Nagios XI Quick Start Guide (Modern Theme)
Nagios XI is a robust tool for monitoring, alerting, graphing, and reporting on networks, servers, applications, and services. The default Modern theme provides a clean interface for fresh installations, while the Neptune theme refined in the 2026R1 update delivers a sleek, React-based UI with improved navigation, responsive design, dark/light modes, and enhanced customization for a superior user experience. This quick start guide covers adding a new host, updating settings, enabling notifications, managing users, and more.
1. Run a Wizard
To monitor a new host in Nagios XI, use the Configuration Wizards for simple setup without editing files manually. Start by navigating to Configure > Configuration Wizards or on the Home page you can find it under Getting Started > Run a Wizard.
Best Practices:
- Start with the Website Wizard to set up some basic monitoring and familiarize yourself with the wizard steps.
- Use a unique, descriptive Host Name (e.g., “Company Website – Prod”) for quick identification.
- Verify SSL settings if monitoring HTTPS sites to avoid certificate mismatch errors.
Read this document to learn more about How To Monitor Websites In Nagios XI 2024.
The video below provides a guided walk-through that covers how to monitor your first hosts in Nagios XI.
2. Mastering Wizards
Popular wizards in Nagios XI simplify monitoring setup for common items like servers and databases. Start by navigating to Configure > Configuration Wizards and search by category (e.g., Linux Server, Windows Server, Switch/Router, Website, MySQL).
Best Practices:
- Match the wizard to the host type for cultivated sets of relevant checks.
- Review the Understanding and Using Config Wizards document to master all of the steps and universal settings.
The video below provides a guided walk-through that covers how to monitor Active Directory in Nagios XI.
3. Account Settings
Updating settings in Nagios XI optimizes system performance and customizes the interface for maximum usability. Navigate to Home > Getting Started > Account Settings or click the User Icon > Nagios Admin to tweak performance, UI, or notification options.
Best Practices:
- Adjust performance settings for optimization.
- Test upgrades in a dev environment.
- Apply changes during low usage periods.
The video below provides a guided walk-through that covers the Admin interface.
4. Enable Notifications
Enabling notifications in Nagios XI delivers timely information about issues, reducing downtime through proactive responses. Configure them under Admin > Notification Management.
Best Practices:
- Use contact groups for easy bulk management.
- Set escalations for critical issues.
- Leverage retry intervals and parent/child relationships to reduce alert fatigue.
Read this document to learn more about Configuring Email And Text Notifications In Nagios XI 2024.
5. Email Settings
Setting up emails in Nagios XI enables reliable notification delivery via SMTP. Navigate to Admin > Email Settings to configure SMTP details.
Best Practices:
- Use TLS for secure transmission.
- Check spam/junk folders.
- Sync server time with NTP to prevent errors.
Related Readings: Nagios XI Email Notifications with Zoho Mail SMTP: 2025 Guide
The video below provides a guided walk-through that cover setting up email notifications.
6. Manage Users
Managing users in Nagios XI ensures proper access control and security through roles and permissions. Access this by navigating to Admin > Manage Users.
Best Practices:
- Apply the principle of least privilege.
- Use contact groups to simplify notifications.
- Regularly audit and review permissions for security.
Related Reading: Set Up User Roles and Permissions in Nagios XI in 4 Easy Steps.
The video below provides a guided walk-through that covers how to add a new user in Nagios XI.
7. Leverage Dashboards
Dashboards in Nagios XI provide customizable, responsive views of monitoring data (dashlets are modular widgets for metrics). For detailed instructions, see the How to Use Nagios XI Dashboards 2026 document.
Best Practices:
- Create some Global dashboards for team collaboration.
- Explore the many dashlets available in both Legacy and Smart dashboards.
- Create an XI server status dashboard using either dashlets from the Server Stats section of Smart options or dashlets such as Monitoring Engine Performance, Monitoring Engine Stats, and Server Stats in your Legacy dashboards.
- Explore creating custom dashlets; secure custom dashlet code with
htmlspecialchars()and usePDOfor SQL queries.
The video below provides a guided walk-through that covers each step of how to use Legacy dashboards in Nagios XI.
8. Explore the Core Config Manager
The Core Config Manager (CCM) in Nagios XI allows advanced management of hosts and services for efficient infrastructure organization. Access this by navigating to Configure > Core Config Manager.
Best Practices:
- Use hostgroups and servicegroups for efficient definitions.
- Implement templates for consistency.
- Avoid overlapping groups.
- Set proper check intervals based on deployment scale.
Read this document to learn more about Using the Core Config Manager for Host Management in Nagios XI 2024.
9. Run Auto-discovery
The Auto-Discovery Wizard in Nagios XI automatically detects network devices using Nmap for faster setup and visibility of what’s on your network.
Best Practices:
- Scan targeted IP ranges to avoid overload.
- Provide credentials for deeper discovery.
- Review and filter results before applying.
- Combine with wizards for quick monitoring setup.
Read this document to learn more about How To Use Nagios XI 2024 Auto-Discovery.
10. Getting Help with Nagios XI
For additional support, Nagios offers several resources to assist users:
- Quickstart Remote Sessions: Schedule a guided remote session with Nagios experts to accelerate setup and configuration. Visit Nagios Quickstart to book a session.
- Custom Demos: Request a personalized demo tailored to your monitoring needs or contact the Nagios team at [email protected].
- Community and Documentation: Explore the Nagios Community Support Forum for user-contributed solutions, or refer to the official Nagios Documentation.
- Direct Support: For specific inquiries or technical assistance, reach out to the Nagios sales team at [email protected] for prompt support.
Conclusion
Nagios XI with the Modern theme empowers efficient, scalable monitoring. This quick start guide equips you to add hosts, configure settings, enable notifications, manage users, and more. Start simple, scale as needed, and refer to the Nagios Library for advanced topics. For support, visit the Nagios Community Support Forums or contact [email protected].
