At first, we will set up the Zabbix server, database, and frontend, all running on the same machine and using a MySQL database.

Should you use the packages or install from the source? In most cases, installing from the packages will be easier. Here are a few considerations that might help you select the method:

• There are certain benefits of using distribution packages. These include the following:
  • Automated installation and updating
  • The dependencies are usually sorted out
  • Easy and proper cleanup when uninstalling
  • No installation of compilers needed on your systems
• Compiling from source also has its share of benefits. They are as follows:
  • You can get newer versions with more features and improvements.
  • You have more fine-grained control over compiled-in functionality.

But which version to choose? You might see several versions available in repositories, and those versions might not be equal. Since Zabbix 2.2, the concept of a Long-Term Support (LTS) release has been introduced. This determines how long support in the form of bug fixes will be available for. An LTS release is supported for five years (three years full support and two years limited support), while a normal release is supported until a month after the release date of the next version. Zabbix 2.2 and 3.0 are LTS releases, while 2.4, 3.2, and 3.4 are normal releases. Choose an LTS release for an installation that you don't plan to upgrade for a setup where you want vendor (Zabbix SIA) support. A normal release can be used for a setup you intend to keep up-to-date. In this book, we will use the latest LTS release Zabbix version 4.0.

This policy might change. Verify the details on the Zabbix website: http://www.zabbix.com/life_cycle_and_release_policy.php.

The most widely used Zabbix architecture is a server that queries agents. This is what we will learn to set up initially so that we can monitor our test system.

As with most software, there are some prerequisites that we will need in order to run Zabbix components. These include requirements of hardware and other software that the Zabbix server and agent depend on. For the purpose of our installation, we will settle for running Zabbix on Linux, using a MySQL database. The specific Linux distribution does not matter much—it's best to choose the one you are most familiar with.