The Howdy Glossary

Cacti is an open-source, web-based network monitoring and graphing tool, which serves as a frontend to RRDtool. It collects time-series data to generate graphs that display the performance of networks and systems, enabling the monitoring of devices such as routers, switches, servers, and services like HTTP or SMTP. System administrators utilize its SNMP monitoring capabilities to identify issues or trends affecting performance or security. Cacti's modular design allows for custom feature additions via plugins and supports multiple data collection methods, making it adaptable across various environments.

Conceived by Ian Berry and further developed by a team of contributors as an open-source project, Cacti evolved from a simple network graphing solution into a comprehensive network monitoring tool. It was designed to efficiently gather data and display performance metrics in a graphical format while offering customization through plugins. This versatility makes Cacti suitable for different environments where it can effectively monitor SNMP-enabled devices and services.

Cacti distinguishes itself with its user-friendly interface that facilitates the creation of advanced data templates through point-and-click operations. Its modular design enables users to enhance functionality with custom features via plugins while supporting multiple data collection methods for adaptability across environments. Despite facing competition from tools such as Zabbix, Nagios, PRTG Network Monitor, and SolarWinds Network Performance Monitor—which emphasize real-time monitoring, scalability, ease of use, or visualization—Cacti stands out due to its emphasis on user-friendly customization and graphing capabilities catered towards system administrators seeking versatile network monitoring solutions.