agetd reporting ZBX_NOTSUPPORTED but it is supported

[Arya]

Zabbix Agent (daemon) v1.8.5 (revision 19050) (15 April 2011)
Zabbix Server 1.8.10
Ubuntu 11.10 Oneiric

The following command when run on the node returns that agent is reporting the XYZ user flags:
zabbix_agentd -p | grep mysql.ping
mysql.ping [t|1]

When the item is enabled in Server, looking at node's log when DebugLevel=4 and after server request the flag from node's agent I see:

23043:20120324:005027.502 Requested [mysql.ping]
23043:20120324:005027.503 Sending back [ZBX_NOTSUPPORTED]

The value returned by the UserParameter is always 1. Non-empty and non-new line. So it should not return ZBX_NOTSUPPORTED per documentation.

I even did:

zabbix_agentd -t mysql.ping
mysql.ping [t|1]

Look ok but not ok!!

Why?

[Arya]

Implications of Using AllowRoot=1

OK, I ended up figuring out that when the zabbix_agentd -t runs with sudo -u zabbix user I get ZBX_NOTSUPPORTED. Strange. I have looked at all file permissions and configurations are readable by anyone and executables are also executable by anyone. I could not figure out how to fix permissions so that user Zabbix can report property. However, I remedy the problem by using the infamous AllowRoot=1 configuration flag. What are the implications?

[frater]

I always use sudo which will let me select the programs I want zabbix to run as root....

http://www.zabbix.com/forum/showthread.php?t=23409&page=2