This chapter describes how to install Nagios and standard Nagios plugins. The process described here does not take advantage of any of the packaging systems that are currently available on the majority of operating systems.

It is recommended that you consult your operating system and software distribution mechanisms to see if they are already offering Nagios packages. Obtaining and installing Nagios as a binary distribution, suited to a particular platform, is always a better choice as it also offers automated upgrades and ensures that all dependencies are met.

Manual installation is recommended for system administrators who want more power over where their software is installed, and want to manage software upgrades and configurations on their own.

This chapter also covers the basics of Nagios configuration, and what types of objects can be configured.