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Nagios

A.Programming languages used to create the tool Nagios is

Nagios Core /ˈnɑːɡiːoʊs/, formerly known as Nagios, is a free and open-source computer-software application that monitors systems, networks and infrastructure. Nagios offers monitoring and alerting services for servers, switches, applications and services. It alerts users when things go wrong and alerts them a second time when the problem has been resolved.

Ethan Galstad and a group of developers originally wrote Nagios as NetSaint.[3] As of 2015, they actively maintain both the official and unofficial plugins. Nagios is a recursive acronym: "Nagios Ain't Gonna Insist On Sainthood"[4] – "sainthood" makes reference to the original name NetSaint, which changed in response to a legal challenge by owners of a similar trademark.[5] "Agios" (or "hagios") also transliterates the Greek word άγιος, which means "saint".

Nagios was originally designed to run under Linux, but it also runs on other Unix variants. It is free software licensed under the terms of the GNU General Public License version 2 as published by the Free Software Foundation.

B.Parent company of that tool is

Nagios Remote Plugin Executor (NRPE) is a Nagios agent that allows remote system monitoring using scripts that are hosted on the remote systems.[6] It allows for monitoring of resources such as disk usage, system load or the number of users currently logged in. Nagios periodically polls the agent on remote system using the check_nrpe plugin.

NRPE allows you to remotely execute Nagios plugins on other Linux/Unix machines. This allows you to monitor remote machine metrics (disk usage, CPU load, etc.). NRPE can also communicate with some of the Windows agent add-ons, so you can execute scripts and check metrics on remote Windows machines, as well.

As of 28 Jan 2020, NRPE 4.0.1 has been deprecated.[7]

NRDP
Nagios Remote Data Processor (NRDP) is a Nagios agent with a flexible data transport mechanism and processor.[8] It is designed with an architecture that allows it to be easily extended and customized. NRDP uses standard ports and protocols (HTTP and XML) and can be implemented as a replacement for Nagios Service Check Acceptor (NSCA).

C.Tool overview

Nagios is an Open Source IT system monitoring tool. It was designed to run on the Linux operating system and can monitor devices running Linux, Windows and Unix OSes. Nagios software runs periodic checks on critical parameters of application, network and server resources.

Purpose
Nagios is an open-source monitoring system designed to monitor the status of various networked devices and services. Its primary purpose is to provide organizations with a comprehensive and centralized monitoring solution to ensure the availability, performance, and reliability of their IT infrastructure. The key purposes of Nagios include:
Monitoring Services: Nagios can monitor a wide range of services such as web servers, email servers, database servers, and more. It regularly checks the status of these services and alerts administrators if any issues or failures are detected.
Alerting and Notification: Nagios provides a flexible alerting mechanism that can notify system administrators when a problem is identified. Notifications can be sent via email, SMS, or other methods, allowing administrators to respond quickly to issues.
Performance Monitoring: Nagios can monitor and track the performance of various elements within an IT infrastructure. This includes resource utilization, response times, and other performance metrics. Monitoring trends over time can help in capacity planning and performance optimization.
Event Handling: Nagios can be configured to automatically respond to specific events or issues. This may involve executing predefined scripts or corrective actions to resolve problems without manual intervention.
Centralized Management: Nagios provides a centralized management interface, allowing administrators to configure and manage monitoring for multiple devices and services from a single location.
Historical Data and Reporting: Nagios retains historical data on the status and performance of monitored components. This historical data can be used for trend analysis, capacity planning, and generating reports to assess the overall health of the IT infrastructure.
Customization and Extensibility: Nagios is highly customizable and extensible. Users can define their own monitoring checks, plugins, and configurations to tailor the system to their specific needs.
Open Source and Community Support: Being open source, Nagios benefits from a large community of users and developers. This community support contributes to the ongoing development, improvement, and troubleshooting of the Nagios platform.

D.Nagios logo

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E.Opensource or paid one

Nagios is available in both open-source and paid versions. Here's a brief overview of the two:

Nagios Core (Open-Source): Nagios Core is the open-source and free version of Nagios. It provides the fundamental monitoring and alerting capabilities. Users can download and use Nagios Core without any licensing costs. It is highly customizable, and many users appreciate its flexibility and the ability to extend its functionality through plugins.

Nagios XI (Paid): Nagios XI is the commercial version of Nagios, offering additional features and a more user-friendly interface compared to Nagios Core. It is a paid solution, and its pricing is typically based on the number of monitored hosts and additional features required. Nagios XI includes a web-based configuration interface, enhanced reporting, and other advanced features that simplify the setup and management of monitoring.

Choosing between Nagios Core and Nagios XI depends on the specific needs and preferences of the organization. Smaller organizations or those with simpler monitoring requirements may find Nagios Core sufficient, given its open-source nature and extensibility. Larger enterprises or those looking for a more polished and integrated monitoring solution may opt for Nagios XI to benefit from its additional features and support.

It's worth noting that there are also other monitoring solutions available in the market, both open-source and commercial, each with its own strengths and weaknesses. The choice of whether to use open-source or paid monitoring tools often depends on factors such as budget, required features, support, and ease of use.

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