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Manager, IT at kas
Real User
Top 5
Provides immediate alerts if something goes down
Pros and Cons
  • "Monitoring with Nagios Core is helpful because it provides immediate alerts if something goes down, such as a server, or wireless router, or if there's a cable break. This allows us to respond promptly to any issues."
  • "The interface could be improved."

What is our primary use case?

We use Nagios for network monitoring of our devices. All devices are listed on Nagios, which alerts us if they are running properly or if there is a shutdown or any issues like a network break. Alerts are generated, and we receive notifications via email or SMS.

How has it helped my organization?

Monitoring with Nagios Core is helpful because it provides immediate alerts if something goes down, such as a server, or wireless router, or if there's a cable break. This allows us to respond promptly to any issues.

What is most valuable?

It effectively monitors our computers, including their disk space, processor usage, and temperature.

What needs improvement?

The interface could be improved.

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Nagios Core
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For how long have I used the solution?

I have been using Nagios Core for ten years.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

The product is stable.

I rate the solution’s stability a nine out of ten.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

300 users are using this solution. If the device is increased, we will increase it.

I rate the solution’s scalability a nine out of ten.

How are customer service and support?

For any problem, we Google it to easily find a solution.

How was the initial setup?

Integrating mobile device notifications with Nagios Core, such as through Core SMS, is challenging.

It takes a while to set it up but once set up, it is very reliable. Deployment takes one to two hours to complete.

I rate the initial setup a six or seven out of ten, where one is difficult, and ten is easy.

What other advice do I have?

We receive timely alerts for any breakdown or shutdown. Without them, we wouldn't know about issues until users complain. With Nagios' alert system, we receive notifications before users even notice a problem. 

I highly recommend it to system administrators and network administrators. Nagios Core makes life easier with email and SMS alerts, ensuring you stay informed and can address issues promptly

Overall, I rate the solution a nine out of ten.

Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
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Daniel Tamiru - PeerSpot reviewer
Manager, Database & System Administration at Awash International Bank
Real User
Top 5
Helpful to observe threats at the web containers, data source, and components under monitoring
Pros and Cons
  • "The application performance monitoring feature is valuable."
  • "The initial setup process could be easier."

What is our primary use case?

Our primary use case for this solution is an APM for application performance monitoring. For example, we deployed the solution on-premises so we could observe the solution. We look at the threats at the web containers, the data source, and all these components under this monitoring.

What is most valuable?

The application performance monitoring feature is valuable. We primarily use it for user experience monitoring and determining which layer the problem happened to resolve it.

What needs improvement?

The initial setup process could be improved.

For how long have I used the solution?

We have been using the solution for one year.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

The solution is stable.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

The solution is scalable but we are still familiarizing ourselves with tool and have not scaled largely yet.

How are customer service and support?

We do not have experience with customer service and support.

How was the initial setup?

The initial setup process could be easier. For example, the setup for infrastructure monitoring is straightforward, but in the case of application monitoring, it is more complicated.

What about the implementation team?

We primarily implement through vendor teams.

What other advice do I have?

I rate the solution an eight out of ten. The solution is good, but the initial setup process could be easier. I recommend the solution to users who want a more diverse environment for monitoring.

Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
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Buyer's Guide
Nagios Core
October 2024
Learn what your peers think about Nagios Core. Get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions. Updated: October 2024.
814,649 professionals have used our research since 2012.
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Sr. System Administrator at Guj Info Petro Limited
Real User
Top 20
Its code is lightweight and it has easy-to-manage plug-ins.

Valuable Features:

The most valuable features of this product are the very lightweight code and easy-to-manage plug-ins.

Apart from the main Nagios core engine, one can add several APIs and add-ons to make the Nagios engine more stronger without compromising it's performance.

Each config parameter can be easily tuned as per individual's need. Many proven frontends are available to get performance related output from the Nagios engine.

Also, Nagios can work without any database back end. It generates a single file for each day and maintains it in a separate directory until a Linux System Admin removes it manually. In Nagios terms, it is called archiving. When someone wants an availability report for a particular server for the last year, Nagios simply fetches all of the relevant files and outputs the data within the shortest period of time. There is no need to query any database to get historical data, which puts extra burden on CPU and memory.

Improvements to My Organization:

Using Nagios, I'm managing more than 1000 services, which involves the following operating nodes:

  • IBM AIX
  • Red Hat Enterprise Linux
  • HP-Unix
  • Windows enterprise-grade OS
  • Cisco router/switches
  • FortiGate and WatchGuard firewalls
  • APC UPS systems
  • Many more...

The majority of the above nodes support SNMP v1/2, thru which one needs to tune up the monitoring plug-in as needed.

Room for Improvement:

Considering my utilization of Nagios on a daily basis, it would be really great if Nagios can concentrate on the following areas of improvement:

  • Custom availability report and export as PDF
  • Nagios SLA. I'm currently working on Nagios Digger, which has many code-level problems. In my present configuration, I've observed PHP level coding issues. I'm able to fetch all Nagios data into the Nagios Digger database (mariadb in rhel7) successfully, but found difficulties fetching and replicating it into the PHP front end. I've already contacted its author and coordination is in progress to make it available for the community.
  • SMS tool integration with Nagios

Use of Solution:

I have been using Nagios for more than five years.

Stability Issues:

In Nagios Core, I haven't had any minor problems in terms of stability. If any did arise, I never knew about it....!!!

Customer Service:

I require less customer service because I am using an open source product. But, sincere thanks to the Nagios community for providing excellent and prompt support as and when required.

Initial Setup:

Initial setup was very straightforward. Just check the official Nagios website (www.nagios.org) for installation instructions.

Implementation Team:

If a person has basic or in-depth level knowledge of all required network/server equipment, than he/she can easily implement Nagios.

Also, it is advisable to have proper knowledge of SNMP v1/2/3 with Nagios agents for Windows and Unix-like OS.

Other Solutions Considered:

I started learning and configuring out data centre monitoring system by using Zabbix and openNMS. But, finally I selected Nagios due to its very large user community and maximum tunable parameters.

Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
PeerSpot user
Admin Sys Linux at a computer software company with 11-50 employees
Real User
Top 5
Offers robust monitoring capabilities but has limited scalability
Pros and Cons
  • "What I like about Nagios Core is that it helps me ensure everything is running smoothly by checking the status of hosts and services."
  • "Nagios Core is limited in terms of distributed setups, and there is no central view for remote data centers."

What is our primary use case?

I use Nagios Core for basic monitoring of my systems and services.

What is most valuable?

What I like about Nagios Core is that it helps me ensure everything is running smoothly by checking the status of hosts and services.

What needs improvement?

I have found Nagios Core to be challenging in terms of its centralized architecture and configuration complexities, especially in a Microsoft environment. Making optimizations or changes often requires reinstalling the server, which can be inconvenient.

For how long have I used the solution?

I have been using Nagios Core for over a year.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

It is a very stable product. I would rate the stability as a seven out of ten.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

Nagios Core is limited in terms of distributed setups, and there is no central view for remote data centers. However, it is scalable in sizing, allowing for easy updates and upgrades without much complication. Just need to adjust settings in the software during the process. I would rate the scalability as a six out of ten.

Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?

I have worked with Centreon in my organization as well.

How was the initial setup?

The installation of Nagios Core was relatively straightforward with no major complexities. My team managed to install it within a day. Maintaining it is straightforward for us. We don't do frequent updates; it is a one-time install. The only ongoing task is occasional security adjustments, mainly related to access control. 

What other advice do I have?

I would recommend Nagios Core for CentOS organizations, especially for simpler evaluations or smaller projects where a significant investment isn't required. It is suitable for those without extensive monitoring needs. Overall, I would rate the solution as a six out of ten.

Which deployment model are you using for this solution?

On-premises
Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
PeerSpot user
Fahad-Siddiqui - PeerSpot reviewer
Big Data Infrastructure Consultant at a government with 1,001-5,000 employees
Consultant
Flexible, sustainable, and a great tool on the market
Pros and Cons
  • "Nagios Core is very configurable. Whatever you want, you can do it."
  • "I believe Nagios Core will need to provide an option for big data platforms in the future."

