Nagios facts for kids
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| Original author(s) | Ethan Galstad and others |
|---|---|
| Initial release | March 1, 2002 |
| Stable release |
4.4.8 / October 4, 2022
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| Written in | C |
| Operating system | Cross-platform |
| Type | Network monitoring |
| License | GPLv2 |
Nagios is a special computer system that helps watch over other computers, servers, and programs. Think of it like a helpful guard dog for computer networks! It keeps an eye on everything to make sure it's working right.
If something goes wrong, like a server stopping or a program crashing, Nagios quickly sends an alert. It's like getting a text message or email telling you there's a problem. Then, when the problem is fixed, Nagios sends another alert to let you know everything is back to normal.
A person named Ethan Galstad and other computer experts first created Nagios. They originally called it NetSaint. The name Nagios is a clever recursive acronym. It stands for "Nagios Ain't Gonna Insist On Sainthood." The "sainthood" part refers to its old name, NetSaint. They changed the name because of a legal issue with another company. The word "Agios" also comes from a Greek word that means "saint."
Nagios was first made to run on Linux computers. But it can also work on other types of Unix systems. It is also free software, which means people can use, change, and share it freely under a special license called the GNU General Public License.
How Nagios Works
Nagios uses special small programs called "agents" to help it monitor other computers. These agents are like little helpers installed on the computers you want to watch. They collect information and send it back to Nagios.
Nagios Agents
Here are some of the main agents Nagios uses:
NRPE
NRPE stands for Nagios Remote Plugin Executor. This agent lets Nagios check things on other computers from a distance. For example, it can tell Nagios how much disk space is left or how busy the computer's processor is. NRPE can work with both Linux and Unix computers. It can even talk to some programs on Windows computers to check their status.
NRDP
NRDP means Nagios Remote Data Processor. This agent is good at sending information to Nagios in a flexible way. It uses common internet rules like HTTP (what websites use) and XML (a way to organize data). NRDP can be used instead of an older system called NSCA.
NSClient++
This program is mostly used to watch Windows computers. When you install NSClient++ on a Windows computer, it listens for requests from Nagios. Nagios uses a special tool called `check_nt` to get information from NSClient++. This agent helps Nagios check private details like how much memory is being used, how busy the CPU is, or which programs are running.
NCPA
NCPA stands for Nagios Cross Platform Agent. This is an open source project, meaning anyone can see and help improve its code. NCPA can be installed on Windows, Linux, and Mac computers. It's designed to be easy to use and flexible for monitoring many different things. NCPA can check memory, CPU, disk space, running programs, and network use.
Nagios XI
Nagios XI is a more advanced version of Nagios. It's built on top of the original Nagios Core system. Think of Nagios Core as the engine, and Nagios XI as a fancy car built around that engine, with lots of extra features.
Ethan Galstad, the original creator, and his company Nagios Enterprises, make and maintain Nagios XI. It works best on specific Linux systems like CentOS and RHEL. Nagios XI uses a database called MySQL to store its information. While Nagios Core uses some older web technologies, Nagios XI uses newer ones like PHP and Python for its user interface and other parts. It also includes tools to create cool graphs and charts that show how your systems are performing.
See also
- Check MK
- Comparison of network monitoring systems
- Icinga
- Naemon
- Nconf
- Shinken (software)
- NetXMS
