Cacti: traffic analysis and monitoring network

Tip: This document has been tested on Alpine Linux 2.2.2 with cacti from the edge repository

Install needed packages:

apk add lighttpd php cacti net-snmp-tools fcgi

Add php support to lighttpd (uncomment this line in /etc/lighttpd/lighttpd.conf):

include "mod_fastcgi.conf"

Save and exit editor.

Create a softlink for the cacti web files:

ln -s /usr/share/webapps/cacti /var/www/localhost/htdocs/cacti

Assign permits to lighttpd user:

chown -R lighttpd:lighttpd /var/www/localhost/htdocs/cacti/

In case you are using other web server than lighttpd have to assign permits to that user. If it hasn't already been done, setup MySQL:

apk add mysql-client

mysql_install_db --user=mysql

/etc/init.d/mysql start

mysql_secure_installation

Create the cacti database and populate it

mysql -u root -p

mysql> create database cacti;

Grant Cacti MySQL user access (give it a more secure password):

mysql> grant all on cacti.* to 'cactiuser'@'localhost' identified by 'MostSecurePassword'; flush privileges;

Quit from Mysql command prompt:

mysql> \q

Edit and put in the password you used in the above step for the mysql user.

vi /var/www/localhost/htdocs/cacti/include/config.php

Import the initial Cacti MySQL config:

mysql --user=cacti -p cacti < /usr/share/webapps/cacti/cacti.sql

Set lighttpd to autostart and start the daemon.

rc-update add lighttpd && rc-service lighttpd start

Browse to http://localhost/cacti/

In the web page click:

-> Next

Then select new install in case is not selected:

-> New install, Next

Then finish

-> Finish

Login using:

Password= admin user= admin

Next wil be prompted to change password:

change password.

Add to crontab:

cd /etc/crontabs
vi root

copy to the end of the file:

*/5 * * * * lighttpd php /var/www/localhost/htdocs/cacti/poller.php > /dev/null 2>&1

In case you are using other web server have to modify the "lighttpd" user.

*/5 * * * * "web server user" php /var/www/localhost/htdocs/cacti/poller.php > /dev/null 2>&1

Add your devices and you're ready to start monitoring!