Zabbix uses hosts to represent each server or device you monitor. You can add hosts automatically via network discovery or add them manually in the frontend. This guide covers adding a Linux host manually: creating the host, linking the Zabbix agent interface, and assigning templates so the server can collect metrics.
You need a working Zabbix server and the Zabbix agent installed and configured on the remote system. The hostname you set in Zabbix must match the Hostname in the agent’s zabbix_agentd.conf, or the server will not receive data.
Prerequisites
- Zabbix server installed and reachable (web UI and server process)
- Zabbix agent installed on the Linux host you want to monitor, with
Server/ServerActivepointing to your Zabbix server - The agent’s
Hostnamein/etc/zabbix/zabbix_agentd.conf— you will use this exact value when creating the host
Related Guides
- How to Install and Configure Zabbix Server 6 on Rocky Linux/Alma Linux 9
- How to Install and Configure Zabbix Server 6 on Ubuntu 20.04
- How to Install and Configure Zabbix Server 5 on Rocky Linux/Alma Linux 8
- How to Install Zabbix Agent on Rocky Linux/Alma Linux 8
- How to Install and Configure Zabbix Agent on Ubuntu 20.04
Add a New Linux Host in Zabbix
- Log in to the Zabbix web interface (e.g.
http://your-zabbix-server/zabbix). - Go to Configuration → Hosts.
- Click Create host (top right).
On the Host tab, fill in:
| Field | What to enter |
|---|---|
| Host name | Exact hostname from the agent’s config (Hostname in zabbix_agentd.conf). The server uses this to match the agent. |
| Visible name | Name shown in the Zabbix UI (e.g. “Web Server 01”). Can be different from Host name. |
| Groups | Select one or more host groups (e.g. “Linux servers”). |
| Interfaces | Click Add under Agent, set IP address or DNS name and Connect to (IP or DNS). Port is usually 10050. |
- Leave Enabled checked so the host is active.
- Open the Templates tab, search for a template (e.g. Linux by Zabbix agent or Template OS Linux by Zabbix agent), select it, and click Add.
- Click Add in the template list if needed, then Save.
The new host appears in the host list. Allow a minute or two for the server to run checks and collect data. Under Monitoring → Hosts, the Availability column should turn green when the agent is reachable.
View Graphs and Data
After data is collected, open Monitoring → Hosts, click the host name, then Graphs (or Latest data) to see metrics and graphs for that host.
Summary
- Host name in Zabbix must match the agent’s
Hostnameinzabbix_agentd.conf. - Agent interface must use the correct IP or DNS and port (default 10050) so the server can connect.
- Templates define which items (metrics) are collected; choose a Linux template that fits your agent (e.g. “Linux by Zabbix agent” for agent-based checks).
If the host stays unavailable, check firewall (port 10050), agent status (systemctl status zabbix-agent), and that Server or ServerActive on the agent includes your Zabbix server’s IP.