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4 Zabbix agent 2 plugin protocol

Zabbix agent 2 protocol is based on code, size and data model.

Code

Type Size Comments
Byte 4 Payload type, currently only JSON is supported.

Size

Type Size Comments
Byte 4 Size of the current payload in bytes.

Payload data

Type Size Comments
Byte Defined by the Size field JSON formatted data.
Payload data definition
Common data

These parameters are present in all requests/responses:

Name Type Comments
id uint32 For requests - the incrementing identifier used to link requests with responses. Unique within a request direction (i.e. from agent to plugin or from plugin to agent).
For responses - ID of the corresponding request.
type uint32 The request type.
Log request

A request sent by a plugin to write a log message into the agent log file.

direction plugin → agent
response no

Parameters specific to log requests:

Name Type Comments
severity uint32 The message severity (log level).
message string The message to log.

Example:

{"id":0,"type":1,"severity":3,"message":"message"}
Register request

A request sent by the agent during the agent startup phase to obtain provided metrics to register a plugin.

direction agent → plugin
response yes

Parameters specific to register requests:

Name Type Comments
version string The protocol version <major>.<minor>

Example:

{"id":1,"type":2,"version":"1.0"}
Register response

Plugin's response to the register request.

direction plugin → agent
response n/a

Parameters specific to register responses:

Name Type Comments
name string The plugin name.
metrics array of strings (optional) The metrics with descriptions as used in the plugin. Returns RegisterMetrics(). Absent if error is returned.
interfaces uint32 (optional) The bit mask of plugin's supported interfaces. Absent if error is returned.
error string (optional) An error message returned if a plugin cannot be started. Absent, if metrics are returned.

Examples:

{"id":2,"type":3,"metrics":["external.test", "External exporter Test."], "interfaces": 4}

or

{"id":2,"type":3,"error":"error message"}
Start request

A request to execute the Start function of the Runner interface.

direction agent → plugin
response no

The request doesn't have specific parameters, it only contains common data parameters.

Example:

{"id":3,"type":4}
Terminate request

A request sent by the agent to shutdown a plugin.

direction agent → plugin
response no

The request doesn't have specific parameters, it only contains common data parameters.

Example:

{"id":3,"type":5}
Export request

A request to execute the Export function of the Exporter interface.

direction agent → plugin
response no

Parameters specific to export requests:

Name Type Comments
key string The plugin key.
parameters array of strings (optional) The parameters for Export function.

Example:

{"id":4,"type":6,"key":"test.key","parameters":["foo","bar"]}
Export response

Response from the Export function of the Exporter interface.

direction plugin → agent
response n/a

Parameters specific to export responses:

Name Type Comments
value string (optional) Response value from the Export function. Absent, if error is returned.
error string (optional) Error message if the Export function has not been executed successfully. Absent, if value is returned.

Examples:

{"id":5,"type":7,"value":"response"}

or

{"id":5,"type":7,"error":"error message"}
Configure request

A request to execute the Configure function of the Configurator interface.

direction agent → plugin
response n/a

Parameters specific to Configure requests:

Name Type Comments
global_options JSON object JSON object containing global agent configuration options.
private_options JSON object (optional) JSON object containing private plugin configuration options, if provided.

Example:

{"id":6,"type":8,"global_options":{...},"private_options":{...}}
Validate request

A request to execute Validate function of the Configurator interface.

direction agent → plugin
response yes

Parameters specific to Validate requests:

Name Type Comments
private_options JSON object (optional) JSON object containing private plugin configuration options, if provided.

Example:

{"id":7,"type":9,"private_options":{...}}
Validate response

Response from Validate function of Configurator interface.

direction plugin → agent
response n/a

Parameters specific to Validate responses:

Name Type Comments
error string (optional) An error message returned if the Validate function is not executed successfully. Absent if executed successfully.

Example:

{"id":8,"type":10}

or

{"id":8,"type":10,"error":"error message"}