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Cloud-scale infrastructure monitoring with real-time dashboards and AIOps.
Shinken
Scalable, Python‑based monitoring framework compatible with Nagios
Shinken delivers a flexible, Python‑driven monitoring solution that mirrors Nagios configuration while scaling to large infrastructures across Windows, Linux, and FreeBSD.
Overview
Overview
Shinken is a Python‑written monitoring framework that speaks the same configuration language as Nagios. It targets teams that already have Nagios setups or need a monitoring system that can grow with their infrastructure, from a handful of hosts to thousands.
Capabilities & Deployment
The platform retains full compatibility with existing Nagios plugins and config files, eliminating migration friction. Its modular, Python‑centric architecture lets you write custom checks or extend core functionality with ease. Shinken runs on any OS supporting Python—including Windows, GNU/Linux, and FreeBSD—using standard init.d scripts for service management. Configuration resides in /etc/shinken, logs in /var/log/shinken, and debug mode can be activated via /etc/init.d/shinken -d start. The framework is released under AGPL‑3.0 and is designed for environments that demand cross‑platform support and horizontal scalability.
Highlights
Full compatibility with Nagios configuration and plugins
Python‑centric modular architecture for easy extension
Cross‑platform support (Windows, Linux, FreeBSD)
Designed to scale from small to large environments
Pros
- Leverages existing Nagios configs, reducing migration effort
- Flexible plugin system enables custom checks
- Scalable design handles thousands of hosts/services
- Simple init.d integration for standard service management
Considerations
- Requires Python runtime, adding a dependency layer
- Community smaller than Nagios core, affecting third‑party resources
- AGPL‑3.0 license may be restrictive for some commercial use cases
- Debugging relies on log files rather than an integrated UI
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Fit guide
Great for
- Teams migrating from Nagios seeking a more modular solution
- Organizations needing cross‑platform monitoring across Windows and Unix
- Environments that anticipate growth to large numbers of hosts
- Developers comfortable with Python for extending monitoring logic
Not ideal when
- Users requiring a built‑in web UI without additional components
- Deployments that cannot accommodate Python dependencies
- Projects needing a permissive license like MIT or Apache
- Small setups where the added flexibility adds unnecessary complexity
How teams use it
Migrate existing Nagios setup to a scalable architecture
Retain all current host/service definitions while gaining modular scaling and Python extensibility.
Monitor mixed Windows and Linux data center
Deploy Shinken agents across both OS families, centralizing alerts in a single system.
Implement custom health checks for proprietary services
Write Python plugins to probe internal APIs, integrating results with standard alerting.
Scale monitoring for a rapidly expanding cloud environment
Add new hosts without reconfiguring core, leveraging Shinken’s distributed scheduler.
Tech snapshot
Python88%
Shell9%
Roff1%
Ruby1%
PHP1%
Makefile1%
Frequently asked questions
Do I need to rewrite my Nagios configuration?
No. Shinken reads standard Nagios config files and plugins unchanged.
Which operating systems are supported?
Any platform with a Python interpreter, including Windows, GNU/Linux, and FreeBSD.
How do I enable debug logging?
Start the daemon with the `-d` flag (`/etc/init.d/shinken -d start`) and review logs in `/var/log/shinken`.
What is the licensing impact for commercial use?
Shinken is released under AGPL‑3.0, which requires source distribution of modifications when deployed over a network.
How is Shinken installed as a service?
Installation creates init.d scripts; use `chkconfig` or `update-rc.d` to enable at boot.
Project at a glance
Dormant- Stars
- 1,136
- Watchers
- 1,136
- Forks
- 330
LicenseAGPL-3.0
Repo age15 years old
Last commit2 years ago
Primary languagePython
Last synced 3 hours ago