What are "items" in Zabbix?

In Zabbix, "items" refer specifically to the data points that are collected and monitored. Each item corresponds to a specific piece of information retrieved from monitored devices or systems, which may include metrics like CPU usage, memory consumption, network bandwidth, or any other measurable aspect relevant to monitoring the performance and health of those systems.

Items are critical to Zabbix's monitoring capabilities since they define what data will be collected and how it will be interpreted. For example, when setting up an item, an administrator specifies the type of data to be monitored, the source from which it will be gathered (such as a Zabbix agent, SNMP interface, or IPMI), and how frequently the data should be collected.

This function plays a pivotal role in enabling real-time monitoring and alerts based on the collected data, facilitating proactive responses to any issues that may arise within the IT infrastructure. Therefore, understanding items and how they work forms the backbone of effectively leveraging Zabbix for system monitoring and management.