The document compares Zabbix to other monitoring platforms and identifies it as the candidate for Dell's new host monitoring platform. It outlines Zabbix's strengths like ease of use, flexibility, and automation capabilities. However, it also notes weaknesses like lack of support for Microsoft SQL as the database, simple out-of-the-box dashboards and reports, and limitations in high availability architecture. The proposed solution is to implement Zabbix with MySQL, along with Wavefront for dashboards/reporting and Microsoft Orchestrator for automation to address weaknesses and meet monitoring needs for 50k+ hosts.

1. Comparison of Zabbix
with market competitors
Rodrigo Fraga Mohr, Senior Advisor
Monitoring Engineering L3
Data Analytics Engineer

2. 2
Goal: Identify new platform for Host monitoring
Reports
Expose all data and
configuration easily
Automation
Integrate with CMDB /
ITSM platforms for
remote administration
Dashboards
Flexible enough for
users and dynamic for
administrators
Requirements for
Host Monitoring
Platform
OS Monitoring
Basic metrics like
CPU / Memory / Disk
Space / Ping
Agent-based
More stable choice for
large environments
App Monitoring
High level information
from checks like URL
/ Port / Log Files

3. 3
Present Picture
• Previous installation in Non-Prod environment (~5k hosts)
decommissioned in Dec-2016
• Former standard for Network monitoring at Dell EMC (replaced by Dell
EMC SMARTS)
• Standard for Host monitoring at Dell EMC
Foglight at
Dell
Zabbix at
Dell / EMC
• Product owned by Quest, who separated from Dell in Oct-2016
• De-centralized architecture
• Large HW footprint
• Switched product focus to DB performance (PI) and monitoring

4. 4
Candidates
Data
Analytics
Enterprise
Monitoring
Application
Performance
Management
(APM)
Dell on Dell
Different
areas
How to
choose
one?

5. 5
Zabbix Strengths
Ease of use / administer
• Templates and macros make a powerful
combination
• Internal knowledge from previous
experiences
• No licensing cost
Flexible configuration
• Both agent-based and agentless options
supported
• Native support for all types of monitors
necessary
• Possibility to expand to new monitor
types
Automation
• API enables all functions seen in the
Web page
• Easy JSON formatting
• Standard methods for different object
types (get / create / update / delete)
Smart thresholds
• Dependencies for triggers correlation
• Possible to combine multiple items in
same trigger
• Trend prediction

6. 6
Zabbix Weaknesses
Database
Platform
Out-of-the-box
Dashboards /
Reports
High Availability
Architecture

7. 7
Zabbix Weaknesses
Database
Platform
Out-of-the-box
Dashboards /
Reports
High Availability
Architecture
• Officialy DBA supported databases within Dell: Oracle and MS SQL
• Zabbix does not support MS SQL
• Previous experience with Oracle was not scalable
Database Platform

8. 8
Zabbix Weaknesses
Database
Platform
Out-of-the-box
Dashboards /
Reports
High Availability
Architecture
• Charts are still very simple and do not allow for easy ad-hoc combination of hosts / metrics
• No dynamic dashboard options (adaptable to Host Groups)
• Reports do not explore configuration of monitors
• Need custom development to be expanded
Out-of-the-box
Dashboards /
Reports

9. 9
Zabbix Weaknesses
Database
Platform
Out-of-the-box
Dashboards /
Reports
High Availability
Architecture
• Dependant on 3rd part software
• No ACTIVE/ACTIVE option for Zabbix Server
High Availability
Architecture

10. 10
Final solution proposed
Zabbix
• 2x Zabbix Server
• 2x MySQL
• 16x Zabbix Proxy
• 4x Apache Web
• 3x Virtual IPs
Wavefront (VMware)
• Dashboards
• Reporting
Microsoft System
Center Orchestrator
• Automation via API
▪ Remote administration
▪ Self-service configuration
Enterprise Host
Monitoring
• 50k+ Hosts
• 16k+ NVPS
• 700+ Users

11. 11
Q&A
Keep in touch!
- rodmohr@hotmail.com
- https://www.facebook.com/rodmohr
- https://www.linkedin.com/in/rodmohr