Introduction
I began my journey with PRTG Network Monitor by installing it on a Windows Server with the aim of gaining practical experience in monitoring both servers and network devices. Once deployed, the tool provided me with the ability to track critical system resources such as RAM usage, storage health, and network performance. This setup gave me real-time visibility into the overall health of my environment and enabled me to respond quickly and effectively to potential issues.
Protocols
During the setup, I learned that PRTG, like most monitoring tools, relied heavily on the Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP) to collect logs and system information from endpoint devices. Understanding SNMP helped me appreciate how the tool communicated with different systems, regardless of vendor or operating system.
Installation
After downloading the installer, I completed the setup on my Windows Server. Once the installation finished, PRTG automatically launched a web interface on port 8080, using the machine’s IP address. From there, I accessed the login page and dashboard, which became my control center for all monitoring activities.
*Installation Completed *
The moment the PRTG finish installing, it will automatically lunch a wbe instance. Its automatically pick the ip address of the machin and open port 8080, and then lunch the serveice on that same port 8080
Login interface
PRTG Dashboard Overview
Device Monitoring
I then began adding devices to my PRTG environment. I included both Windows and Linux machines. Using the auto-discovery feature, PRTG scanned the network and detected available systems. I configured specific services such as FTP and RDP as sensors.
When I performed a deep scan on these devices, I was able to view detailed information such as:
- Hardware configuration.
- Installed software.
- Logged-in users.
- Active services.
This level of insight made troubleshooting much easier whenever a service had issues.
Adding Linux Operating system
Basic Device settings
Auto-discovery setting
Configuration of specific services such as FTP and RDP as sensors.
Basic FTP sensor set up
Succesfully added
Adding a windows machine
Windows server added with many sensors opened
Exploring the functionality of the deep scan of PRTG on a particular device. For instance Windwos server
System inforation under the particular endpoint to be monitored
Hardware information
Information about the Software that are running on the operating system
Users on the system
Details about the Services that are running on the endpoint
Service Monitoring & Alerts
To test the alerting mechanism, I simulated failures. First, I turned off the Wazuh Agent service, and PRTG immediately flagged the issue with an alert. I also shut down the RDP protocol, and a warning notification popped up. Once I re-enabled the services, the alarms cleared automatically.
I also learned how to pause a sensor. This was useful during scheduled maintenance because it prevented unnecessary alerts from repeatedly reporting a known service outage.
Simulation on how the promption notification look like during the service is downoutage, using wazuh agent as a case study.
I Turned off the wazuh agent
RDP protocol Alert simulation
To validate it, I simulated another event by shutting down RDP on the local server. Immediately, PRTG sent an alert, and a notification appeared in my Slack channel. This confirmed that my setup worked and that I could receive proactive alerts even without logging into the PRTG dashboard.
Shoting down the RDP protocol
Alart of RDP protocol outage
I Turned On the RDP again
Linux System Monitoring
I extended my monitoring to a Linux environment. For example, I started the FTP service on my Kali Linux machine and added it as a monitored sensor in PRTG. Just like with Windows, the tool gave me system details, which proved how well PRTG handled cross-platform monitoring.
I Start up the FTP port on kali
Notifications & Integrations
Finally, I explored integrating notifications with Slack. I created a new Slack workspace and channel, then generated an incoming webhook URL. After linking this webhook to PRTG, I set up a notification template.
How I set up notification trigger: I Created a new workspace on slack.com
Slack Dashboard Overview
Creating a New channel
How I generated the webhook URL
Why do we need webhook URL?
Webhook are a way to post messages from apps into slack. Creating an incoming webhook gives you a unique URL to which you send a JSON payload with the message text and some options
Creating the slck app. The slack app is meant to be linked to your slack channel
I had to Select the name name of the channel on the app
Copied the webhook url
How I connected the generated webhook URL to PRTG instance
Setting up the notification policy template
Simulation of an event: I Stoped the RDP service on the local server
Event simulation notification after RDP was turned off
I turned ON the RDP service back
Conclusion & Success Goal Achieved
Through this hands-on project, I successfully deployed and configured PRTG Network Monitor on a Windows Server, added both Windows and Linux machines, and validated system monitoring through proactive alerts. I tested different services such as FTP, RDP, and the Wazuh agent, and verified that the platform immediately detected outages, triggered alerts, and cleared them upon recovery.
Finally, I integrated PRTG with Slack to receive real-time notifications outside the dashboard, making the monitoring setup more practical and responsive.
Success Goal Achieved
The objective of using PRTG for multi-platform device monitoring, service tracking, and proactive notification delivery was fully accomplished. I built a monitoring environment that gave me visibility, alerts, and integrations that mirror enterprise practices.
Lessons Learned
- PRTG Provides Deep Visibility: Its auto-discovery and deep scan features gave insights into hardware, software, and active services across systems, reducing troubleshooting time.
- Proactive Alerts Are Critical: By simulating outages, I experienced how vital immediate notifications are in reducing downtime and improving response times.
- Cross-Platform Monitoring Adds Value: Being able to monitor both Windows and Linux environments under one platform broadened the system’s flexibility.
- Integration Enhances Responsiveness: Slack integration demonstrated the importance of pushing alerts into daily communication tools, ensuring no incident is missed.
- Maintenance Considerations: Pausing sensors during scheduled maintenance avoided alert fatigue and unnecessary notifications, a valuable practice for real-world operations.
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