run/secrets/POSTGRES_PASSWORD --init -d zabbix/zabbix-server-pgsql:tag
By default, values for POSTGRES_USER and POSTGRES_PASSWORD are zabbix, zabbix.
POSTGRES_DB
The variable is Zabbix database name. By default, value is zabbix.
POSTGRES_USE_IMPLICIT_SEARCH_PATH
In some setups, for example including PgBouncer, setting the search_path via connection parameters fails. If this variable is set to "true", the image skips setting the search_path and trusts that the search_path of the Zabbix user is setup correctly in PostgreSQL database.
ZBX_LOADMODULE
The variable is list of comma separated loadable Zabbix modules. It works with volume /var/lib/zabbix/modules. The syntax of the variable is dummy1.so,dummy2.so.
ZBX_DEBUGLEVEL
The variable is used to specify debug level. By default, value is 3. It is DebugLevel parameter in zabbix_server.conf. Allowed values are listed below:
0- basic information about starting and stopping of Zabbix processes;1- critical information2- error information3- warnings4- for debugging (produces lots of information)5- extended debugging (produces even more information)
ZBX_TIMEOUT
The variable is used to specify timeout for processing checks. By default, value is 4.
ZBX_JAVAGATEWAY_ENABLE
The variable enable communication with Zabbix Java Gateway to collect Java related checks. By default, value is false.
Other variables
Additionally the image allows to specify many other environment variables listed below:
ZBX_ALLOWUNSUPPORTEDDBVERSIONS=0 # Available since 6.0.0
ZBX_DBTLSCONNECT= # Available since 5.0.0
ZBX_DBTLSCAFILE= # Available since 5.0.0
ZBX_DBTLSCERTFILE= # Available since 5.0.0
ZBX_DBTLSKEYFILE= # Available since 5.0.0
ZBX_DBTLSCIPHER= # Available since 5.0.0
ZBX_DBTLSCIPHER13= # Available since 5.0.0
ZBX_VAULTDBPATH= # Available since 5.2.0
ZBX_VAULTURL=https://127.0.0.1:8200 # Available since 5.2.0
VAULT_TOKEN= # Available since 5.2.0
ZBX_LISTENIP=
ZBX_LISTENPORT=10051
ZBX_LISTENBACKLOG=
ZBX_STARTREPORTWRITERS=0 # Available since 5.4.0
ZBX_WEBSERVICEURL=http://zabbix-web-service:10053/report # Available since 5.4.0
ZBX_SERVICEMANAGERSYNCFREQUENCY=60 # Available since 6.0.0
ZBX_HISTORYSTORAGEURL= # Available since 3.4.0
ZBX_HISTORYSTORAGETYPES=uint,dbl,str,log,text # Available since 3.4.0
ZBX_STARTPOLLERS=5
ZBX_IPMIPOLLERS=0
ZBX_STARTCONNECTORS=0 # Available since 6.4.0
ZBX_STARTPREPROCESSORS=3 # Available since 3.4.0
ZBX_STARTPOLLERSUNREACHABLE=1
ZBX_STARTTRAPPERS=5
ZBX_STARTPINGERS=1
ZBX_STARTDISCOVERERS=1
ZBX_STARTHISTORYPOLLERS=5 # Available since 5.4.0
ZBX_STARTHTTPPOLLERS=1
ZBX_STARTODBCPOLLERS=1 # Available since 6.0.0
ZBX_STARTTIMERS=1
ZBX_STARTESCALATORS=1
ZBX_STARTALERTERS=3 # Available since 3.4.0
ZBX_JAVAGATEWAY=zabbix-java-gateway
ZBX_JAVAGATEWAYPORT=10052
ZBX_STARTJAVAPOLLERS=5
ZBX_STARTLLDPROCESSORS=2 # Available since 4.2.0
ZBX_STATSALLOWEDIP= # Available since 4.0.5
ZBX_STARTVMWARECOLLECTORS=0
ZBX_VMWAREFREQUENCY=60
ZBX_VMWAREPERFFREQUENCY=60
ZBX_VMWARECACHESIZE=8M
ZBX_VMWARETIMEOUT=10
ZBX_ENABLE_SNMP_TRAPS=false
ZBX_SOURCEIP=
ZBX_HOUSEKEEPINGFREQUENCY=1
ZBX_MAXHOUSEKEEPERDELETE=5000
ZBX_PROBLEMHOUSEKEEPINGFREQUENCY=60 # Available since 6.0.0
ZBX_SENDERFREQUENCY=30 # Depcrecated since 3.4.0
ZBX_CACHESIZE=8M
ZBX_CACHEUPDATEFREQUENCY=10
ZBX_STARTDBSYNCERS=4
ZBX_EXPORTFILESIZE=1G # Available since 4.0.0
ZBX_EXPORTTYPE= # Available since 5.0.10 and 5.2.6
ZBX_AUTOHANODENAME=fqdn # Allowed values: fqdn, hostname. Available since 6.0.0
ZBX_HANODENAME= # Available since 6.0.0
ZBX_AUTONODEADDRESS=fqdn # Allowed values: fqdn, hostname. Available since 6.0.0
ZBX_NODEADDRESSPORT=10051 # Allowed to use with ZBX_AUTONODEADDRESS variable only. Available since 6.0.0
ZBX_NODEADDRESS=localhost # Available since 6.0.0
ZBX_HISTORYCACHESIZE=16M
ZBX_HISTORYINDEXCACHESIZE=4M
ZBX_HISTORYSTORAGEDATEINDEX=0 # Available since 4.0.0
ZBX_TRENDCACHESIZE=4M
ZBX_TRENDFUNCTIONCACHESIZE=4M
ZBX_VALUECACHESIZE=8M
ZBX_TRAPPERTIMEOUT=300
ZBX_UNREACHABLEPERIOD=45
ZBX_UNAVAILABLEDELAY=60
ZBX_UNREACHABLEDELAY=15
ZBX_LOGSLOWQUERIES=3000
ZBX_STARTPROXYPOLLERS=1
ZBX_PROXYCONFIGFREQUENCY=10
ZBX_PROXYDATAFREQUENCY=1
ZBX_TLSCAFILE=
ZBX_TLSCRLFILE=
ZBX_TLSCERTFILE=
ZBX_TLSKEYFILE=
ZBX_TLSCIPHERALL= # Available since 4.4.7
ZBX_TLSCIPHERALL13= # Available since 4.4.7
ZBX_TLSCIPHERCERT= # Available since 4.4.7
ZBX_TLSCIPHERCERT13= # Available since 4.4.7
ZBX_TLSCIPHERPSK= # Available since 4.4.7
ZBX_TLSCIPHERPSK13= # Available since 4.4.7
Default values of these variables are specified after equal sign.
