Zabbix Certified Specialist Comprehensive
Examination | Zabbix LLC | Academic Year
2026/2027
Section I: Zabbix Architecture & Installation (Questions 1–40)
Question 1. Which Zabbix component is the central process responsible for
polling, trap processing, alert generation, and writing collected data to the
database?
A. Zabbix frontend
B. Zabbix agent
C. Zabbix server
D. Zabbix proxy
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: The Zabbix server is the core engine that performs polling,
processes traps, generates alerts, and writes data to the backend database. The
frontend is the web UI, agents collect local metrics, and proxies offload data
collection but do not replace the server's central role.
Question 2. Which database engines are officially supported as a Zabbix server
backend in production environments?
A. MySQL/MariaDB, PostgreSQL, and TimescaleDB (PostgreSQL extension)
B. SQLite and MongoDB
C. Oracle Database and Microsoft SQL Server
D. Cassandra and Redis
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: Zabbix officially supports MySQL/MariaDB and PostgreSQL.
TimescaleDB is a PostgreSQL extension that can be used for improved history
performance. SQLite is limited to very small or proxy deployments; MSSQL and
Oracle are not supported.
,Question 3. What is the default TCP port used by the Zabbix agent for passive
checks?
A. 10051
B. 10050
C. 161
D. 443
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: The Zabbix agent listens on port 10050 for passive checks
initiated by the server or proxy. Port 10051 is used by the server/proxy for active
check connections and trapper communications.
Question 4. Which configuration file contains server-side parameters such as
database connection details, poller counts, and cache sizes?
A. zabbix_agentd.conf
B. zabbix_proxy.conf
C. zabbix_server.conf
D. php.ini
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: zabbix_server.conf contains all server-side parameters
including DB connection, poller counts, cache sizes, and log settings. Agent and
proxy have their own distinct configuration files.
Question 5. What is the primary purpose of a Zabbix proxy in a distributed
monitoring architecture?
A. To replace the Zabbix server entirely
B. To store historical data permanently
C. To collect monitoring data on behalf of the server, reducing load and enabling
,monitoring of remote or segmented networks
D. To provide the web interface
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Proxies offload data collection, buffer data during network
outages, and allow monitoring across firewalls or remote sites while the server
remains the single source of truth.
Question 6. Which of the following are valid Zabbix agent check types? (Select all
that apply.)
A. Passive checks
B. Active checks
C. Simple checks
D. SNMP checks
E. Database replication checks
Correct Answers: A, B, C, D
Rationale: Zabbix supports passive checks, active checks, simple checks,
and SNMP checks (as well as JMX, IPMI, and HTTP agent checks). Database
replication checks are not a native Zabbix check type; they would require custom
user parameters or external scripts.
Question 7. What is the minimum recommended PHP version for the Zabbix 7.0
frontend?
A. PHP 5.6
B. PHP 7.2.5
C. PHP 7.4
D. PHP 8.0
Correct Answer: B
, Rationale: The Zabbix frontend requires PHP 7.2.5 or later for Zabbix 6.0
LTS, and Zabbix 7.0 supports PHP 8.0+. The documented minimum baseline is PHP
7.2.5 for supported LTS versions.
Question 8. In a Zabbix high-availability (HA) cluster, what is the role of the
standby node?
A. It actively polls all hosts in parallel with the active node
B. It monitors the active node and takes over if the active node fails
C. It serves the frontend only
D. It stores historical data independently
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: In Zabbix native HA, only one node is active at a time. Standby
nodes monitor the active node's heartbeat and assume the active role if failure is
detected. They do not poll hosts in parallel.
Question 9. Which log level in zabbix_server.conf would log only critical events
and errors?
A. LogLevel=0
B. LogLevel=1
C. LogLevel=3
D. LogLevel=5
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Zabbix log levels range from 0 (basic information) to 5 (debug).
LogLevel=1 logs critical information; LogLevel=0 logs basic information;
LogLevel=3 logs warnings; LogLevel=5 is full debug.
Question 10. Which of the following accurately describes the Zabbix data flow for
a passive agent check?
