Cacti collects measurements from network devices, servers, and applications and uses RRDtool to store time-series data and display graphs. Use this manual to install Cacti, configure monitoring, and keep your installation running.
Version: This manual follows develop, the unreleased Cacti 1.3 series. For released Cacti 1.2 installations, use the 1.2.x manual and the requirements supplied with your installed version.
- Install or upgrade Cacti: Check requirements, choose your platform, install, upgrade, and secure Cacti.
- Create your first graphs: Add a device, configure SNMP, create graphs, and verify data collection.
- Manage your installation: Organize devices and graphs, automate discovery, manage access, and report.
- Configure data collection: Set up collectors, Spine, remote polling, scheduling, and performance.
- Create and reuse templates: Work with templates, data queries, and package import and export.
- Troubleshoot a problem: Investigate missing data, failed SNMP queries, and polling errors.
Follow this sequence for a new installation:
- Check requirements.
- Install Cacti for your platform.
- Add a device and create its graphs.
- Verify data collection and check the Cacti log.
- Secure the installation before making it available to other users.
For the concepts behind these steps, read Principles of Operation. To find your way around Cacti, use Navigating the User Interface.
- Graphs have no data: Check polling and RRD updates.
- Find errors in the log: Inspect collection and system logs.
- Investigate SNMP and graph failures: Follow the debugging guide for polling and rendering problems.
- Common questions and polling problems: Find answers about SNMP, scheduling, password recovery, and graph errors.
- Known issues: Check documented limitations and where to report a problem.
Browse the complete manual index for every guide, including procedures grouped with their related subjects.
Use the settings reference, command-line scripts, and graph and data reference when you need a particular option, command, variable, or graph expression. Check release notes for version-specific changes.
- Use and develop plugins: Install extensions or find plugin guidelines, hooks, and references.
- Contribute to Cacti: Report bugs, improve code or documentation, and help translate Cacti.
- Development standards: Follow the documentation, PHP, SQL, and security conventions for your target branch.
- Architecture decisions: Read proposals and accepted decisions guiding development.
- Video tutorials: Watch tutorials on the official Cacti channel. Check the demonstrated version against your installation.
See project credits, acknowledgments, and licensing. For downloads and news, visit the Cacti website. For community support, use the Cacti Forums.
Copyright (c) 2004-2026 The Cacti Group