Nagios facts for kids
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| Original author(s) | Ethan Galstad and others |
|---|---|
| Initial release | March 1, 2002 |
| Stable release |
4.5.5 / September 17, 2024
|
| Written in | C |
| Operating system | Cross-platform |
| Type | Network monitoring |
| License | GPLv2 |
Nagios is a special computer system that acts like a digital watchdog. It helps keep an eye on computer servers, network switches, and different computer programs. If something goes wrong, like a server stopping, Nagios sends an alert. It also tells you when the problem is fixed.
A person named Ethan Galstad and other computer experts first created Nagios. They originally called it NetSaint. Over time, the name changed to Nagios because of a legal issue with a similar name. The word "Agios" in Greek means "saint," which connects to its original name. Nagios is also a clever recursive acronym that stands for "Nagios Ain't Gonna Insist On Sainthood."
Nagios was first made to run on Linux computers. However, it can also work on other types of Unix systems. It is a free software, which means people can use, change, and share it under certain rules.
Contents
History of Nagios
Nagios has an interesting history, especially with its "plugins." Plugins are like small helper programs that add more features. For a while, the group that made these plugins had a disagreement with Nagios Enterprises.
In 2014, Nagios Enterprises took over the website for the Nagios plugins. Because of this, the original community team for the plugins started their own group. They continued their work under a new name, "Monitoring Plugins," and created a different website.
How Nagios Works: Agents
Nagios uses small programs called "agents" to collect information from different computers. Think of these agents as little spies that report back to the main Nagios system.
NRPE: Remote Monitoring
- NRPE stands for Nagios Remote Plugin Executor.
- It's an agent that lets Nagios check on remote computers.
- These remote computers can be running Linux or Unix.
- NRPE helps monitor things like how much disk space is left.
- It also checks how busy the computer's processor is.
- You can even see how many users are logged in.
NRDP: Data Collection
- NRDP means Nagios Remote Data Processor.
- This agent is good at sending information back to Nagios.
- It uses common internet methods like HTTP (what websites use) and XML.
- NRDP is designed to be flexible and easy to expand.
NSClient++: Windows Monitoring
- NSClient++ is an agent mainly used for Windows computers.
- It helps Nagios monitor important things on Windows machines.
- This includes checking memory use and how busy the CPU is.
- It can also see which programs are running.
NCPA: Cross-Platform Agent
- NCPA is the Nagios Cross Platform Agent.
- It's an open source project.
- NCPA works on Windows, Linux, and Mac OS X computers.
- It's designed to be simple and flexible for monitoring.
- NCPA can check many things, like memory, CPU, and disk usage.
- It also monitors running programs and network activity.
Nagios XI: A User-Friendly Version
Nagios XI is a special version of Nagios Core. It's made by the original creator, Ethan Galstad, and Nagios Enterprises. Nagios XI adds a more user-friendly interface on top of the basic Nagios Core system.
It combines Nagios Core with other helpful technologies. For example, it uses MySQL for its main database. Most of Nagios XI's user interface is built using PHP. It also uses Python to create reports. Nagios XI can show graphs and charts to help users understand the data easily. These graphs can be seen on special dashboards.
See also
In Spanish: Nagios para niños
- Check MK
- Comparison of network monitoring systems
- Icinga
- Naemon
- Nconf
- Shinken (software)
- NetXMS
