PRTG Manual: Docker Container Status Sensor
The Docker Container Status sensor monitors the status of a Docker container. It can show the following:
- Overall status of the container (create, running, paused, restarting, exited)
- Uptime
- Exit code
- CPU usage
- Available memory in bytes and percent
Dutch: Docker Container Status, French: État de conteneur Docker, German: Docker-Container-Zustand, Japanese: Dockerコンテナの状態, Portuguese: Status do Container Docker, Russian: Статус контейнера Docker, Simplified Chinese: Docker 容器状态, Spanish: Estado de contenedor de Docker
- The parent device for this sensor must be the Docker machine on which the container runs that you want to monitor.
- You need to provide certificates and private keys to monitor Docker with this sensor. For details, see the Knowledge Base: How can I create private key and certificate for the Docker sensor?
- This sensor type uses lookups to determine the status values of one or more sensor channels. This means that possible states are defined in a lookup file. You can change the behavior of a channel by editing the lookup file that this channel uses. For details, see section Define Lookups.
Currently, this sensor type is in beta status. The methods of operating can change at any time, as well as the available settings. Do not expect that all functions will work properly, or that this sensor works as expected at all. Be aware that this type of sensor can be removed again from PRTG at any time.
The Add Sensor dialog appears when you manually add a new sensor to a device. It only shows the setting fields that are required for creating the sensor. Therefore, you will not see all setting fields in this dialog. You can change (nearly) all settings in the sensor's Settings tab later.
PRTG requires an authentication with certificate and private key before you can actually add this sensor. Provide Port (usually 2375), Private Key, and Certificate in the appearing dialog window and click OK. PRTG can now scan Docker for existing containers.
Select which Docker containers you want to monitor. PRTG creates one sensor for each container you choose in the Add Sensor dialog. The settings you choose will be valid for all sensors that you create when you finish this dialog.
The following settings for this sensor differ in the Add Sensor dialog in comparison to the sensor's Settings tab.
Docker Specific |
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Container |
Select the containers you want to add a sensor for. You see a list with the names of all items that are available to monitor. Add check marks in front of the respective lines to select the desired items. PRTG creates one sensor for each selection. You can also use the check box in the table head to select and deselect all items. To better find what you want to monitor, especially in large tables, use the search function in the upper-right corner. |
On the details page of a sensor, click the Settings tab to change its settings.
Usually, a sensor connects to the IP Address or DNS Name of the parent device where you created this sensor. See the Device Settings for details. For some sensor types, you can define the monitoring target explicitly in the sensor settings. See below for details on available settings.
Basic Sensor Settings |
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Sensor Name |
Enter a meaningful name to identify the sensor. By default, PRTG shows this name in the device tree, as well as in alarms, logs, notifications, reports, maps, libraries, and tickets. |
Parent Tags |
Shows Tags that this sensor inherits from its parent device, group, and probe. This setting is shown for your information only and cannot be changed here. |
Tags |
Enter one or more Tags, separated by spaces or commas. You can use tags to group sensors and use tag–filtered views later on. Tags are not case sensitive. We recommend that you use the default value. You can add additional tags to the sensor if you like. Other tags are automatically inherited from objects further up in the device tree. These are visible above as Parent Tags.
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Priority |
Select a priority for the sensor. This setting determines where the sensor is placed in sensor lists. Top priority is at the top of a list. Choose from one star (low priority) to five stars (top priority). |
Docker Credentials |
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Port |
Enter the number of the port to which this sensor connects. The default port on which Docker over TLS runs is 2376. |
Private Key |
Provide the private key for the connection to Docker. If you have already created a key, you can use it here. Otherwise, please create a certificate on Docker first. Open the key with a text editor, copy everything that the file includes, and paste it here. Usually, the key starts with -----BEGIN RSA PRIVATE KEY----- and ends with -----END RSA PRIVATE KEY-----
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Certificate |
Provide the certificate for the connection to Docker. If you have already created a certificate, you can use it here. Otherwise, please create a certificate on Docker first. Open the certificate with a text editor, copy everything that the file includes, and paste it here. Usually, the certificate starts with -----BEGIN CERTIFICATE----- and ends with -----END CERTIFICATE-----
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Docker Specific |
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Container ID |
Shows the ID of the container that this sensor monitors. Once a sensor is created, you cannot change this value. It is shown for reference purposes only. If you need to change this, please add the sensor anew. |
Container Name |
Shows the name of the container that this sensor monitors. Once a sensor is created, you cannot change this value. It is shown for reference purposes only. If you need to change this, please add the sensor anew. |
Image |
Shows the name of the image that was used to create the monitored Docker container. Once a sensor is created, you cannot change this value. It is shown for reference purposes only. If you need to change this, please add the sensor anew. |
Container Identification |
Define how the sensor will identify the Docker container that it monitors. Choose between:
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Sensor Result |
Define what PRTG will do with the sensor results. Choose between:
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Sensor Display |
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Primary Channel |
Select a channel from the list to define it as the primary channel. In the device tree, the last value of the primary channel will always be displayed below the sensor's name. The available options depend on what channels are available for this sensor.
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Graph Type |
Define how different channels will be shown for this sensor.
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Stack Unit |
This setting is only available if stacked graphs are selected above. Choose a unit from the list. All channels with this unit will be stacked on top of each other. By default, you cannot exclude single channels from stacking if they use the selected unit. However, there is an advanced procedure to do so. |
By default, all following settings are inherited from objects higher in the hierarchy and should be changed there, if necessary. Often, best practice is to change them centrally in the Root group's settings, see section Inheritance of Settings for more information. To change a setting only for this object, disable inheritance by clicking the button next to inherit from under the corresponding setting name. You will then see the options described below.
Scanning Interval |
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Click |
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Scanning Interval |
Select a scanning interval (seconds, minutes, or hours) from the list. The scanning interval determines the time the sensor waits between two scans. You can change the available intervals in the system administration on PRTG on premises installations. |
If a Sensor Query Fails |
Define the number of scanning intervals that a sensor has time to reach and check a device again in case a sensor query fails. The sensor can try to re-reach and check a device several times, depending on the option you select here, before it will be set to a Down status. This helps you avoid false alarms if the monitored device has only temporary issues. For previous scanning intervals with failed requests, the sensor will show a Warning status. Choose between:
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Schedules, Dependencies, and Maintenance Window |
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Schedule |
Select a schedule from the list. Schedules can be used to monitor for a certain time span (days, hours) every week. With the period list option it is also possible to pause monitoring for a specific time span. You can create new schedules and edit existing ones in the account settings.
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Maintenance Window |
Specify if you want to set up a one-time maintenance window. During a "maintenance window" period, this object and all child objects will not be monitored. They will be in a Paused status instead. Choose between:
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Maintenance Begins |
This field is only visible if you enabled the maintenance window above. Use the date time picker to enter the start date and time of the maintenance window. |
Maintenance Ends |
This field is only visible if you enabled the maintenance window above. Use the date time picker to enter the end date and time of the maintenance window. |
Dependency Type |
Define a dependency type. Dependencies can be used to pause monitoring for an object depending on the status of another. You can choose between:
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Dependency |
This field is only visible if the Select object option is enabled above. Click on the reading-glasses and use the object selector to choose an object on which the current sensor will depend. |
Dependency Delay (Sec.) |
Define a time span in seconds for a dependency delay. After the master object for this dependency goes back to Up status, PRTG will start monitoring the depending objects after this extra delayed. This can help to avoid false alarms, for example, after a server restart, by giving systems more time for all services to start up. Please enter an integer value.
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Access Rights |
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Click |
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User Group Access |
Define which user group(s) will have access to the object you're editing. A table with user groups and types of access rights is shown. It contains all user groups from your setup. For each user group, you can choose from the following access rights:
You can create new user groups in the System Administration—User Groups settings. To automatically set all objects further down in the hierarchy to inherit this object's access rights, set a check mark for the Revert children's access rights to inherited option.
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Channel Unit Configuration |
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Click |
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Channel Unit Types |
For each type of sensor channel, define the unit in which data is displayed. If defined on probe, group, or device level, these settings can be inherited to all sensors underneath. You can set units for the following channel types (if available):
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Knowledge Base: How can I create private key and certificate for the Docker sensor?
To change display settings, spike filter, and limits, switch to the sensor's Overview tab and click the gear icon of a specific channel. For detailed information, see the Sensor Channel Settings section.
Click the Notification Triggers tab to change notification triggers. For detailed information, see the Sensor Notification Triggers Settings section.
For more general information about settings, see the Object Settings section.
For information about sensor settings, see the following sections: