This article applies to PRTG Network Monitor versions 7, 8, and 9

PRTG Network Monitor writes data to several locations:

• Into the program directory (core installation)
• Into the data folder (monitoring configuration, monitoring data, logs, etc.)
• Into the registry (license key, admin login, IP settings, etc.)

Please see this knowledge base article to learn where PRTG stores its data: How and where does PRTG store its data?

Quick backup of the configuration files

For a quick backup of the monitoring configuration only (i.e. groups, devices, sensors, users, maps, reports, etc.) please back up the file "PRTG Configuration.dat" in the data folder. It is also a good idea to back up the older configurations in the folder "Configuration Auto-Backups".

These files are not kept open while the core server is running and can be backed up at any time.

Backing up all data stored in the file system

Please see the knowledgebase article linked above for a documentation of the various other files and folders - and then choose the data that you want to back up.

In order to get a complete and 100% consistent backup of the databases (log database, monitoring database, toplist database and todo database) you should stop the PRTG Core Server while running the actual backup process. Please note that the probes will continue to monitor their sensors for a few minutes and will deliver monitoring results to the core as soon as it is back online. But alerting will not be available during this period.

Our tip: Most important are the folder "Monitoring Database" and the file "PRTG Configuration.dat", the other files and folders can usually be left out in your backup-process.