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How to Monitor Switches and Firewalls with Zabbix

In this guide, you will learn how to add network equipment to Zabbix. We will cover monitoring an Aruba switch using SNMP and a pfSense firewall using the Zabbix Agent. Finally, we will visualize network traffic with a bandwidth graph.

Part 1: Configuring an Aruba Switch for SNMP

Before Zabbix can monitor a switch, the switch must be configured to allow SNMP traffic. We will use an Aruba AOS-CX switch for this example.

1. Enable Interfaces and Set IP

Access the switch terminal and enter global configuration mode. First, ensure the interfaces are up and not in routing mode (if using it as a Layer 2 access switch).

conf t
int 1/1/1-1/1/52
no routing
no shutdown
exit

Next, configure an IP address on VLAN 1 so the switch can communicate with the Zabbix server.

interface vlan 1
ip address [YOUR_SWITCH_IP] 255.255.255.0
exit

2. Configure SNMP Settings

Define the SNMP community string (a shared password) and enable the SNMP server on the default VRF.

snmp-server community [COMMUNITY_NAME]
snmp-server vrf default
write memory

Note: "public" is a common default community string, but you can choose a custom name (e.g., "TSS").

Part 2: Adding the Switch to Zabbix

Now that the switch is configured, we can add it to Zabbix.

1. Verify Connectivity

From your Zabbix server (Ubuntu), verify you can reach the switch via Ping and check the SNMP port (UDP 161) using Netcat.

nc -zu [SWITCH_IP] 161

2. Create the Host

In Zabbix, go to Data Collection > Hosts > Create Host.

• Host Name: Enter a name (e.g., Switch-03-Aruba).
• Template: Select Network Generic (under Templates/Network).
• Host Group: Create a new group called "Network Devices".
• Interfaces: Add an SNMP interface. Enter the Switch IP and Port 161.
• SNMP Version: Select v2.
• Community: Enter the community string you set earlier (e.g., TSS).

Click Add. The SNMP availability icon should turn green shortly.

Part 3: Monitoring pfSense Firewall with Zabbix Agent

For pfSense, we will use the native Zabbix Agent package for more detailed monitoring.

1. Install the Agent

Log in to your pfSense web interface. Go to System > Package Manager > Available Packages. Search for "zabbix-agent" (ensure you select the version matching your server, e.g., Agent 7) and click Install.

2. Configure the Agent

Once installed, go to Services > Zabbix Agent.

• Enable: Check the box.
• Server: Enter your Zabbix Server IP.
• Server Active: Enter your Zabbix Server IP.
• Hostname: Enter the hostname of the pfSense firewall.

Click Save.

3. Add Host to Zabbix

Back in Zabbix, create a new host for the firewall.

• Template: Select FreeBSD by Zabbix agent (found under Operating Systems).
• Interface: Add an Agent interface with the firewall's IP and port 10050.

If the availability icon stays red, double-check that you entered the correct IP address.

Part 4: Creating a Bandwidth Dashboard

To visualize network traffic, we will generate load using iPerf and create a graph in Zabbix.

1. Generate Traffic with iPerf

Install iPerf on pfSense (via Package Manager) and enable it as a server under Diagnostics > iPerf. On your Zabbix server (or any Linux client), install iPerf3 and run a UDP bandwidth test:

# Install iPerf3
sudo apt install iperf3 -y

# Run UDP Stream (250 Mbps for 99 seconds)
iperf3 -c [FIREWALL_IP] -u -b 250M -t 99

2. Create the Graph Widget

Create a new Dashboard in Zabbix.

1. Add a new widget and select type Graph.
2. Data Set: Select the firewall host.
3. Item: Select the network interface (e.g., "Interface EM1: Bits received/sent"). Note: Check your firewall settings to verify which physical interface (EM0, EM1, etc.) handles the traffic.
4. Click Add.

You should now see a live graph reflecting the 250 Mbps traffic stream you initiated.

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