Zenoss Core is an open source IT monitoring product that delivers the functionality to effectively manage the configuration, health, performance of networks, servers and applications through a single, integrated software package. Zenoss is by far the most comprehensive opens source monitoring package available with the following capabilities:
- Configuration Management Database (CMDB)
- Inventory and Change Tracking
- Availability Monitoring
- Performance Monitoring
- Event Management, Log Monitoring & Alerting
- Web Portal and Dashboards
- Integration
- ZenPacks
- Zenoss Administration
- Reporting

At the heart of Zenoss Core is a unified model of the entire IT environment. All devices in the environment can be modeled – networks, servers, software, and applications – as well as custom devices such as power supplies and temperature sensors. The model provides logical and physical grouping allowing you to map devices to business systems, locations, and responsible people. The model is populated by the auto-discovery process, supplemented by the web services API, XML import/export, or manual user input. Collections of monitoring templates are called ZenPacks, and more than 160 are available. ZenPacks include configuration, performance, availability, and event rules.

Zenoss Core offers the following advantages:
- Single Integrated Product – to monitor your entire IT infrastructure
- Open Source CMDB – a single repository for your IT assets
- Easy To Use Browser-Based GUI – no Linux skills needed, access from anywhere
- Enterprise-Ready Architecture – tiered architecture that scales to thousands of nodes
- ZenPacks Framework – packaging system for Zenoss plugins, skins, etc.
- Open Source – free and open source (licensed under the GPLv2 License)

Beyond the technical capabilities of Zenoss the product is backed by the efforts of a large community of users who are available to answer questions, provide documentation and extensions.