Examination | Zabbix LLC | Academic Year
2026/2027
Section I: Zabbix Architecture & Installation (Questions 1–40)
Question 1. Which Zabbix component is the central process responsible for
polling, trap processing, alert generation, and writing collected data to the
database?
A. Zabbix frontend
B. Zabbix agent
C. Zabbix server
D. Zabbix proxy
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: The Zabbix server is the core engine that performs polling,
processes traps, generates alerts, and writes data to the backend database. The
frontend is the web UI, agents collect local metrics, and proxies offload data
collection but do not replace the server's central role.
Question 2. Which database engines are officially supported as a Zabbix server
backend in production environments?
A. MySQL/MariaDB, PostgreSQL, and TimescaleDB (PostgreSQL extension)
B. SQLite and MongoDB
C. Oracle Database and Microsoft SQL Server
D. Cassandra and Redis
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: Zabbix officially supports MySQL/MariaDB and PostgreSQL.
TimescaleDB is a PostgreSQL extension that can be used for improved history
performance. SQLite is limited to very small or proxy deployments; MSSQL and
Oracle are not supported.
,Question 3. What is the default TCP port used by the Zabbix agent for passive
checks?
A. 10051
B. 10050
C. 161
D. 443
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: The Zabbix agent listens on port 10050 for passive checks
initiated by the server or proxy. Port 10051 is used by the server/proxy for active
check connections and trapper communications.
Question 4. Which configuration file contains server-side parameters such as
database connection details, poller counts, and cache sizes?
A. zabbix_agentd.conf
B. zabbix_proxy.conf
C. zabbix_server.conf
D. php.ini
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: zabbix_server.conf contains all server-side parameters
including DB connection, poller counts, cache sizes, and log settings. Agent and
proxy have their own distinct configuration files.
Question 5. What is the primary purpose of a Zabbix proxy in a distributed
monitoring architecture?
A. To replace the Zabbix server entirely
B. To store historical data permanently
C. To collect monitoring data on behalf of the server, reducing load and enabling
,monitoring of remote or segmented networks
D. To provide the web interface
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Proxies offload data collection, buffer data during network
outages, and allow monitoring across firewalls or remote sites while the server
remains the single source of truth.
Question 6. Which of the following are valid Zabbix agent check types? (Select all
that apply.)
A. Passive checks
B. Active checks
C. Simple checks
D. SNMP checks
E. Database replication checks
Correct Answers: A, B, C, D
Rationale: Zabbix supports passive checks, active checks, simple checks,
and SNMP checks (as well as JMX, IPMI, and HTTP agent checks). Database
replication checks are not a native Zabbix check type; they would require custom
user parameters or external scripts.
Question 7. What is the minimum recommended PHP version for the Zabbix 7.0
frontend?
A. PHP 5.6
B. PHP 7.2.5
C. PHP 7.4
D. PHP 8.0
Correct Answer: B
, Rationale: The Zabbix frontend requires PHP 7.2.5 or later for Zabbix 6.0
LTS, and Zabbix 7.0 supports PHP 8.0+. The documented minimum baseline is PHP
7.2.5 for supported LTS versions.
Question 8. In a Zabbix high-availability (HA) cluster, what is the role of the
standby node?
A. It actively polls all hosts in parallel with the active node
B. It monitors the active node and takes over if the active node fails
C. It serves the frontend only
D. It stores historical data independently
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: In Zabbix native HA, only one node is active at a time. Standby
nodes monitor the active node's heartbeat and assume the active role if failure is
detected. They do not poll hosts in parallel.
Question 9. Which log level in zabbix_server.conf would log only critical events
and errors?
A. LogLevel=0
B. LogLevel=1
C. LogLevel=3
D. LogLevel=5
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Zabbix log levels range from 0 (basic information) to 5 (debug).
LogLevel=1 logs critical information; LogLevel=0 logs basic information;
LogLevel=3 logs warnings; LogLevel=5 is full debug.
Question 10. Which of the following accurately describes the Zabbix data flow for
a passive agent check?
