1 Configuring a network map

Overview

Configuring a map in Zabbix requires that you first create a map by defining its general parameters and then you start filling the actual map with elements and their links.

You can populate the map with elements that are a host, a host group, a trigger, an image or another map.

Icons are used to represent map elements. You can define the information that will be displayed with the icons and set that recent problems are displayed in a special way. You can link the icons and define information to be displayed on the links.

You can add custom URLs to be accessible by clicking on the icons. Thus you may link a host icon to host properties or a map icon to another map.

Maps are managed in Monitoring → Maps, where they can be configured, managed and viewed. In the monitoring view you can click on the icons and take advantage of the links to some scripts and URLs.

All users in Zabbix (including non-admin users) can create network maps. Maps have an owner - the user who created them.

Maps can be made public or private. Public maps are visible to all users, however, they must have at least read permissions to all map elements to see it. To add an element to the map the user must also have at least read permission to it.

Private maps are visible only to their owner. Private maps can be shared by the owner to other users and user groups. Regular (non-Super admin) users can only share with the groups and users they are member of. Private maps will be visible to their owner and the users the map is shared with as long as they have read permissions to all map elements. Admin level users, as long as they have read permissions to all map elements, can see and edit private maps regardless of being the owner or belonging to the shared user list.

Creating a map

To create a map, do the following:

• Go to Monitoring → Maps
• Go to the view with all maps
• Click on Create map

The Map tab contains general map attributes:

General map attributes:

The Sharing tab contains the map type as well as sharing options (user groups, users) for private maps:

When you click on Add to save this map, you have created an empty map with a name, dimensions and certain preferences. Now you need to add some elements. For that, click on Constructor in the map list to open the editable area.

Adding elements

To add an element, click on Add next to Icon. The new element will appear at the top left corner of the map. Drag and drop it wherever you like.

Note that with the Grid option "On", elements will always align to the grid (you can pick various grid sizes from the dropdown, also hide/show the grid). If you want to put elements anywhere without alignment, turn the option to "Off". (Random elements can later again be aligned to the grid with the Align icons button.)

Now that you have some elements in place, you may want to start differentiating them by giving names etc. By clicking on the element, a form is displayed and you can set the element type, give a name, choose a different icon etc.

Map element attributes:

Selecting elements

To select elements, select one and then hold down Ctrl to select the others.

You can also select multiple elements by dragging a rectangle in the editable area and selecting all elements in it (option available since Zabbix 2.0).

Once you select more than one element, the element property form shifts to the mass-update mode so you can change attributes of selected elements in one go. To do so, mark the attribute using the checkbox and enter a new value for it. You may use macros here (such as, say, {HOST.NAME} for the element label).

Linking elements

Once you have put some elements on the map, it is time to start linking them. To link two elements you must first select them. With the elements selected, click on Add next to Link.

With a link created, the single element form now contains an additional Links section. Click on Edit to edit link attributes.

Link attributes: