Step 1: Update Your System

Before installing any software, it’s important to ensure that your Debian 11 system is up to date. Run the following commands to update your system:

sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade

This will ensure that all installed packages are up-to-date, which is a critical first step whether you're running on a local server or using a UK Windows VPS for your Zabbix setup.

Step 2: Install and Configure MySQL

Zabbix requires a database to store monitoring data. We will use MySQL in this guide. Install MySQL by running:

sudo apt install mysql-server

Once installed, secure your MySQL setup:

sudo mysql_secure_installation

Log in to MySQL to create a database and user for Zabbix:

sudo mysql -u root -p
CREATE DATABASE zabbix CHARACTER SET utf8mb4 COLLATE utf8mb4_bin;
CREATE USER 'zabbix'@'localhost' IDENTIFIED BY 'yourpassword';
GRANT ALL PRIVILEGES ON zabbix.* TO 'zabbix'@'localhost';
FLUSH PRIVILEGES;
EXIT;
            

With MySQL set up, you are ready to move forward with the installation of Zabbix, whether hosted on Debian or a Windows VPS hosting UK solution.

Step 3: Install Zabbix Repository

To install Zabbix, first, add the Zabbix repository to your system. Use the following commands to download and add the repository:

wget https://repo.zabbix.com/zabbix/6.0/debian/pool/main/z/zabbix-release/zabbix-release_6.0-1+debian11_all.deb
sudo dpkg -i zabbix-release_6.0-1+debian11_all.deb
sudo apt update
            

Step 4: Install Zabbix Server, Web Interface, and Agent

Now install the Zabbix server, frontend, and agent using the following command:

sudo apt install zabbix-server-mysql zabbix-frontend-php zabbix-apache-conf zabbix-agent

After installation, import the initial schema and data into the Zabbix database:

sudo zcat /usr/share/doc/zabbix-server-mysql/create.sql.gz | mysql -u zabbix -p zabbix
            

Step 5: Configure Zabbix Server

Edit the Zabbix server configuration file to set the database details:

sudo nano /etc/zabbix/zabbix_server.conf

Update the following lines with your database information:

DBName=zabbix
DBUser=zabbix
DBPassword=yourpassword
            

Save and exit the file, then start and enable the Zabbix server and agent:

sudo systemctl restart zabbix-server zabbix-agent apache2
sudo systemctl enable zabbix-server zabbix-agent apache2
            

Step 6: Configure PHP for Zabbix

Zabbix requires some PHP configuration changes to function correctly. Open the PHP configuration file for Zabbix:

sudo nano /etc/zabbix/apache.conf

Adjust the following settings:

php_value date.timezone Europe/London
            

You can replace Europe/London with your appropriate time zone. After saving your changes, restart Apache:

sudo systemctl restart apache2

Step 7: Access Zabbix Frontend

Now that everything is installed, you can access the Zabbix web interface by navigating to http://your-server-ip/zabbix in your browser. Follow the setup wizard to complete the installation. When prompted for the database settings, enter the information you configured earlier.

Whether you are hosting Zabbix on Debian or a Windows VPS hosting UK platform, the process remains consistent.

Step 8: Finalize Zabbix Setup

Complete the initial configuration by logging into the Zabbix frontend using the default credentials:

Username: Admin
Password: zabbix
            

After logging in, change the default password and configure your monitoring settings. Zabbix is now fully operational and ready to monitor your infrastructure, whether hosted locally or on a Windows VPS Italy server.