The allowed variables are identical of parameters in official zabbix_server.conf. For example, ZBX_LOGSLOWQUERIES = LogSlowQueries.
Please use official documentation for zabbix_server.conf to get more information about the variables.
Allowed volumes for the Zabbix server container
/usr/lib/zabbix/alertscripts
The volume is used for custom alert scripts. It is AlertScriptsPath parameter in zabbix_server.conf.
/usr/lib/zabbix/externalscripts
The volume is used by External checks (type of items). It is ExternalScripts parameter in zabbix_server.conf.
/var/lib/zabbix/modules
The volume allows load additional modules and extend Zabbix server using LoadModule feature.
/var/lib/zabbix/enc
The volume is used to store TLS related files. These file names are specified using ZBX_TLSCAFILE, ZBX_TLSCRLFILE, ZBX_TLSKEY_FILE and ZBX_TLSPSKFILE variables.
/var/lib/zabbix/ssh_keys
The volume is used as location of public and private keys for SSH checks and actions. It is SSHKeyLocation parameter in zabbix_server.conf.
/var/lib/zabbix/ssl/certs
The volume is used as location of of SSL client certificate files for client authentication. It is SSLCertLocation parameter in zabbix_server.conf.
/var/lib/zabbix/ssl/keys
The volume is used as location of SSL private key files for client authentication. It is SSLKeyLocation parameter in zabbix_server.conf.
/var/lib/zabbix/ssl/ssl_ca
The volume is used as location of certificate authority (CA) files for SSL server certificate verification. It is SSLCALocation parameter in zabbix_server.conf.
/var/lib/zabbix/snmptraps
The volume is used as location of snmptraps.log file. It could be shared by zabbix-snmptraps container and inherited using volumes_from Docker option while creating new instance of Zabbix server.
SNMP traps processing feature could be enabled using shared volume and switched ZBX_ENABLE_SNMP_TRAPS environment variable to true.
/var/lib/zabbix/mibs
The volume allows to add new MIB files. It does not support subdirectories, all MIBs must be placed to /var/lib/zabbix/mibs.
/var/lib/zabbix/export
Directory for real-time export of events, history and trends in newline-delimited JSON format. Could be enabled using ZBX_EXPORTFILESIZE environment variable.
The image variants
The zabbix-server-pgsql images come in many flavors, each designed for a specific use case.
zabbix-server-pgsql:alpine-<version>
This image is based on the popular Alpine Linux project, available in the alpine official image. Alpine Linux is much smaller than most distribution base images (~5MB), and thus leads to much slimmer images in general.
This variant is highly recommended when final image size being as small as possible is desired. The main caveat to note is that it does use musl libc instead of glibc and friends, so certain software might run into issues depending on the depth of their libc requirements. However, most software doesn't have an issue with this, so this variant is usually a very safe choice. See this Hacker News comment thread for more discussion of the issues that might arise and some pro/con comparisons of using Alpine-based images.
To minimize image size, it's uncommon for additional related tools (such as git or bash) to be included in Alpine-based images. Using this image as a base, add the things you need in your own Dockerfile (see the alpine image description for examples of how to install packages if you are unfamiliar).
zabbix-server-pgsql:ubuntu-<version>
This is the defacto image. If you are unsure about what your needs are, you probably want to use this one. It is designed to be used both as a throw away container (mount your source code and start the container to start your app), as well as the base to build other images off of.
zabbix-server-pgsql:ol-<version>
Oracle Linux is an open-source operating system available under the GNU General Public License (GPLv2). Suitable for general purpose or Oracle workloads, it benefits from rigorous testing of more than 128,000 hours per day with real-world workloads and includes unique innovations such as Ksplice for zero-downtime kernel patching, DTrace for real-time diagnostics, the powerful Btrfs file system, and more.
Supported Docker versions
This image is officially supported on Docker version 1.12.0.
Support for older versions (down to 1.6) is provided on a best-effort basis.
Please see the Docker installation documentation for details on how to upgrade your Docker daemon.
User Feedback
Documentation
Documentation for this image is stored in the server-pgsql/ directory of the zabbix/zabbix-docker GitHub repo. Be sure to familiarize yourself with the repository's README.md file before attempting a pull request.
Issues
If you have any problems with or questions about this image, please contact us through a GitHub issue.
Known issues
Zabbix server does not support Jabber notifications on Alpine Linux because of iksemel package is in testing repository and not available in stable repository.
Contributing
You are invited to contribute new features, fixes, or updates, large or small; we are always thrilled to receive pull requests, and do our best to process them as fast as we can.
Before you start to code, we recommend discussing your plans through a GitHub issue, especially for more ambitious contributions. This gives other contributors a chance to point you in the right direction, give you feedback on your design, and help you find out if someone else is working on the same thing.