  We present a two-dimensional analysis of the bright nearby galaxy group NGC
5044 using the currently available Chandra and XMM data. In the inner 10 kpc a
pair of cavities are evident together with a set of bright X-ray filaments. If
the cavities are interpreted as gas displaced by relativistic plasma inflated
by an AGN, even in the absence of extended 1.4 GHz emission, this would be
consistent with a recent outburst as also indicated by the extent of dust and
H_alpha emission. The soft X-ray filaments coincident with H_alpha and dust
emission are cooler than the ones which do not correlate with optical and
infrared emission. We suggest that dust-aided cooling contributes to form warm
(T =10^4 K) gas, emitting H_alpha radiation. At 31 kpc and 67 kpc a pair of
cold fronts are present, indicative of sloshing due to a dynamical perturbation
caused by accretion of a less massive group, also suggested by the peculiar
velocity of the brightest galaxy NGC 5044 with respect to the mean group
velocity.