What is our primary use case?

Our primary use case is for Infrastructure monitoring.

How has it helped my organization?

Nagios Core is a great tool for monitoring the infrastructure including MSM queues, and when we use the agent, we can add other things as well.

What is most valuable?

Nagios Core is very configurable. Whatever you want, you can do it. We have multiple agents and scripts available with the Nagios Core portals and the internet. The cost is also very acceptable.

What needs improvement?

Datadog provides the compatibility to integrate with these big data platforms like Cloudera and others. These services are very efficient and they provide customer support with it. In this case, I believe Nagios Core will need to provide an option for big data platforms in the future.

For how long have I used the solution?

I have been working with Nagios Core for the past five or six years.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

Nagios Core is highly stable.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

Nagios Core is scalable for our purposes.

What about the implementation team?

The implementation was completed in-house because previously it was an open source tool. We can configure it to our own needs, based on our own requirements. The only task we had to complete is creating the script and using the tool. We had alerts created for our mobile phones, email and dashboard.

What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?

When we look at pricing version eleven requires purchasing a license. With version seven no license was required since it was open source. When you upgraded to the licensed version only then did you pay for a license

What other advice do I have?

I would rate Nagios Core a nine out of ten.

Which deployment model are you using for this solution?

On-premises
Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
PeerSpot user
James Jaramillo - PeerSpot reviewer
IT Specialist at ADDI
Real User
It's a free and flexible solution that integrates well with other products
Pros and Cons
  • "The most valuable feature depends on the project. It's great if you need to check to ensure a service is running 24/7. I can use the full solution for free, and it's flexible. If I need to add a dashboard, I can integrate it with Nagios. Cloud synchronization is wonderful."
  • "The mapping is a little hard."

What is our primary use case?

We use Nagios to monitor networking infrastructure and services.

What is most valuable?

The most valuable feature depends on the project. It's great if you need to check to ensure a service is running 24/7. I can use the full solution for free, and it's flexible. If I need to add a dashboard, I can integrate it with Nagios. Cloud synchronization is wonderful.

What needs improvement?

The mapping is a little hard.

For how long have I used the solution?

I've been using Nagios Core for three to five years.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

Nagios is 100 percent stable.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

Nagios is appropriate for companies of all sizes, but a larger enterprise might require a bigger IT team. The largest team I've seen was 50 people. You can easily scale Nagios up, but I've never done it. 

How are customer service and support?

Nagios support is good. They also have a complete knowledge base, so if you need to figure something out, you can find everything about the solution in one place.

Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?

I used Pandora about seven years ago, so I can only speak about the capabilities of the solution as it existed at the time. Pandora was excellent, but the documentation was too complicated.

How was the initial setup?

It depends on infrastructure, but normally Nagios is easy to deploy, and I could do it by myself. It usually takes two or three days, but I needed a week for one deployment. You need to install and configure everything and deploy the agents on various servers.

After deployment, you need to do periodic updates and patching. You download the latest pack from the Nagios server with the client. You can do an ATT update depending on if you have Red Hat or Windows between the platforms.

Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
PeerSpot user
it_user873816 - PeerSpot reviewer
Strategic Staffing Solutions at a retailer with 1,001-5,000 employees
Real User
Monitors our entire production environment, alerts us to any issues that may occur
Pros and Cons
  • "Key features include the GUI interface, its notification capabilities, and the real-time reporting."
  • "Making it a little easier to configure and set up from the start would help. There are multiple layers that you have to wade through to be able to set it up, to do it the right way, and to get it to do what you want it to do."

What is our primary use case?

It's monitoring all of our production environment and alerting us to any issues that might pop up.

How has it helped my organization?

The benefits are that it's free and it allows us to monitor all of our production. So it gives us a comfort level of knowing that if there is a problem that pops up, we get notified.

What is most valuable?

  • GUI interface
  • Notification capabilities
  • Real-time reporting

What needs improvement?

