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How do I monitor system parameters like memory, CPU and disks on Linux systems via SNMP?

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I want to monitor system parameters like CPU load and memory on a Linux or UNIX system via SNMP. How does PRTG support this?

howto installation linux networking oidlib planning prtg snmp

Created on Feb 12, 2010 2:06:23 PM by  Daniel Zobel [Product Manager]

Last change on Feb 12, 2010 3:27:26 PM by  Daniel Zobel [Product Manager]



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This article applies to PRTG Network Monitor 13 or later, as well as to previous (deprecated) versions

1. Install the SNMP daemon on the Linux Server

Please see the articles Checklist: Setting up SNMP on Linux and How do I install the SNMP daemon on Linux machines? for instructions.

2. Creating sensors in PRTG Network Monitor

  • Create a device for the Linux machine you want to monitor (enter this computer's IP address or DNS name).
  • On this device, create Linux sensors which are natively available in PRTG. You can find a list of the out-of-the-box sensors in the PRTG Manual.
  • Alternatively, you can add an SNMP Library sensor. Please follow the instructions below:
  • From the appearing menu window (drop-down menu in older PRTG versions), select the Basic linux library (ucd-snmp-mib).oidlib SNMP library file.
  • Click on OK ("Continue to step 2" in older PRTG versions)
  • On the next page you will see a list of available sensors. Select the sensors you want to monitor by marking the according checkboxes. PRTG will create one sensor for each marked Library OID.

3. Available Sensors of the Basic Linux Library (UCD-SNMP-MIB)

Here is a list of sensors that the Basic Linux Library supports. You may see less entries on your servers. This depends on the OS, your system and the (security) settings inside the NET-SNMP daemon.

Entries marked as "Table: yes" will provide the measured value for several items (e.g. for each CPU, disk or network card).

Group: "Processes"

Update: We now strongly recommend the following approach instead:

  • Monitoring processes in Linux Using the approach below is still possible, but the deployed sensors aren't as reliable as the ones from the link above.
Sensor nameTable?Meaning
Processes IndexyesReference Index for each observed process.
Processes CountyesThe number of current processes running with the name in question.
Processes Error FlagyesA Error flag to indicate trouble with a process. It goes to 1 if there is an error, 0 if no error.

Group: "Memory"

Sensor nameTable?Meaning
Memory Total SwapnoTotal Swap Size configured for the host.
Available Swap SpacenoAvailable Swap Space on the host.
Memory Total RealnoTotal Real/Physical Memory Size on the host.
Available Real/Physical MemorynoAvailable Real/Physical Memory Space on the host.
Memory Total Swap used by textnoTotal virtual Memory used by text.
Active virtual Memory used by textnoActive virtual Memory used by text.
Memory Total Real used by textnoTotal Real/Physical Memory Size used by text.
Active Real/Physical Memory used by textnoActive Real/Physical Memory Space used by text.
Memory Total FreenoTotal Available Memory on the host.
Memory SharednoTotal Shared Memory
Memory BufferednoTotal Buffered Memory
Memory CachednoTotal Cached Memory
Memory Swap Error FlagnoError flag. 1 indicates very little swap space left

Group: "Disk"

Sensor nameTable?Meaning
Disk indexyesInteger reference number (row number) for the disk mib.
Disk minimumyesMinimum space required on the disk (in kBytes) before the errors are triggered. Either this or dskMinPercent is configured via the agent's snmpd.conf file.
Disk min percentyesPercentage of minimum space required on the disk before the errors are triggered. Either this or dskMinimum is configured via the agent's snmpd.conf file.
Disk totalyesTotal size of the disk/partion (kBytes)
Disk availyesAvailable space on the disk
Disk usedyesUsed space on the disk
Disk percentyesPercentage of space used on disk
Disk percent nodeyesPercentage of inodes used on disk
Disk error flagyesError flag signaling that the disk or partition is under the minimum required space configured for it.

Group: "System Stats"

Sensor nameTable?Meaning
System Memory Swapped InnoAmount of Memory swapped in from disk (kB/s).
System Memory Swapped OutnoAmount of Memory swapped to disk (kB/s).
System IO sent (deprecated)noBlocks sent to a block device (blocks/s). Deprecated, replaced by the ssIORawSent object
System IO received (deprecated)noBlocks received from a block device (blocks/s). Deprecated, replaced by the ssIORawReceived object
System Interrupts (deprecated)noThe number of interrupts per second, including the clock. Deprecated, replaced by ssRawInterrupts
System Context Switches (deprecated)noThe number of context switches per second. Deprecated, replaced by ssRawContext
System CPU user (deprecated)nopercentages of user CPU time. Deprecated, replaced by the ssCpuRawUser object
System CPU system (deprecated)nopercentages of system CPU time. Deprecated, replaced by of the ssCpuRawSystem object
System CPU idle (deprecated)nopercentages of idle CPU time. Deprecated, replaced by of the ssCpuRawIdle object
System CPU raw usernouser CPU time in ticks per second, as reported by the kernel. Total ticks is 100xNumber of Processors. For single processor machine numbers will appear to be percentages as the kernel will tally ticks at 100 per second.
System CPU raw nicenonice CPU time in ticks per second, as reported by the kernel. Total ticks is 100xNumber of Processors. For single processor machine numbers will appear to be percentages as the kernel will tally ticks at 100 per second.
System CPU raw systemnosystem CPU time in ticks per second, as reported by the kernel. Total ticks is 100xNumber of Processors. For single processor machine numbers will appear to be percentages as the kernel will tally ticks at 100 per second.
System CPU raw idlenoidle CPU time in ticks per second, as reported by the kernel. Total ticks is 100xNumber of Processors. For single processor machine numbers will appear to be percentages as the kernel will tally ticks at 100 per second.
System CPU raw waitnoiowait CPU time in ticks per second, as reported by the kernel. Total ticks is 100xNumber of Processors. For single processor machine numbers will appear to be percentages as the kernel will tally ticks at 100 per second. This is primarily a SysV thingie
System CPU raw kernelnokernel CPU time in ticks per second, as reported by the kernel. Total ticks is 100xNumber of Processors. For single processor machine numbers will appear to be percentages as the kernel will tally ticks at 100 per second.
System CPU raw interruptnointerruptlevel CPU time. in ticks per second, as reported by the kernel. Total ticks is 100xNumber of Processors. For single processor machine numbers will appear to be percentages as the kernel will tally ticks at 100 per second. This is primarily a BSD thingie
System IO raw sentnoNumber of blocks sent to a block device
System IO raw receivednoNumber of blocks received from a block device
System Raw InterruptsnoNumber of interrupts processed
System Raw Context SwitchesnoNumber of context switches
System CPU raw soft irqnoSoft IRQ CPU time. in ticks per second, as reported by the kernel. Total ticks is 100xNumber of Processors. For single processor machine numbers will appear to be percentages as the kernel will tally ticks at 100 per second. This is for Linux 2.6
System Raw Blocks Swapped InnoNumber of blocks swapped in
System Raw Blocks Swapped InnoNumber of blocks swapped out

Group "CPU Load"

Sensor nameTable?Meaning
CPU Load (1 minute average)noThe load average is the system load over a period of time. An idle computer has a load number of 0. Each proceSystem that is using CPU, waiting for CPU or is in uninterruptible sleep (usually waiting for disk activity) adds 1 to the load number.
CPU Load (5 minute average)noThe load average is the system load over a period of time. An idle computer has a load number of 0. Each proceSystem that is using CPU, waiting for CPU or is in uninterruptible sleep (usually waiting for disk activity) adds 1 to the load number.
CPU Load (15 minute average)noThe load average is the system load over a period of time. An idle computer has a load number of 0. Each proceSystem that is using CPU, waiting for CPU or is in uninterruptible sleep (usually waiting for disk activity) adds 1 to the load number.

See Also

Created on Feb 12, 2010 3:06:36 PM by  Daniel Zobel [Product Manager]

Last change on Nov 1, 2018 11:08:06 AM by  Luciano Lingnau [Paessler]




Disclaimer: The information in the Paessler Knowledge Base comes without warranty of any kind. Use at your own risk. Before applying any instructions please exercise proper system administrator housekeeping. You must make sure that a proper backup of all your data is available.