PRTG Manual: Group Settings
The following settings are available on the Settings tab of a group.
This documentation does not refer to the settings of the root group. For more information, see section Root Group Settings.
We recommend that you define as many settings as possible in the root group settings so that you can inherit them to all other objects in the object hierarchy.
This documentation refers to an administrator that accesses the PRTG web interface on a master node. Other user accounts, interfaces, or failover nodes might not have all of the options in the way described here. In a cluster, note that failover nodes are read-only by default.
In this section:
- Location
- Credentials for Windows Systems
- Credentials for Linux/Solaris/macOS (SSH/WBEM) Systems
- Credentials for VMware/XenServer
- Credentials for SNMP Devices
- Credentials for Database Management Systems
- Credentials for AWS
- Credentials for Dell EMC
- Credentials for Microsoft 365
- Credentials for Microsoft Azure
- Credentials for MQTT
- Credentials for OPC UA
- Credentials for Soffico Orchestra
- Credentials for Veeam
- Windows Compatibility Options
- SNMP Compatibility Options
- Proxy Settings for HTTP Sensors
- Scanning Interval
- Schedules, Dependencies, and Maintenance Window
- Access Rights
- Channel Unit Configuration
- Advanced Network Analysis
- Number of Sensors Limitation
Setting |
Description |
---|---|
Group Name |
Enter a meaningful name to identify the group. By default, PRTG shows this name in the device tree, as well as in alarms, logs, notifications, reports, maps, libraries, and tickets.
|
Status |
Select the monitoring status of the group:
|
Parent Tags |
Shows the tags that this group inherits from its parent probe. This setting is shown for your information only and cannot be changed here. |
Tags |
Enter one or more tags. Confirm each tag with the Spacebar key, a comma, or the Enter key. You can use tags to group objects and use tag-filtered views later on. Tags are not case-sensitive. Tags are automatically inherited.
|
Priority |
Select a priority for the group. This setting determines the position of the group in lists. The highest priority is at the top of a list. You can choose from the lowest priority ( |
Device Identification and Auto-Discovery
Setting |
Description |
---|---|
Auto-Discovery Level |
Select the level of detail for the auto-discovery:
|
Device Templates |
This setting is only visible if you enable Auto-discovery with specific device templates above. Select one or more templates by adding a check mark in front of the template name. You can also select all items or cancel the selection by using the check box in the table header. PRTG uses the templates that you select for the auto-discovery on the device. Choose from:
Once the auto-discovery is finished, PRTG creates a new ticket and lists the device templates that it used to create new sensors. |
Schedule |
Select when PRTG runs the auto-discovery:
|
IP Selection Method |
Select how you want to define the IP range for the auto-discovery:
|
IPv4 Base |
This setting is only visible if you enable Class C base IP with start/end (IPv4) above. Enter a class C network as the IP base for the auto-discovery. Enter the first three octets of an IPv4 address, for example, 192.168.0. |
IPv4 Range Start |
This setting is only visible if you enable Class C base IP with start/end (IPv4) above. Enter the IP octet of the class C network (specified above) from which PRTG starts the auto-discovery. This completes the IP base to an IPv4 address. For example, enter 1 to discover from 192.168.0.1 onwards. |
IPv4 Range End |
This setting is only visible if you enable Class C base IP with start/end (IPv4) above. Enter the IP octet of the class C network (specified above) at which PRTG stops the auto-discovery. This completes the IP base to an IPv4 address. For example, enter 254 to discover up to 192.168.0.254. |
IPv4/DNS Name List |
This setting is only visible if you select on of the List of individual IPs and DNS names options above. Enter a list of IP addresses or DNS names that the auto-discovery scans. Enter each address on a separate line. |
IPv4 and Subnet (IPv4) |
This setting is only visible if you enable IP and subnet (IPv4) above. Enter an expression in the format address/subnet, for example, 192.168.3.0/255.255.255.0. You can also use the short form like 192.168.3.0/24. PRTG scans the complete host range (without network and broadcast address) that is defined by the IP address and the subnet mask. |
IP with Octet Range |
This setting is only visible if you enable IP with octet range (IPv4) above. Enter an expression in the format a1.a2.a3.a4, where a1, a2, a3, and a4 are each a number between 0-255, or a range with two numbers and a hyphen like 1-127. PRTG calculates all permutations of all ranges. For example, 10.0.1-10.1-100 results in 1,000 addresses that PRTG scans during the auto-discovery. |
Organizational Unit |
This setting is only visible if you enable Use computers from the Active Directory (maximum 1000 computers) above. Enter an organizational unit (OU) to restrict the Active Directory search to computers that are part of this OU. For top-level OUs, use the distinguished name (DN) format without OU= and without the domain components (DCS). If you leave this field empty, there are not any restrictions. Example:
If you have sub-OUs, use the DN format without the leading OU= and without the DCs. Examples:
|
Name Resolution |
Select how to monitor newly discovered devices. This only affects new devices. This does not change the setting for other devices. Depending on your selection, the IP Address/DNS Name field of an added device shows the DNS name or IP address that PRTG uses to access the target device. Choose between:
|
Device Rescan |
Select how to handle known devices:
|
By default, all of the following settings are inherited from objects that are higher in the hierarchy. You should change them centrally in the root group settings if necessary. To change a setting for this object only, click under the corresponding setting name to disable the inheritance. You then see the options described below.
For more information, see section Inheritance of Settings.
Click to interrupt the inheritance.
Setting |
Description |
---|---|
Location (for Geo Maps) |
If you want to use Geo Maps, enter a location in the first line. Geographical maps then display objects like devices or groups with a status icon using a color code similar to the sensor status icons (green–yellow–orange–red). You can enter a full postal address, city and country only, or latitude and longitude. It is possible to enter any text before, between, and after the coordinates, as PRTG automatically parses latitude and longitude, for example, enter 49.452778 11.077778, or enter 49.452778 any 11.077778 text. A minus sign (-) in the first line hides an object from a geographical map. In this case, you can enter location information in line two and following. You can define a specific label for each location. Enter a string denoting the label in the first line and provide the coordinates in the second line. This geographical marker then shows the object with the label in the geographical map.
|
Credentials for Windows Systems
Click to interrupt the inheritance.
Setting |
Description |
---|---|
Domain or Computer Name |
Enter the authority for Windows access. This is used for Windows Management Instrumentation (WMI) and other Windows sensors. If you want to use a Windows local user account on the target device, enter the computer name. If you want to use a Windows domain user account (recommended), enter the (Active Directory) domain name. If If you do not explicitly define it, PRTG automatically adds a prefix to use the NT LAN Manager (NTLM) protocol. Do not leave this field empty. |
User |
Enter the username for Windows access. Usually, you use credentials with administrator rights. |
Password |
Enter the password for Windows access. Usually, you use credentials with administrator rights. |
Credentials for Linux/Solaris/macOS (SSH/WBEM) Systems
Click to interrupt the inheritance.
Setting |
Description |
---|---|
User |
Enter a login name for the access via Secure Shell (SSH) and Web-based Enterprise Management (WBEM). Usually, you use credentials with administrator rights. |
Login |
Select the authentication method to use for the login:
|
Password |
This setting is only visible if you enable Login via Password above. Enter a password for the Linux access via SSH and WBEM. Usually, you use credentials with administrator rights. |
Private Key |
This setting is only visible if you enable Login via Private Key above. Paste a private key into the field (OpenSSH format, unencrypted). Usually, you use credentials with administrator rights.
|
For WBEM Use Protocol |
Select the protocol to use for WBEM:
|
For WBEM Use Port |
Select how to set the port to use for WBEM:
|
WBEM Port |
This setting is only visible if you enable Set manually above. Enter the WBEM port number. |
SSH Port |
Enter the port number to use for SSH connections. The default port is 22.
|
SSH Rights Elevation |
Select the rights that you want to use to execute the command on the target system:
|
Target User |
This setting is only visible if you select a sudo or su option above. Enter a username to run the specified command as a user other than root. If you leave this field empty, you run the command as root. Make sure that you set the Linux password even if you use a public key or a private key for authentication. This is not necessary if the user is allowed to execute the command without a password. |
Password |
This setting is only visible if you choose to run the commands using su or sudo with password above. Enter the password for the specified target user. |
SSH Engine |
Select the method that you want to use to access data with SSH sensors:
|
Credentials for VMware/XenServer
Click to interrupt the inheritance.
Setting |
Description |
---|---|
User |
Enter a login name for access to VMware and Xen servers. Usually, you use credentials with administrator rights. |
Password |
Enter a password for access to VMware and Xen servers. Usually, you use credentials with administrator rights.
|
VMware Protocol |
Select the protocol to use for the connection to VMware and XenServer:
|
Session Pool |
Select if you want to use session pooling for VMware sensors:
|
Click to interrupt the inheritance.
Setting |
Description |
---|---|
SNMP Version |
Select the Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP) version for the device connection:
|
Community String |
This setting is only visible if you select v1 or v2c above. Enter the community string of your devices. This is like a clear-text password for simple authentication. We recommend that you use the default value. |
Authentication Type |
This setting is only visible if you select v3 above. Select the authentication type:
|
User |
This setting is only visible if you select v3 above. Enter a username for secure authentication.
|
Password |
This setting is only visible if you select v3 above. Enter a password for secure authentication.
|
Encryption Type |
This setting is only visible if you select v3 above. Select an encryption type:
|
Data Encryption Key |
This setting is only visible if you select v3 above. Enter an encryption key. If you provide a key, PRTG encrypts SNMP data packets with the encryption algorithm that you selected above, which provides increased security. Enter a string or leave the field empty.
|
Context Name |
This setting is only visible if you select v3 above. Enter a context name only if the configuration of the device requires it. Context is a collection of management information that is accessible by an SNMP device. Enter a string. |
SNMP Port |
Enter the port for the SNMP communication. The default is 161. We recommend that you use the default value. |
Timeout (Sec.) |
Enter a timeout in seconds for the request. Enter an integer value. If the reply takes longer than this value, the sensor cancels the request and triggers an error message. The maximum timeout value is 300 seconds (5 minutes). |
Credentials for Database Management Systems
Click to interrupt the inheritance.
The settings you define in this section apply to the following sensors:
Setting |
Description |
---|---|
Port for Databases |
Select the port PRTG uses for connections to the monitored databases:
|
Custom Database Port |
Enter the number of the custom port that PRTG uses for database connections. Enter an integer value.
|
Authentication Mode |
Select the authentication mode for the connection to the Structured Query Language (SQL) database:
|
User |
This setting is only visible if you enable SQL server authentication above. Enter the username for the database connection. |
Password |
This setting is only visible if you enable SQL server authentication above. Enter the password for the database connection. |
Timeout (Sec.) |
Enter a timeout in seconds for the request. Enter an integer value. If the reply takes longer than this value, the sensor cancels the request and triggers an error message. The maximum timeout value is 300 seconds (5 minutes). |
Click to interrupt the inheritance.
For more information about the permissions that are necessary to query the AWS API, see the Knowledge Base: How do I set permissions for the Amazon Web Services (AWS) API key to use certain sensors in PRTG?
Setting |
Description |
---|---|
Access Key |
Enter your Amazon Web Services (AWS) access key. |
Secret Key |
Enter your AWS secret key. |
Click to interrupt the inheritance.
Setting |
Description |
---|---|
User |
Enter a username for authentication against the Dell EMC system. |
Password |
Enter a password for authentication against the Dell EMC system. |
Port |
Enter the port for the connection to the Dell EMC system. The default port for secure connections is 443. |
Click to interrupt the inheritance.
The Microsoft 365 Service Status sensor and the Microsoft 365 Service Status Advanced sensor use the following credentials to authenticate with Azure Active Directory (Azure AD).
For more information about the credentials and the permissions that are necessary to use the Microsoft 365 sensors, see the Knowledge Base: How do I obtain credentials and set permissions for the Microsoft 365 sensors?
Setting |
Description |
---|---|
Tenant ID |
Enter your Azure AD tenant ID.
|
Client ID |
Enter your Azure AD client ID. |
Client Secret |
Enter your Azure AD client secret. |
Credentials for Microsoft Azure
Click to interrupt the inheritance.
The Microsoft Azure Subscription Cost sensor and the Microsoft Azure Virtual Machine sensor use the following credentials to authenticate with Azure AD.
For more information about the credentials and permissions that are necessary use the Microsoft Azure sensors, see the Knowledge Base: How do I obtain credentials and create custom roles for the Microsoft Azure sensors?
Setting |
Description |
---|---|
Tenant ID |
Enter your Azure AD tenant ID.
|
Client ID |
Enter your Azure AD client ID. |
Client Secret |
Enter your Azure AD client secret. |
Subscription ID |
Enter your Azure AD subscription ID. |
Click to interrupt the inheritance.
Setting |
Description |
---|---|
User Credentials |
Select if you want to connect without credentials, or define credentials for the connection.
|
User |
This setting is only visible if you enable Username/Password above. Enter the username for access to the Message Queue Telemetry Transport (MQTT) broker. |
Password |
This setting is only visible if you enable Username/Password above. Enter the password for access to the MQTT broker. |
Port |
Enter the port number for MQTT connections. The default port for unsecure connections is 1883 and the default port for secure connections is 8883. |
Connection Security |
Select if you want to use a Secure Sockets Layer (SSL)/Transport Layer Security (TLS) secured connection:
|
Server Authentication |
This setting is only visible if you enable Use transport-level-security above. Select if you want to use a certificate for server authentication.
|
CA Certificate |
Copy the certificate authority (CA) certificate for verifying the MQTT server and paste it here.
|
Client Authentication |
This setting is only visible if you enable Use transport-level-security above. Select if you want to use a certificate for client authentication.
|
Client Certificate |
Copy the certificate that you created for authenticating the sensor against the server and paste it here.
|
Client Key |
Enter the client key for authentication against the server.
|
Client Key Password |
Enter the password for the client key certificate. |
Click to interrupt the inheritance.
Setting |
Description |
---|---|
Port |
Enter the port for the connection to the OPC Unified Architecture (OPC UA) server. The default port for secure connections is 4840. |
Server Path |
Enter the path of the OPC UA server endpoint if you run more than one server under the same IP address or DNS name. |
Security Mode |
Select if you want to use encryption:
|
Security Policy |
This setting is only visible if you select Sign or Sign & Encrypt above. Select if you want to use a security policy and define which one you want to use:
|
Client Certificate |
Copy the certificate that you created for authenticating the sensor against the OPC UA server and enter it here.
|
Client Key |
Enter the client key for authentication against the server.
|
Client Key Password |
Enter the password for the client key certificate. |
Select if you want to connect without credentials or define credentials for the connection:
|
|
User |
This setting is only visible if you enable Username/Password above. Enter the username for authentication against to the OPC UA server. |
Password |
This setting is only visible if you enable Username/Password above. Enter the password for authentication against to the OPC UA server. |
Credentials for Soffico Orchestra
Click to interrupt the inheritance.
Setting |
Description |
---|---|
Authentication Method |
Select whether to use an authentication method for the connection to Orchestra:
|
User |
This setting is only visible if you enabled the option Username/Password. Enter a username for authentication against the Orchestra platform. |
Password |
This setting is only visible if you enabled the option Username/Password. Enter a password for authentication against the Orchestra platform. |
Timeout (Sec.) |
Enter a timeout in seconds for the request. Enter an integer value. If the reply takes longer than this value, the sensor cancels the request and triggers an error message. The maximum timeout value is 300 seconds (5 minutes). |
Port |
Enter a port number for the connection to Orchestra. The default port for an HTTPS connection is 8443 and the default port for an HTTP connection is 8019. |
Protocol |
Select the protocol that you want to use for the connection to Orchestra:
|
Click to interrupt the inheritance.
Setting |
Description |
---|---|
User |
Enter the username of your Veeam Backup Enterprise Manager account. |
Password |
Enter the password of your Veeam Backup Enterprise Manager account. |
Port |
Enter a port number for the connection to the Veeam Backup Enterprise Manager. The default port for secure connections is 9398. |
Click to interrupt the inheritance.
If you experience problems when you monitor via Windows sensors, use the following compatibility options for troubleshooting.
Setting |
Description |
---|---|
Preferred Data Source |
Define the method that Windows sensors use to query data:
|
Timeout Method |
Select the time that the sensor waits for the return of the WMI query before the sensor cancels the query and shows an error message:
|
Timeout Value (Sec.) |
This setting is only visible if you enable Set manually above. Enter the time the sensor waits for the return of its WMI query before it cancels it and shows an error message. Enter an integer value. The maximum value is 900 seconds (15 minutes). |
Click to interrupt the inheritance.
If you experience problems when you monitor via Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP) sensors, use the following compatibility options for troubleshooting.
Setting |
Description |
---|---|
SNMP Delay (ms) |
Enter the time in milliseconds that PRTG waits between two SNMP requests. This can increase device compatibility. Enter an integer value. We recommend that you use the default value. You can define a delay between 0 and 100. PRTG does not support higher delays. |
Failed Requests |
Select if an SNMP sensor tries again after a request fails:
|
Overflow Values |
Select how PRTG handles overflow values. Some devices do not correctly handle internal buffer overflows. This can cause false peaks.
|
Zero Values |
Select how PRTG handles zero values. Some devices send incorrect zero values. This can cause false peaks.
|
32-bit/64-bit Counters |
Select the type of traffic counters that PRTG searches for on a device:
|
Request Mode |
Select the request method that PRTG uses for SNMP sensors:
|
Walk Mode |
Select the kind of SNMP walk that PRTG uses for SNMP sensors:
|
Port Name Template |
Select how PRTG displays the name of SNMP sensors. Enter a template that uses several variables. When you add new sensors, PRTG scans the interface for available counters at certain OIDs. At each OID, several fields with interface descriptions are usually available. They are different for every device and OID. PRTG uses the information in these fields to name the sensors. If a field is empty or if it is not available, PRTG adds an empty string to the name. By default, the port name template is ([port]) [ifalias] [ifsensor], which creates a name like (001) Ethernet1 Traffic. You can use and combine any field names that are available at an OID of your device, for example:
|
Port Name Update |
Select how PRTG reacts if you change the names of ports in your physical device (for example, a switch or router):
|
Port Identification |
Select the field that PRTG uses for SNMP interface identification:
|
Start Interface Index |
Enter the index at which PRTG starts to query the interface range during sensor creation. Enter 0 for the automatic mode. We recommend that you use the default value. |
End Interface Index |
Enter the index at which PRTG stops querying the interface range during sensor creation. Enter 0 for the automatic mode. We recommend that you use the default value. |
Proxy Settings for HTTP Sensors
Click to interrupt the inheritance.
The proxy settings determine how a sensor connects to a URL. You can enter data for an HTTP proxy server that sensors use when they connect via HTTP or HTTPS.
This setting only applies to HTTP sensors and how they monitor. To change the proxy settings for the PRTG core server, see section Core & Probes.
The SSL Certificate sensor and the SSL Security Check sensor do not support HTTP proxies but you can configure connections via SOCKS proxies in the sensors' settings.
Setting |
Description |
---|---|
Name |
Enter the IP address or Domain Name System (DNS) name of the proxy server. If you leave this field empty, HTTP sensors do not use a proxy. |
Port |
Enter the port number of the proxy. The default is 8080. Enter an integer value. |
User |
If the proxy requires authentication, enter the username for the proxy login.
|
Password |
If the proxy requires authentication, enter the password for the proxy login.
|
Click to interrupt the inheritance.
Setting |
Description |
---|---|
Scanning Interval |
Select a scanning interval from the dropdown list. The scanning interval determines the amount of time that the sensor waits between two scans. Choose from:
|
If a Sensor Query Fails |
Select the number of scanning intervals that the sensor has time to reach and to check a device again if a sensor query fails. Depending on the option that you select, the sensor can try to reach and to check a device again several times before the sensor shows the Down status. This can avoid false alarms if the monitored device only has temporary issues. For previous scanning intervals with failed requests, the sensor shows the Warning status. Choose from:
|
Schedules, Dependencies, and Maintenance Window
You cannot interrupt the inheritance for schedules, dependencies, and maintenance windows. The corresponding settings from the parent objects are always active. However, you can define additional schedules, dependencies, and maintenance windows. They are active at the same time as the parent objects' settings.
Setting |
Description |
---|---|
Schedule |
Select a schedule from the list. You can use schedules to monitor during a certain time span (days or hours) every week. Choose from:
|
Maintenance Window |
Select if you want to set up a one-time maintenance window. During a maintenance window, monitoring stops for the selected object and all child objects. They show the Paused status instead. Choose between:
|
Maintenance Begins |
This setting is only visible if you enable Set up a one-time maintenance window above. Use the date time picker to enter the start date and time of the one-time maintenance window. |
Maintenance Ends |
This setting is only visible if you enable Set up a one-time maintenance window above. Use the date time picker to enter the end date and time of the one-time maintenance window. |
Dependency Type |
Select a dependency type. You can use dependencies to pause monitoring for an object depending on the status of a different object. You can choose from:
|
Dependency |
This setting is only visible if you enable Select a sensor above. Click |
Dependency Delay (Sec.) |
This setting is only visible if you enable Select a sensor above. Define a time span in seconds for the dependency delay. After the master sensor for this dependency returns to the Up status, PRTG additionally delays the monitoring of the dependent objects by the time span you define. This can prevent false alarms, for example, after a server restart or to give systems more time for all services to start. Enter an integer value. |
Click to interrupt the inheritance.
Setting |
Description |
---|---|
User Group Access |
Select the user groups that have access to the object. You see a table with user groups and group access rights. The table contains all user groups in your setup. For each user group, you can choose from the following group access rights:
To automatically set all child objects to inherit this object's access rights, enable the Revert children's access rights to inherited option.
|
Click to interrupt the inheritance.
Setting |
Description |
---|---|
Channel Unit Types |
For each type of channel, select the unit in which PRTG displays the data. If you define this setting 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):
|
Click to interrupt the inheritance.
Setting |
Description |
---|---|
Unusual Detection |
Select if you want to use the unusual detection for sensors:
|
Similar Sensors Detection |
Select if you want to activate the similar sensors analysis:
|
System Information |
Select if you want to retrieve and show system information for your devices:
|
Setting |
Description |
---|---|
Sensor Limit |
This setting allows you to set a limit for the maximum number of sensors in this group, including subgroups. If the amount of sensors exceeds the limitation, PRTG sets the surplus sensors to the Paused status. Choose between:
|
Maximum Number of Sensors |
This setting is only visible if you enable Limit number of sensors in this group above. Define how many sensors are allowed in this group and its subgroups. Sensors that exceed this group sensor limit are set to the Paused status. Enter an integer value.
|
Save your settings. If you change tabs or use the main menu without saving, all changes to the settings are lost.
KNOWLEDGE BASE
How does PRTG compute CPU Index, Traffic Index and Response Time Index?
How can I change the defaults for names automatically generated for new SNMP sensors?
Automatically update port name and number for SNMP Traffic sensors when the device changes them
What is the Overflow Values setting in the SNMP Compatibility Options?