Template Screens invisible

[monrovi]

Hi,

I created a template with associated graphs and a screen organizing the graphs. When I create a host attached to the template, the screens are difficult to find, can't be found under the 'screens' menu or added to dashboard.

When I try to add the new hosts screen to the dashboard, it simply doesn't show up. The only way I can actually find the screen is to either search for the hostname, or go to overview, click on the hostname and then click 'host screens.'

This is not very useful. The reason I want to use a screen in the template is so that it gets created automatically when I add a new host to the template - and so that users can go directly to the desired host screen via the "screens" menu item (What is the purpose of the 'screens' menu item if screens don't actually show up there) and add the screens for the hosts they are most interested in to their dashboard favorites. Neither of these things work, which makes the screen template pretty much useless.

Am I missing something here?

[pmsousa]

Very good question... I have the exact same problem and I hadn't found that "solution" of searching for the host.

[monrovi]

Screens and ease of use

Yes it's a bit of a mystery. I do love that there is an end-to-end template system now that allows items, graphs and screens to be created automatically for new hosts. That's huge!

But there is a bit of an 'ease of use' disconnect. I think sometimes the fact that these things need to be easy and intuitive to find not only for IT staff, but for other depts. that benefit from being able to view screens of graphs and data for each host (ex. QA teams, NOC, management, etc.)

I'm trying desperately to replace Cacti, but I have to show definitively that it's "easier to use" in order to justify that kind of migration. Of course, from my perspective, it's WAY easier to use when it comes to configuring hosts, host groups, etc. That's not obvious to people who use the data, but aren't necessarily concerned with 'setup cost'.

- on that front -
I have set up new users to default to the overview page for their relevant group, and instructed them to click the host name to get to the screen. Unfortunately, when there is a tab saying "screens" right up top, they just want to click that. It's not intuitive to go 'overview' and click on the host name.

[pmsousa]

I understand you perfectly!!!

I've started, as almost everyone, with Nagios a few years ago and then "migrated" to Cacti. I was very knowledged with Cacti but add a few problems like: RRD data on disk getting bigger and bigger, poller problems, etc. But loved some features like Weathermaps and huge community template models. With Zabbix I've seen some user templates with major mistakes...

Unfortunately without an agent on the systems, some data is hard to get using only SNMP or WMI (talking about Windows servers/services). The fact that I can use any windows performance counter by querying the Zabbix agent is a major plus!!!

But you are exactly right when you say that the interface is not very user friendly or even coherent (like 'Screens').

My biggest problem at the moment is with "IT Services". My major goal with Zabbix is to control SLA's and that was working with version 1.8.13, after I've upgraded to 2.0.0 and later to 2.0.1rc1 (by Forum/developer suggestion), I've lost the "IT Service" to a blank screen!!! Major problem!!!

Well... Let's hope they can fix it or someone can find a solution for these issues soon...

[Yello]

I'm trying desperately to replace Cacti, but I have to show definitively that it's "easier to use" in order to justify that kind of migration. Of course, from my perspective, it's WAY easier to use when it comes to configuring hosts, host groups, etc. That's not obvious to people who use the data, but aren't necessarily concerned with 'setup cost'.

Can you define what you mean by "use"? What you mean by that changes the context somewhat.

You described people viewing graphs and screens. That can be achieved by putting maps, screens and graphs up on a monitor or monitors, perhaps in cycle mode. Or graphs can be pulled out of zabbix and put up on discrete webpages. And you can also generate reports showing whatever it is people want to see.

Some of this needs intergation work and some of it doesn't. At my site, the only people who log into zabbix directly are those who actually need to configure it or require access to data that may well not be graphed or screened.

Regards,
David