What is LibreNMS?

LibreNMS is a popular open-source network monitoring and logging tool that provides a comprehensive platform for monitoring and managing network devices, servers, and applications. It is designed to be highly customizable and scalable, making it an ideal solution for organizations of all sizes. With its robust feature set and user-friendly interface, LibreNMS has become a go-to choice for network administrators and DevOps teams looking to streamline their network monitoring and logging operations.

Main Features

Some of the key features of LibreNMS include:

• Multi-protocol support: LibreNMS supports a wide range of protocols, including SNMP, SSH, and HTTP.
• Device discovery: LibreNMS can automatically discover and add new devices to the monitoring platform.
• Alerting and notification: LibreNMS provides customizable alerting and notification options to ensure that teams are informed of any issues or changes in the network.
• Reporting and analytics: LibreNMS provides detailed reporting and analytics capabilities to help teams optimize their network performance and troubleshoot issues.

Installation Guide

Prerequisites

Before installing LibreNMS, ensure that your system meets the following requirements:

• Operating System: Ubuntu 18.04 or later, CentOS 7 or later, or Debian 9 or later.
• Database: MySQL 5.7 or later, PostgreSQL 10 or later, or SQLite 3.8 or later.
• Web Server: Apache 2.4 or later, Nginx 1.14 or later, or Lighttpd 1.4 or later.

Step 1: Install Dependencies

Install the required dependencies for LibreNMS:

Ubuntu/Debian:

sudo apt-get update && sudo apt-get install -y apache2 mysql-server php7.2 php7.2-mysql php7.2-curl php7.2-gd php7.2-mbstring

CentOS/RHEL:

sudo yum install -y epel-release && sudo yum install -y httpd mysql-server php72w php72w-mysqlnd php72w-curl php72w-gd php72w-mbstring

Step 2: Install LibreNMS

Download and install LibreNMS:

wget https://github.com/librenms/librenms/archive/master.tar.gz && tar -xvf master.tar.gz && cd librenms-master

Configuration and Setup

Database Configuration

Configure the database for LibreNMS:

MySQL:

mysql -u root -p CREATE DATABASE librenms;

PostgreSQL:

psql -U postgres CREATE DATABASE librenms;

Web Interface Configuration

Configure the web interface for LibreNMS:

sudo nano /etc/apache2/sites-available/librenms.conf

Tips and Best Practices

Retention and Repository Tuning

Optimize retention and repository settings for improved performance:

• Adjust the retention period for logs and metrics.
• Configure repository settings for optimal storage and retrieval.

Alerting and Notification

Customize alerting and notification settings for effective issue detection:

• Configure alert thresholds and notification channels.
• Integrate with external tools and services for enhanced notification capabilities.

LibreNMS vs Cloud Native Tools

Comparison of Features and Functionality

Evaluate the pros and cons of using LibreNMS versus cloud native tools:

Conclusion

LibreNMS is a powerful and flexible network monitoring and logging tool that offers a wide range of features and customization options. By following the installation guide and tips outlined in this article, teams can effectively deploy and manage LibreNMS to improve their network operations and troubleshooting capabilities.