Integrating with Zabbix

As a tenant administrator, perform the following steps to integrate with Zabbix, verify the integration, and view the collected data in various BMC products.

Supported versions

This connector supports the following versions of Zabbixfor data collection:

• 6.4 (non-containerized)
• 6.2 (containerized, non-containerized)
• 6.0 (non-containerized)
• 5.4 (non-containerized)
• 5.0 (non-containerized)
• 4.0 (non-containerized)

Planning for the connection

• Depending on the location (SaaS, on-premises) of the third-party product, choose one or more BMC Helix Intelligent Integrations deployment modes and review the corresponding port requirements. For information about various deployment modes and port requirements, see Deployment-scenarios.
• Based on the deployment modes, use the BMC Helix Intelligent Integrations SaaS deployment or the BMC Helix Intelligent Integrations on-premises gateway or both. For more information about the gateway, see Deploying-the-BMC-Helix-Intelligent-Integrations-on-premises-gateway.

• The on-premises gateway must be able to reach the third-party product on the required port (default is 80).

In the preceding list, third-party product refers to Zabbix. 

Configuring the connection with Zabbix

1. Access BMC Helix Intelligent Integrations:
   • BMC Helix Intelligent Integrations SaaS – Log on to BMC Helix Portal, and click Launch on BMC Helix Intelligent Integrations.
   • BMC Helix Intelligent Integrationson-premises gateway – Use one of the following URLs to access BMC Helix Intelligent Integrations:
     • http://<hostName>:<portNumber>/swpui
     • https://<hostName>:<portNumber>/swpui
2. On the CONNECTORS tab, clickin the SOURCES panel.

3. Click the 

   Zabbix

   tile.

4. Specify the source connection details:

   1. Specify a unique instance name.

      Best practice

      We recommend that you specify the instance name in the following format: 

      <sourceType>_<sourceControllerServerName>{_<InstanceQualifier>}                    

      The instance qualifier helps you to distinguish among the multiple instances configured from the same source server; for example, Zabbix_Host_PROD and Zabbix_Host_TEST.

   2. Specify the Zabbix host name. 
   3. Specify the Zabbix HTTP or HTTPS port number depending on the connection protocol (default value is 80).

   4. Select the HTTPS option to use an HTTPS connection to the Zabbix  host.
      

      Warning

      We recommend that you do not select the Allow Unsigned Certificate option in a production environment.  You might want to select this option to allow unsigned certificates in a test environment. See the Zabbix  documentation to learn how to install SSL certificates.

   5. Specify the number of maximum concurrent REST API requests that should be executed during a data collection schedule (default value is 5).
   6. Do one of following depending on the Zabbix deployment you are using (containerized or non-containerized) and whether you have customized the Zabbix URL:
      • If you are using containerized deployment of Zabbix and you have not customized the URL, select the Customized Zabbix URL option and leave the Custom Path Segment text box blank.
      • If you have customized the frontend URL that you use to access Zabbix (containerized or non-containerized), select the Customized Zabbix URL option and specify the custom path segment in the Custom Path Segment text box.
        For example, if the frontend URL is http://pun-aus-us/share/my_zabbix/api_jsonrpc.php, enter share/my_zabbix.
   7. Specify the user name and password. Ensure that the specified user can access the Zabbix REST API.
5. Click VALIDATE AND CREATE.
   The specified connection details are validated and the source connection is created in the Source Connection list.

6. Select the source connection that you created from the list if it is not selected already.

   Important

   The destination host connection is created and configured automatically for each tenant when the source connection is created.

7. Ensure that the options for the datatypes for which you want to collect data are selected.

8. Click a data type and specify the configuration parameters in the Collectors section as described in the following table:
9. Click CREATE COLLECTORS to create the required collector streams for the selected data types
10. Click a data type and specify the configuration parameters in the Distributors section as described in the following table:
     

1. Click CREATE DISTRIBUTORS to create the required distributor streams for the selected data types.
2. Click one of the following buttons:
   • SAVE STREAM: Click this button if you want to edit the integration details before creating the instance. After you save the stream, the instance that you just created is listed in the SOURCES panel. Move the slider to the right to start the data stream.
   • SAVE AND START STREAM: Click this button if you want to save the integration details and start receiving data immediately.

For more information about data streams, see Starting-or-stopping-data-streams.

Verifying the integration

In BMC Helix Intelligent Integrations , on the SOURCES panel, confirm that the data streams for the integration you created are running. Data streaming is indicated by moving colored arrows.

• A moving dark blue arrow () indicates that the event stream is running. Event data will be pushed according to the configured Collection Schedule interval.
• A moving red arrow () indicates that the metric stream is running. Metric data will be pushed according to the configured Collection Schedule interval.
• A moving light blue arrow () indicates the topology stream is running. Topology data will be pushed according to the configured Collection Schedule interval.

Updating an existing Zabbix connector for the metric data type

1. On the SOURCES panel, select the existing Zabbix connector, and then click the dot icon in the center of the metric stream, and select Delete.

1. Clickon the SOURCES panel.
2. From the Source Connection list, select the existing Zabbix source.
3. In the Data Types section, clear the Zabbix Events and Zabbix Topology check boxes if selected.
4. In the Collectors section, expand Zabbix Metrics.
5. Configure the parameters as required.
6. Click CREATE COLLECTORS to create the required collector metric stream.
7. In the Distributors section, expand Zabbix Metrics.
8. Configure the parameters as required.
9. Click CREATE DISTRIBUTORS to create the required distributor stream for the metric data type.
10. Click one of the following buttons:
    • SAVE STREAM: Click this button if you want to edit the integration details before creating the instance. After you save the stream, the instance that you just created is listed in the SOURCES panel. Move the slider to the right to start the data stream.
    • SAVE AND START STREAM: Click this button if you want to save the integration details and start receiving data immediately.

Viewing data in BMC Helix applications

To view events in BMC Helix Operations Management

In BMC Helix Operations Management, select Monitoring > Events to view the events received from Zabbix .

Incoming events from Zabbix are processed in BMC Helix Operations Management through a set of deduplication rules to determine whether the incoming event is a duplicate event or a new event. For more information, see Event-deduplication-suppression-and-closure-for-reducing-event-noise.

For information about events, see Monitoring and managing events.

To view metrics in BMC Helix Operations Management

1. In BMC Helix Operations Management, select Monitoring > Devices.
2. Click the links for the required device.

3. On the Monitors tab, click the required monitor.
   The Performance Overview tab shows the metrics graph. For information about metrics, see Viewing collected data.

To view the topology data in BMC Helix Discovery

In BMC Helix Discovery, select Explore > Data, and click <count> Import Records in the Miscellaneous section. The Import Record List page shows the CI records received from Zabbix. For information about records, see Managing your IT infrastructure.

To view services and situations in BMC Helix AIOps

Before you view services and situations in BMC Helix AIOps, create a Business Service model in BMC Helix Discovery. For information about creating models, see Managing models .  

In BMC Helix AIOps, on the Overview page, view the services and situations for the event and topology data received from Zabbix.