PRTG Manual: System Administration—System and Website

Web Server IP Address

This is the IP address the PRTG web server is running on. This setting is shown for your information only and cannot be changed here. To change this setting, please use the PRTG Server Administrator.

Web Server Port

This is the port number the PRTG web server is running on. This setting is shown for your information only and cannot be changed here. To change this setting, please use the PRTG Server Administrator.

PRTG Site Name

When using the web interface, the site name is shown in the title bar of your browser window. It is also used by default in notification emails. Please enter a string.

DNS Name

If your PRTG web interface is (additionally) reachable via a DNS name, please enter it here. It is e.g. used by default in notification emails to generate links. Please enter a string.

Active Directory Domain

In order to use Active Directory Integration please enter the name of your local domain. Please enter a string or leave the field empty.

Active Directory Access

Define which user account will be used to configure Active Directory access. This account will be used to query the AD for existing groups. Choose between:

• Use the PRTG core service account (usually LOCAL SYSTEM): Use the same Windows user account configured for the "PRTG Core Server Service". In a default installation, this is the "local system" Windows user account. If this account does not have the right to query all groups of your Active Directory you should not use this option.

• Use explicit credentials: Define a user account that will be used by PRTG to authenticate against the Active Directory. This should be a user account with full access to all of your Active Directory groups.

Active Directory Access User

This field is only visible if the use of explicit credentials is chosen above. Enter the Windows user account name which will be used to authenticate for Active Directory configuration.

Active Directory Access Password

This field is only visible if the use of explicit credentials is chosen above. Enter the password for the Windows user account which will be used to authenticate for Active Directory configuration.

Map Service Provider

Select if and how you want to integrate the Geo Maps feature into the web interface. If enabled, PRTG uses the first line of the location setting of an object to show it on a geographical map. Please choose a map provider:

• Do not show maps (disables Geo Maps integration): Disable Geo Maps integration and do not show geographical maps in the web interface.
• MapQuest: Use MapQuest to show geographical maps. This is the recommended option.
• Nokia Maps: Use Nokia Maps to show geographical maps.
• CloudMade (API key required): Use CloudMade to show geographical maps. Please sign up for an API key on their developer website to use this service.
• Google Static Maps (API key required): Use Google Static Maps to show geographical maps. Please sign up for a Google Maps API v2 key to use this service. Note: As of PRTG version 13 you will need to acquire a Google Maps API v3 key!

For more information about the different map providers, please see the More section below.

Map Type

This setting is only visible for some map providers. Depending on the chosen provider, several options are shown. Each will show map tiles in a different appearance. Please choose a map type from the list.

API Key (required)

This field is only visible if you selected a provider that requires an API key. Please obtain your personal key and paste it here. For more information on how to get an API key, please see the More section below. Please enter an alphanumeric string.

Available Intervals

Define the intervals available in the drop down list of every object's settings. In the text field, enter one value in each line. Use s, m, h, and d for defining seconds, minutes, hours, and days. By default, there are following scanning intervals defined:

30s: 30 seconds

1m: 1 minute

5m: 5 minutes

10m: 10 minutes

15m: 15 minutes

30m: 30 minutes

1h: 1 hour

4h: 4 hours

6h: 6 hours

12h: 12 hours

1d: 1 day

Note: We recommend to not use intervals shorter than 10 seconds to prevent system overload. Intervals below 10 seconds are not officially supported!

Minimum Allowed Uptime Threshold

Define which uptime in percent will be regarded as 100 percent. This setting affects the colors shown next to the sensor icons in reports. Select one of the predefined values between 90 % and 99.999 %.

Email Templates

Choose which templates will be used for all emails sent.

• Use standard email templates (Recommended): Use this option if you are not sure what to use. These templates offer the best compatibility with all email clients.

• Use templates from previous version (for upgrade installations from V7 only): This option is provided for update installations from V7 only. Use it if you have updated from PRTG version 7 and really want to continue using the old email templates. This can be useful when using custom HTML templates in PRTG 7 format.

Depending on the option selected, the content of the other fields in this section changes.

Email Header (HTML)

Define the HTML text that will be used as the header for each HTML mail. To reset this field to its default value, enter a single star symbol * (and nothing else). Click on the Reset to default link underneath the text box to do so.

Email Footer (HTML)

Define the HTML text that will be used as a suffix to every HTML mail. To reset this field to its default value, enter a single star symbol * (and nothing else). Click on the Reset to default link underneath the text box to do so.

