winxx agents

[kens]

The documentation suggests that there is a win32 and win64 agent.

Zabbix Manual v1.4 Release 008. Copyright 2006 ZABBIX SIA Page 60 of 191
4.4. ZABBIX Agent (Windows)
ZabbixW32 is ZABBIX agent for Win32 systems. It will work on Windows NT 4.0, Windows 2000, Windows XP, and Windows Vista.
4.4.1. Installation
ZABBIX Manual v1.4
Installation is very simple and includes 3 steps:
Step 1 Create configuration file.
Create configuration file c:/zabbix_agentd.conf (it has the same syntax as UNIX agent).
Step 2 Install agent as a Windows service.
ZabbixW32.exe install
If you wish to use configuration file other that c:\zabbix_agentd.conf, you should use the following command for service installation:
ZabbixW32.exe --config <your_configuration_file> install
Full path to configuration file should be specified.
Step 2 Run agent.
Now you can use Control Panel to start agent's service or run:
ZabbixW32.exe start

The trouble is the download of 1.4.1 (and 1.4) doesn't have the file ZabbixW32.exe. I've downloaded the separate file .tar.gz of the Wxx agents that I hoped might contain the agent - false hope. I can see the file zabbix_agentd.exe but running "zabbix_agentd.exe /?" does not give the help prompt that I would have expected. I have the W32 agent from 1.1.1 which seems to work.

Any clue as to where the 1.4.1 incarnation might be? I'd like to try it.


{There is a note of cynicism in this post arising from my frustrations with getting Zabbix set up. I think Zabbix is an excellent product and the fundamental work done to date is excellent. It has many features that attract me to a production deployment that could reach 1000 nodes, the possibility of an ssh communication link would be important for this. But these frustrations will make many people give up and abandon it.

It can be interesting and challenging solving all these puzzles and documentation anomalies. But If I'm to use this as serious production software I have a doubt in my mind that when Zabbix says a node is in an "OK" state whether that is really true or is there some "undocumented feature" that is giving false data. I do know how complex this is (I was involved in DECmcc and Temip) and a great deal has been accomplished with Zabbix. I would echo a plea, I read elsewhere in this forum, for a pause on feature additions and an aim for, say, a 1.5 release to be a tidy up. I have limited resources, but if I can offer some feedback from my testing that might help and I'm sure others would be willing to do similar}

Thanks

Ken

[dsipe]

You can find the WIN32/64 agents inside the build directory of the Zabbix*.tar.gz.

You get help on the zabbix_agentd.exe with the '-h' option.

You may use the same zabbix_agentd.conf file as the one used on the Linux Zabbix server ( inside de misc/conf directory of the .tar.gz ).

Hope this help!
Pascal

[kens]

I don't see where....

[root@fedoratest zabbix]# tar -tzvf zabbix-1.4.1.tar.gz | grep exe
-rw-r--r-- 1000/1000     86016 2007-06-29 21:50:30 zabbix-1.4.1/bin/win32/zabbix_sender.exe
-rwxr-xr-x 1000/1000    159744 2007-06-29 21:50:30 zabbix-1.4.1/bin/win32/zabbix_agentd.exe
-rw-r--r-- 1000/1000     77824 2007-06-29 21:50:30 zabbix-1.4.1/bin/win32/zabbix_get.exe
-rwxr-xr-x 1000/1000    231936 2007-06-29 21:50:30 zabbix-1.4.1/bin/win64/zabbix_agentd.exe
[root@fedoratest zabbix]# cd zabbix-1.4.1/build/

[root@fedoratest build]# ls -R
.:
linux  README  win32  win64

./linux:
README

./win32:
include  project  README

./win32/include:
config.h

./win32/project:
messages.mc  resource.rc        zabbix_agentd.dsp  ZABBIX.dsw      zabbix_sender.dsp
resource.h   zabbix_agentd.dep  zabbix_agentd.mak  zabbix_get.dsp

./win64:
README

Are those files under build/ the sources? If so how should they be compiled...

Suggestions most welcome

Ken

[kens]

OK I think this is a documentation anomaly.

The documentation should say:

4.4. ZABBIX Agent (Windows)
ZabbixW32 is ZABBIX agent for Win32 systems. It will work on Windows NT 4.0, Windows 2000, Windows XP, and Windows Vista.
4.4.1. Installation

Installation is very simple and includes 3 steps:

Step 1 Create configuration file.
Create configuration file in an appropriate place eg: c:/zabbix/zabbix_agentd.conf (it has the same syntax as UNIX agent).

Step 2 Install agent as a Windows service.
Copy the file bin/winxx/zabbix_agentd.exe to a suitable place, eg; c:/zabbix,  on the windows host to be monitored. Where xx is 32 or 64 as appropriate. 

From a command prompt in the installation directory run this command (help is available by using the -h option)

zabbix_agentd.exe -i -c c:/zabbix/zabbix_agentd.conf


Step 2 Run agent.

Now you can use Control Panel to start agent's service or run:
zabbix_agentd.exe --start
or run:
net start "zabbix agent"

I would repeat my suggestion that a feature pause be called and anomalies like these be addressed as a matter of priority.

Thanks

Ken

[Alexei]

Thanks for pointing to this. ZABBIX Manual is amended.

[kens]

This is a tiny change --->>

The first line that reads

ZabbixW32 is ZABBIX agent for Win32 systems. It will work on Windows NT 4.0, Windows 2000, Windows XP, and Windows Vista.

should read

zabbix_agentd is ZABBIX agent for Win32/64 systems. It will work on Windows NT 4.0, Windows 2000, Windows XP, and Windows Vista.

Ken

[Alexei]

Fixed as well, thanks!

[noxis]

The PDF 1.4.1 manual is still incorrect. It references ZabbixW32.exe everywhere and says to use "ZabbixW32.exe install" to setup the service.