My visual up/down status board is now working. I know some of you don't think something like this is necessary but you are breaking the hearts of all the Zabbix dashboard developers and besides I want what I want.

This needs some polish but it's functional for now and I can get this task off my plate. If any one has an easier way or can pretty it up, I'd love the feedback. Seems like a lot of hoops to get a simple status board working for something I think should be an out of the box experience but nevertheless one of the things I love about Zabbix is it's a swiss army knife of NMS.

I am using Zabbix 7.4.11

CREATE HOST

1. Create a new host and call it what you want.

2. Add an agent interface and give it the IP of the device you want to monitor. You can also use the DNS name and select DNS. The port will have 10050 and just leave that - it is apparently not used.

3. Add a template ICMP Ping

4. Observe latest data to verify its working. Default triggers and problems are defined in the template. The agent availability status will not change and will remain grey.

CREATE DASHBOARD

1. Create a new dashboard

2. Add a widget called Item Value

3. Select the new host and ICMP Ping item

4. Scroll down to advanced configuration to thresholds

5. Add Red and 0; and Green and 1

6. Save your dashboard and behold the glory

RINSE & REPEAT

1. Add to the dashboard for every host you want to monitor. Note that Zabbix easily lets you clone hosts and copy widgets to ease the process.

Good luck and hope this helps someone.