Just curious if anybody has used/seen firescope. I was evaluating different monitoring solutions and came across one that is very similar to zabbix. The front end looks slightly different but seems to be a new front end to Zabbix. Down to the ports that the application communicates between server and agents. I did a search on the forums here and didn't find anything related to Firescope. What are your thoughts? Could a company use Zabbix and commercialize it in US?
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Last edited by nobler1050; 31-07-2008, 19:18. -
It looks a lot like it is based on Zabbix, or at least VERY much inspired by it. See for instance their "Latest data" page:
- The filename is "latest.php".
- The title of the page is exactly the same as Zabbix's.
- They use the exact same date format.
- The item keys are the same as Zabbix's.
I think that is enough things to conclude that they do have knowledge of Zabbix in one way or another... -
Thanks for reporting this. Indeed, the screen shot looks very much like modified ZABBIX front-end, even item keys have exactly the same naming. There are other similarities as well.
We will investigate this. Please expect more details soon.Comment
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They even use ports 10050 and 10051. I have the evaluation copy, you have to register to download. The way they package it is interesting, its a self contained Linux environment running a web server. The server itself runs as a vmware appliance that is closed and only allows a command line interface with a custom menu. This interface shows you the IP to connect to with a browser. So there is no install, you just boot a vmware file then point a browser to it.Last edited by nobler1050; 31-07-2008, 19:17.Comment
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Okay, I've downloaded the VMware trial version, and had a look around it. These are some of the more interesting things I've found:- They use Monit in order to keep the server and agent running.
- The MySQL server is set to log queries not using indexes and slow queries - Which doesn't make much sense to me.
- The database Firebird is also installed, I can't figure out if it's used or not though.
- The root password to the MySQL database is "<removed>"
- Config files for the services look exactly like the ones found in Zabbix.
- nmap is used as part of the discovery system.
- The Fedora Directory Server is also included in the image.
- They also use fping like Zabbix does.
- They have encrypted a lot of the source code to the webpage.
- The (web_dir)/include/page_header.php file isn't encrypted, and contains a GPL license header, were they have made a search & replace on "Zabbix" and exchanged it to "Firescope". This makes the first line say: "Copyright (C) 2000-2005 SIA Firescope".
- They still use all of the $ZBX_... variables.
- Some java programs are included also, to handle different types of extra features, such as reports.
So I think it's safe to say that they have based their software on Zabbix...
Oh, and last but not least!
They have included the snmptrap.sh script, found in the Zabbix package, and it contains a GPL header which hasn't been modified. So it still says:
Code:# Zabbix # Copyright (C) 2000,2001,2002,2003 Alexei Vladishev
Last edited by Alexei; 04-08-2008, 21:40. Reason: I replaced actual password with "<removed>". Let's be nice. :)Comment
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Cheeky barstewards! Although they seem to have done a nice job with the interface.Comment
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The upside!
Is that the Zabbix project should be able to get any modifications they've made unless they haven't modified any of the source and only added modules and totally separate functionality.Comment
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Community Involvment.
Alexi,
Before anyone goes to drastic measures, I think it might be good to state want kind of community support you'd like on this.
I'm sure this could quickly land on slashdot or something similar if you don't tell people that the zabbix team would rather handle it themselves formally first.
It's especially interesting because firescope is advertised on slashdot and sourceforge.net.
AndrewComment
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Andrew,
I do appreciate support of ZABBIX community very much. Thanks to all of you!
We already contacted Firescope and expecting their official response soon.
Please refrain from doing anything serious until we get a clear picture what's going on. I am not happy about this situation, yet I hope that it will be resolved without use of the heavy artillery.
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Just a short update: negotiations with FireScope are moving on and first results are expected shortly. We are planning to post an official announcement after that – stay tuned!
Till then – please, refrain from any actions, contacting press or other. We appreciate your support very much and I am extremely pleased to know that our community is so tightly-knitted and enthusiastic about ZABBIX; however, such actions complicate the negotiations and make a possible solution to this situation difficult to reach.
Thank you guys, and expect news from us soon!
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Any news about this Alexei?
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Unfortunately, we were unable to reach any agreements with FireScope, and I asked them today either to release all FireScope products, which violate ZABBIX license, under GPLv2 or to stop distribution of the products immediately.
We spent all this time negotiating and investigating the situation because FireScope has been our customer and was one of sponsors of distributed monitoring (1.4.x) and sponsor of IPv6 (1.6) functionality, otherwise we would act much sooner - and yet it changed nothing.
We ask FireScope to respect the licence of ZABBIX, Open Source Distributed Monitoring Solution created with a great help and assistance of ZABBIX community, our customers and our partners.Last edited by Alexei; 18-08-2008, 22:21. Reason: Added more details about FireScope efforts in the pastComment
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Is it time to bring in the big guns like the EFF and FSF?
Hell, the bad press they'd get on something like Slashdot alone for copyright theft (a felony) would probably be a rude enough awakening.
The CEO is no stranger to shenanigans and I'm not surprised you haven't made headway with this issue (no offense to you).
(ie. http://www.sec.gov/litigation/litrel...06/lr19850.htm && http://www.sec.gov/litigation/compla.../comp19850.pdf)
With the recent ruling on artistic and opensource licenses you do have a case for litigation as well as a strong probability for the FSF / EFF to take up your case and provide assistance.
The ruling even says you can sue for monetary damages even if you provide the license for free.
Something at least to keep in mind. Just remember, the longer you allow Firescope to violate your property, the harder in court it will be to prove you tried to mitigate damages and protect it.
Disclaimer: I am not a lawyer and this is not legal advice =]
AndrewComment
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Intellectual Theft has to be stopped
You are right Andrew, the faster you take care of intellectual property infringement the better your chances.
It is sad the FireScope people did not do things the correct way and give credit to Zabbix like Centreon, OpsView and others give to Nagios. This is the least they should do and as Users and Beneficiaries of Zabbix they should contribute to the project monetarily or code wise.
They seem to have done an exceptional work with the GUI and I have to admit I like it a lot (very Ajax powered), so I know they probably can contribute something code wise and give credit to whom credit is deserved.
Anyway, thanks Alexei and all members of the community that makes Zabbix such a great software.Comment
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