In terms of any further features, that would bump us into their paid product. For what we get and what we use, and all the libraries that are available, it's pretty robust.

However, for the version we're using, making it a little easier to configure and set up from the start would help. There are multiple layers that you have to wade through to be able to set it up, to do it the right way, and to get it to do what you want it to do.

For how long have I used the solution?

Three to five years.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

It has been rock solid.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

So far, it has met our needs. As far as I know, from reading blogs and the like, it can go to many more servers and even multiple data centers. It seems like it's pretty scalable.

How are customer service and technical support?

Tech support has been pretty good. There have been a couple of occasions where we've had to pick up the phone and call, and for the most part, they are very prompt, very quick, very responsive.

Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?

I had used this solution before and there wasn't anything in place here that was any good, so it was a no-brainer for me.

My most important criteria when selecting a vendor are 

  • flexibility
  • supportability
  • scalability.

How was the initial setup?

I set the whole thing up. It wasn't complex, it was just that I had to do a lot of planning. If you follow your plan then you won't end up in trouble. If you deviate from the plan, you are going to have trouble.

What other advice do I have?

We have the ability right now to see and create reports to tell whether or not we're meeting our SLAs on our production servers, through it. That is something that we wrote and implemented as a plug-in.

I would rate this solution a nine out of 10 because it's relatively easy to implement and the cost is great, it's free.

My advice would be, save yourself a lot of time - go get it and install it.

Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
PeerSpot user
PeerSpot user
Vice President - Operations & Client Support at Scicom Infrastructure Services
Real User
Top 5Leaderboard
The dashboarding and heads up display is practical and useful. Dashboards and HUDS could use a facelift to be more in line with next generation monitoring tools.

Valuable Features:

Nagios doesn't get the respect it deserves; most likely due to the fact that it doesn't have a licensing cost. However, when implemented correctly, this is a powerful enterprise toolset. Specifically, Nagios provides massive flexibility in terms of the types of endpoints you want to monitor (infrastructure, rudimentary application, process, and storage) and a wide variety of conditions to evaluate across including binary type conditions analysis (like threshold exceeded or not) or degrees of conditions violations (such as 30% warning; 80% critical). The dashboarding and heads up display is practical and useful for enterprise/network operations center use cases. The extensibility of Nagios also allows for integration to ticketing systems further adding value for service support and production monitoring use cases. 

Improvements to My Organization:

  • Low cost approach for massive scale infrastructure monitoring
  • Rapid deployment, if you know what you are doing you can have a solid Nagios implementation up and running in short order
  • Accurate and actionable information 
  • Ability to fine tune alert and condition management engines

Room for Improvement:

Dashboards and HUDS could use a facelift to be more in line with next generation monitoring tools that really have amazing UI’s. Sadly, many people may think that Nagios itself as a tool may not be sophisticated because it lacks the typical definition of a sophisticated UI. This is to ensure it is more in line with next generation monitoring tools that really have amazing UI’s. Sadly, many people may think that Nagios itself as a tool may not be sophisticated because it lacks the typical definition of a sophisticated UI.
 
Nagios has significant capability and opportunity for customizations to really “dial-in” the implementation to suit your specific enterprise requirements. But, enabling many of these capabilities requires an SME and to sustain and support the implementation requires effort and manpower. The larger the implementation and more extensive the customizations- the more resource intensive the deployment will become.

Application level monitoring is limited.

Other Advice:

To really maximize the power of Nagios, you need an SME (but true if anything in IT).

Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
PeerSpot user
Sid Roy - PeerSpot reviewer
Sid RoyVice President - Operations & Client Support at Scicom Infrastructure Services
Top 5LeaderboardReal User

Thanks Chris, I appreciate the feedback. Yes- many, many of my major clients are moving or are on Orion. They LOVE it for the most part. I would recommend you also take a look at AppDynamics Server Infrastructure Monitoring if your use case isn't heavily tied to network device management. It can be pricey, but the ability to also have the application layer diagnostics- well, it is powerful. Have a great day, let me know if I can provide any details.

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Updated: October 2024
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Download our free Nagios Core Report and get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions.