PRTG Manual: REST Custom v2 Sensor

Enabled Beta Sensors experimental feature

This sensor requires that the Beta Sensors experimental feature of PRTG is enabled.

For more information, see the Knowledge Base: What are beta sensors and how can I use them?

Channel #2 - #10

You can define up to 10 channels. You must define at least one data channel, so you see all available settings for Channel #1. Specify how to handle all other possible channels:

• Disable: Do not create this channel.
• Enable: Create this channel.

It is not possible to enable or disable channels after sensor creation.

Channel #x JSONPath/XPath

Enter the JSONPath or XPath that you want to monitor.

JSONPath example:

$.sensorxref[0].totalsens

If the JSONPath points to a boolean, the sensor translates TRUE as 1 and FALSE as 0.

XPath example:

/bookstore/book[1]/year

Channel #x Name

Enter a name for the channel.. Enter a string. For example, Total. PRTG dynamically generates channels with this name as the identifier.

If the name contains angle brackets (<>), PRTG replaces them with braces ({}) for security reasons. For more information, see the Knowledge Base: What security features does PRTG include?

Channel #x Custom Unit

Enter the unit for the value that this sensor monitors. For example, #.

Channel #x Type

Select the value type that the channel displays:

• Absolute (integer): Integer64 values with or without an operational sign, such as 10 or 120 or -12 or 120.
• Absolute (float): Double values, such as -5.80 or 8.23.
• Delta (counter): Counter values. PRTG calculates the difference between the last and the current value. Enter an integer value. PRTG additionally divides the delta value by a time period to indicate a speed value.
  This mode only works if the difference between the last and the current value is positive and increases with each scanning interval. This mode does not support negative values and decreasing values.

Sensor Name

Enter a name to identify the sensor.

Parent Tags

Shows tags that the sensor inherits from its parent device, parent group, and parent probe.

This setting is for your information only. You cannot change it.

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.

It is not possible to enter tags with a leading plus (+) or minus (-) sign, nor tags with parentheses (()) or angle brackets (<>).

For performance reasons, it can take some minutes until you can filter for new tags that you added.

The sensor has the following default tags that are automatically predefined in the sensor's settings when you add the sensor:

• rest

Priority

Select a priority for the sensor. This setting determines the position of the sensor in lists. The highest priority is at the top of a list. Choose from the lowest priority () to the highest priority ().

Request URL

Enter the URL of the JSON or XML REST API endpoint that you want to request.

JSON REST API endpoint URL example:

https://mycompany.com/api/table.json?id=1&passhash=<passhash>&username=<username>&content=sensorxref&
noraw=1&filter_basetype=probe&columns=totalsens=textraw,upsens=textraw,
downsens=textraw,partialdownsens=textraw,warnsens=textraw,pausedsens=textraw,
unusualsens=textraw,undefinedsens=textraw,downacksens=textraw

XML REST API endpoint URL example:

https://mycompany.com/api/table.xml?sortby=year

Request Method

Select the HTTP request method that the sensor uses to request the REST API:

• GET (default): Use the GET method to request the REST API.
• POST: Use the POST method to request the REST API.

POST Body

This setting is only visible if you select POST above. Enter the data part for the POST request.

Custom Headers

Enter a list of custom HTTP headers with their respective values that you want to transmit to the target URL. The syntax of a header-value pair is header1:value1.

If you enter more than one header-value pair, enter each pair in one line:
header1:value1
header2:value2
header3:value3

Make sure that the HTTP header statement is valid. Otherwise, the sensor request cannot be successful.

Timeout (Sec.)

Enter a timeout in seconds for the request. Enter an integer value. The maximum timeout value is 900 seconds (15 minutes).

If the reply takes longer than this value, the sensor cancels the request and shows a corresponding error message.

Content Type

Select the type of the content that the sensor queries. Choose between:

• JSON (default)
• XML

Custom Sensor Message

Enter the JSONPath or XPath from which you want to receive a string that the sensor shows as the permanent sensor message.

JSONPath example:

$..prtg-version

XPath example:

/bookstore/book[1]/title

Channel #x JSONPath/XPath

Enter the JSONPath or XPath that you want to monitor.

JSONPath example:

$.sensorxref[0].totalsens

If the JSONPath points to a boolean, the sensor translates TRUE as 1 and FALSE as 0.

XPath example:

/bookstore/book[1]/year

Channel #x Type

Shows the value type that the channel displays.

PRTG shows this value for reference purposes only. If you need to change this value, add the sensor anew.

Channel #2 - #10

Shows if the channel is enabled or disabled.

It is not possible to enable or disable channels after sensor creation.

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 is always displayed below the sensor's name. The available options depend on what channels are available for this sensor.

You can set a different primary channel later by clicking below a channel gauge on the sensor's Overview tab.

Graph Type

Define how different channels are shown for this sensor:

• Show channels independently (default): Show a graph for each channel.
• Stack channels on top of each other: Stack channels on top of each other to create a multi-channel graph. This generates a graph that visualizes the different components of your total traffic.
  You cannot use this option in combination with manual Vertical Axis Scaling (available in the channel settings).

Stack Unit

This setting is only visible if you enable Stack channels on top of each other as Graph Type. Select a unit from the list. All channels with this unit are 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.

Result Handling

Define what PRTG does with the sensor result:

• Discard result: Do not store the sensor result.

• Store result: Store the last sensor result in the \Logs\sensors subfolder of the PRTG data directory on the probe system. The file names are Result of Sensor [ID].txt and Result of Sensor [ID].Data.txt. This setting is for debugging purposes. PRTG overwrites these files with each scanning interval.

This option is not available when the sensor runs on the hosted probe of a PRTG Hosted Monitor instance.

In a cluster, PRTG stores the result in the PRTG data directory of the master node.

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:

• 30 seconds
• 60 seconds
• 5 minutes
• 10 minutes
• 15 minutes
• 30 minutes
• 1 hour
• 4 hours
• 6 hours
• 12 hours
• 24 hours

You can change the available intervals in the system administration of PRTG Network Monitor.

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:

• Set sensor to down immediately: Set the sensor to the Down status immediately after the first request fails.
• Set sensor to warning for 1 interval, then set to down (recommended): Set the sensor to the Warning status after the first request fails. If the second request also fails, the sensor shows the Down status.
• Set sensor to warning for 2 intervals, then set to down: Set the sensor to the Down status only after the third request fails.
• Set sensor to warning for 3 intervals, then set to down: Set the sensor to the Down status only after the fourth request fails.
• Set sensor to warning for 4 intervals, then set to down: Set the sensor to the Down status only after the fifth request fails.
• Set sensor to warning for 5 intervals, then set to down: Set the sensor to the Down status only after the sixth request fails.

Sensors that monitor via Windows Management Instrumentation (WMI) always wait at least one scanning interval before they show the Down status. It is not possible to immediately set a WMI sensor to the Down status, so the first option does not apply to these sensors. All other options can apply.

If you define error limits for a sensor's channels, the sensor immediately shows the Down status. None of the interval options apply.

If a channel uses lookup values, the sensor immediately shows the Down status. None of the interval options apply.

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:

• None
• Saturdays
• Sundays
• Weekdays
• Weekdays Eight-To-Eight (08:00 - 20:00)
• Weekdays Nights (17:00 - 09:00)
• Weekdays Nights (20:00 - 08:00)
• Weekdays Nine-To-Five (09:00 - 17:00)
• Weekends

You can create schedules, edit schedules, or pause monitoring for a specific time span. For more information, see section Schedules.

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:

• Do not set up a one-time maintenance window: Do not set up a one-time maintenance window. Monitoring is always active.
• Set up a one-time maintenance window: Set up a one-time maintenance window and pause monitoring. You can define a time span for the pause below.

To terminate an active maintenance window before the defined end date, change the time entry in Maintenance Ends to a date in the past.

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:

• Use parent: Use the dependency type of the parent object.
• Select a sensor: Use the dependency type of the parent object. Additionally, pause the current object if a specific sensor is in the Down status or in the Paused status because of another dependency.

• Master sensor for parent: Make this sensor the master object for its parent device. The sensor influences the behavior of its parent device: If the sensor is in the Down status, the device is paused. For example, it is a good idea to make a Ping sensor the master object for its parent device to pause monitoring for all other sensors on the device in case the device cannot even be pinged. Additionally, the sensor is paused if the parent group is paused by another dependency.

To test your dependencies, select Simulate Error Status from the context menu of an object that other objects depend on. A few seconds later, all dependent objects are paused. You can check all dependencies under Devices | Dependencies in the main menu bar.

Dependency

This setting is only visible if you enable Select a sensor above. Click and use the object selector to select a sensor on which the current object will depend.

Dependency Delay (Sec.)

This setting is only visible if you select 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.

This setting is not available if you set this sensor to Use parent or to be the Master sensor for parent. In this case, define delays in the parent device settings or in its parent group settings.

User Group Access

Define the user groups that have access to the sensor. 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:

• Inherited: Inherit the access rights settings of the parent object.
• No access: Users in this user group cannot see or edit the sensor. The sensor neither shows up in lists nor in the device tree.
• Read access: Users in this group can see the sensor and view its monitoring results. They cannot edit any settings.
• Write access: Users in this group can see the sensor, view its monitoring results, and edit its settings. They cannot edit its access rights settings.
• Full access: Users in this group can see the sensor, view its monitoring results, edit its settings, and edit its access rights settings.

For more details on access rights, see section Access Rights Management.

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, you can inherit these settings to all sensors underneath. You can set units for the following channel types (if available):

• Bandwidth
• Memory
• Disk
• File
• Custom

Custom channel types are only available on sensor level.

Example

To demonstrate the practical usage of JSONPath, we use this JSON example that a REST query might have returned as reference in this section.

{
"devices":[
 {
   "firmware":{
     "id":"0.7",
     "date":"2017-05-18T17:11:43.7049944Z",
     "channel": "beta"
   },
   "networks": {
     "a": {
       "rx_bytes": 35985021,
       "rx_packets": 176791,
       "rx_errors": 0,
       "rx_dropped": 476,
       "tx_bytes": 7229493,
       "tx_packets": 35518,
       "tx_errors": 0,
       "tx_dropped": 1
     },
     "b": {
       "rx_bytes": 40085321,
       "tx_bytes": 55294975
     }
   }
 },
 {
   "networks": {
     "a": {
       "rx_bytes": 63685865,
       "tx_bytes": 7229472
     }
   }
 }
 ]
}

Root

The dollar sign ($) matches the root element of the JSON data.

Child

You can match a child with .<key> or [<key>]

• .<key> must only contain letters, numbers, and underscore (_). Hyphens (-) are not supported.
• [<key>] must only contain a number or a quoted string.

Example

This expression matches 35985021 in the example above:

$.devices.0.networks.a.rx_bytes

You get the same result with this expression:

$["devices"][0]["networks"]["a"]["rx_bytes"]

If an element contains a hyphen (-), the .<key> notation does not work. Use the [<key>] notation in this case:

$["data"][0]["system-stats"]["temps"]["Board (CPU)"]

Wildcard

To match multiple values, you can use the asterisk symbol (*).

• .*
• [*]

Example

This expression matches 35985021 and 40085321 in the example above:

$.devices[0].networks.*.rx_bytes

Recursive Descent

You can match all subitems of a node with two dots (..).

Example

This expression matches 7229493 and 55294975 and 7229472 in the example above:

$..tx_bytes

Union

You can match multiple children with [<key1>,<key2>,<...>].

Example

This expression matches 35985021 and 7229493 in the example above:

$.devices.0.networks.a["rx_bytes","tx_bytes"]

Slice

You can match multiple children of an array with [<begin>:<end>] or [<begin>:<end>:<step>].

• By default, begin, end, and step are either integers or empty.
• The default approach is to go step by step from the first array element to the last element.
• Step can also be a negative integer to go through the array in reversed order.

Example

This expression matches 63685865 in the example above:

$.devices[-1:].networks.a.rx_bytes

Current

The @ symbol matches the current element.

Example

This expression matches 40.085321 and 55.294975 in the example above and can be used to receive a percentage value:

$.devices[1].networks.a.["rx_bytes","tx_bytes"](@/100000000*100)

Filter

You can filter matches with [?<expression>].

Example

This expression matches 35985021 in the example above because the first device is the only one with a beta channel:

$.devices[?(@.firmware.channel=="beta")].networks.a.rx_bytes

Script

You can modify matches with (<expression>) and keys with [<expression>].

Example

This expression matches true and false in the example above because only the first device has a beta channel:

$.devices[*](@.firmware.channel=="beta")

Placeholder

Placeholders give access to values of wildcards in a match. A placeholder #n (where n is a natural number) represents the value of the nth wildcard. You can use this in the keys of JSON arrays.

Example

This expression creates a JSON map from ids to the corresponding firmware channel and matches {"0.7":"beta"} in the example above:

{$.devices[#0].id:$.devices[*].channel}

This is an extension of the official JSONPath.

Constant

• Numeric constants as 64-bit floating point: 12345.678
• String constants with double quotes: "switch"
• Boolean constants: true and false

Operator

• Parentheses control the order of evaluation: (<expression>)
• Arrays with brackets: [<expression>, <expression>, ...]
• Objects: {<expression>:<expression>, <expression>:<expression>, ...}
• Conditionals: <condition> ? <expression> : <expression>

Downtime

In the channel table on the Overview tab, this channel never shows any values. PRTG uses this channel in graphs and reports to show the amount of time in which the sensor was in the Down status in percent.

HTTP Status

The HTTP status that the requested URL returns

This channel is the primary channel by default.

[Value]

The values that a REST API returns in several channels

For details about the return value format, see section Custom Sensors.