For Text Mails

Select if a footer will be added to plain text mails. Choose between:

• Append text footer (default): Add a text footer to all text mails. Define the text below.

• Do not append the footer Append text footer: Do not add a footer to text mails.

Email Footer (Text)

Define a text that will be used as a suffix to every plain text mail (if enabled above). You can use several placeholders in email templates. See the More section below for more information. To reset this field to its default value, enter a single star symbol * (and nothing else). Click on the Reset to default link underneath the text box to do so.

Data purging enables you to automatically delete unnecessary data to free up disk space and improve system performance. You can define different time spans for several kinds of data. For further information on storage locations, please see Data Storage section.

Logfile Records

Define how long records in the system logfile Log Database.db will be kept. Enter a value in days. All entries older than this value will be deleted from the log file automatically. Keep this value as low as possible to enhance system performance.

Web Server Log Records

PRTG creates one web server log file every day. Define how many web server log files will be kept. Enter a value in days. All web server log files files older than this value will be deleted automatically.

Historic Sensor Data

Define for how many days historic sensor data will be kept for all sensors. It is used to create reports of monitoring data. Enter a value in days. Depending on the used intervals and the number of sensors in your setup, the file containing this data can become large. For smaller installations (500 sensors or less) a value of 365 should be fine. Historic sensor data is the basis for reports on monitoring data. If you decrease this value, there will be less historic monitoring data available!

Toplist Records

Define how long toplist records will be kept. Enter a value in days.

Tickets

Define how long ToDo entries will be kept. Enter a value in days.

Reports

Reports generated in PDF format are stored on disk for later reference. Define the maximum age for these reports. Enter a value in days. All reports older than this value will be deleted automatically.

Configuration Auto-Backups

PRTG creates one backup of your configuration every day. Define the maximum age for these backups. Enter a value in days. All configuration backup files older than this value will be deleted automatically.

Full HTTP Sensor (PhantomJS) Screenshots

Define how long the screenshots of the HTTP Full Web Page Sensor (PhantomJS browser engine) will be kept. Enter a value in days. PRTG will delete older screenshots with every sensor scan.

The unusual detection can set sensors to an Unusual status when there are values that are untypical for the time span they're measured in, compared to historic monitoring results. When disabled (both settings to Never), sensors will never be shown as unusual. Note: You can enable and disable unusual detection for any object (e.g. for a device, or an entire group) in the Object Settings.

Show Unusual When

Define when a sensor will be shown as unusual, comparing the weekday. Choose between:

• Never: Disable unusual detection for weekday average.
• 24h average is <80% or >120% of weekday average
• 24h average is <50% or >200% of weekday average
• 24h average is <20% or >500% of weekday average (recommended)
• 24h average is <10% or >1,000% of weekday average
• 24h average is <1% or >10,000% of weekday average

Show Unusual When

Define when a sensor will be shown as unusual, comparing the hour-of-day. Choose between:

• Never: Disable unusual detection for hour-of-day average.
• 24h average is <80% or >120% of hour-of-day average
• 24h average is <50% or >200% of hour-of-day average
• 24h average is <20% or >500% of hour-of-day average (recommended)
• 24h average is <10% or >1,000% of hour-of-day average
• 24h average is <1% or >10,000% of hour-of-day average

Logging

Define if unusual events will be written to the log file. Choose between:

• Do not log unusual events
• Write unusual events into the log

Similar sensors detection enables PRTG to analyze sensor data for similarities. The detection will run in the background with low priority. The recommended setting for similar sensors detection is to let PRTG automatically decide how many channels will be analyzed. However, you can also override this setting. Note: When similar sensors analysis is turned off or you have exceeded 1,000 sensors and have chosen the automatic analysis depth option, the similar sensors entry will not be shown in the main menu bar.

Analysis Depth

Define the number of channels PRTG will analyze to detect similarities between sensors or turn the analysis off. Choose between:

• Manage automatically based on sensor count (recommended): The analysis depth depends on the total number of sensors you have configured. PRTG will analyze all channels for up to 500 sensors, and only the primary sensor channels for up to 1,000 sensors. If exceeding 1,000 sensors, the analysis will be turned off.
• Analyze primary channels only: Only the primary channels of sensors are analyzed. Be aware of potentially high CPU load of PRTG when choosing this setting for more than 1,000 sensors.
• Analyze all channels (higher CPU load): Similarity detection is applied to all channels. Be aware of potentially high CPU load of PRTG when choosing this setting for more than 500 sensors.
• Turn analysis off: No similarity detection will take place. Choose this option if you are not interested in the analysis results or you want to keep PRTG's CPU load at a minimum.

Specific Hour

Auto-discoveries can produce a certain load, so you can define at which hour of the day auto-discoveries should be run when configured on a daily or weekly Discovery Schedule. Choose a full hour between 0:00 and 23:00.

When a New Version is Available

Define how PRTG will react to available software updates. This option will be used with the Auto Update function. Choose between:

• Automatically download and install the latest version: Any new PRTG version will be downloaded and installed automatically as soon as your installation detects that there is a newer version available (a check is performed once per day). Note: Without prior notice, installation will restart the PRTG Windows services and may also include a server restart.
• Automatically download the latest version and alert the admin: Any new PRTG version will be downloaded automatically as soon as your installation detects that there is a newer version available (a check is performed once per day). After successful download, PRTG will create a ToDo message for the administrator.

• Alert the admin only: When PRTG detects that there is a newer version available, it will not download updates automatically, but create a ToDo message only. You can still download updates manually on the Auto Update page.

Release Channel

PRTG updates are delivered in different release channels. You can choose between maximum stability, or most early access to new features. Please choose between:

• Stable: Updated about once per month (most conservative option, recommended): These are our best tested versions. Choose this channel for live environments you have to depend on!
• Preview: Updated about once per week: Versions in this channel are already thoroughly tested in our labs, but may still contain limitations in certain monitoring configurations. Choose this channel if you are willing to take a little risk for the benefit of getting new features and bug fixes a little earlier.
• Canary: Updated daily (testing only, should not be used on live systems): Updated every night. Use with CAUTION! Software versions in this channel are not tested yet, might contain severe bugs, and are provided for testing purposes only. We strongly recommend to not use those versions in live environments you have to depend on!

For more information about the different release channels, please see the blog article linked in the More section below.

Use Proxy Server

We recommend using PRTG with a direct internet connection. However, if you need to use a proxy, you can configure according settings here. Choose between:

• No, use direct connection to the Internet: Do not use a proxy. Use this setting if there is a direct internet connection available to the server running the PRTG core server.

• Yes, in our network a proxy is mandatory: Define proxy settings below.

Note: Proxy settings are valid for Auto-Update, Activate the Product, obtaining Geo Maps tiles, and for sending out HTTP and SMS text message Notifications.

Proxy Server

This setting is only visible if proxy usage is enabled above. Enter the address of the proxy server that will be used for outbound connections. Please enter a valid address.

Port

This setting is only visible if proxy usage is enabled above. Enter the port of the proxy server that will be used for outbound connections. Please enter an integer value.

Use Proxy Credentials

This setting is only visible if proxy usage is enabled above. Determine whether the proxy server needs credentials. Choose between:

• Yes: Define credentials below.
• No: Do not use credentials for proxy connections.

Username

This setting is only visible if proxy credentials are enabled above. Enter a username for proxy authentication. Please enter a string.

Password

This setting is only visible if proxy credentials are enabled above. Enter a password for proxy authentication. Please enter a string.

Graph Type

Select how graphs are displayed throughout the web interface and in reports.

• Use area charts (recommended): Display filled graphs.
• Use line charts: Display graphs using single lines only.

We recommend using area charts, as they're better to read. Note: Graphs containing data from more than one cluster node will always be displayed with line charts automatically.

Performance Strategy

Select if you want to enable performance improvements for the web interface.

• All Features: Show all features and live data (recommended): Provide full functionality and show all menu items.
• More Speed: Limit features and delay display (experimental): Improve reaction time and speed of the web interface by delaying display of monitoring data and hiding some features.

For more information on how to speed up the web interface, please see More section below.

Contact Support Links

In a PRTG installation running on a commercial license key, a link to the Contact Support form is displayed in the lower right corner, enabling you to send us comments and/or support requests about our software at any time. You can switch this feature off and on. Choose between:

• Show 'Contact Support' links for all users (except read only users): Show support links for all users with write access. The links will never be shown for users set to read only.
• Hide 'Contact Support' links for all users: Do not show support links. This setting is valid for all user accounts.

Social Network Links

You can follow PRTG on your favorite social network if you want to. If you do not want to see the social network buttons in PRTG, you can hide these. Choose between:

• Show 'follow' links for social network to all users: Links to social networks will be displayed in PRTG (default).
• Hide 'follow' links for all users: Links to social networks will not be displayed in PRTG.