PRTG Manual: Windows Process Sensor
The Windows Process sensor monitors a Windows process via Windows Management Instrumentation (WMI) or Windows performance counters, as configured in the Windows Compatibility Options of the parent device.
For a detailed list and descriptions of the channels that this sensor can show, see section Channel List.
- Dutch: Windows Proces
- French: Windows processus
- German: Windows Prozess
- Japanese: Windows プロセス
- Portuguese: Processo Windows
- Russian: Процесс Windows
- Simplified Chinese: Windows 进程
- Spanish: Proceso Windows
Consider the following remarks and requirements for this sensor:
Remark |
Description |
---|---|
Performance impact |
This sensor has a high performance impact. We recommend that you use no more than 200 of this sensor on each probe. |
Windows version |
This sensor requires at least Windows Server 2008 R2 on the probe system (on every cluster node, if on a cluster probe). WoW64 must be installed on target systems that run Windows Server 2016. This allows 32-bit applications to be run on 64-bit systems. This is necessary because the PRTG probe service only runs with 32-bit support. Without it, WMI sensors do not work. |
Remote Registry Windows service |
This sensor requires that the Remote Registry Windows service runs on the target system. If this service does not run, a connection via performance counters is not possible. However, WMI connections might still work. To enable the service, log in to the respective system and open the services manager (for example, via services.msc). In the list, find the respective service and set its Start Type to Automatic. |
WoW64 |
This sensor requires WoW64 (Windows 32-bit on Windows 64-bit) for target systems that run Windows Server 2016. |
Credentials |
This sensor requires credentials for Windows systems. We recommend that you use Windows domain credentials. If you use local credentials, make sure that the same Windows user accounts (with the same user name and password) exist on both the probe system and the target system. Otherwise, a connection via performance counters is not possible. However, WMI connections might still work. |
Performance counters |
The sensor cannot show values above 4 GB for 64-bit processes if you use performance counters. |
IPv6 |
This sensor supports IPv6. |
Hosted probe |
You cannot add this sensor to the hosted probe of a PRTG Hosted Monitor instance. If you want to use this sensor, add it to a remote probe device. |
Hybrid Approach: Performance Counters and WMI
By default, this sensor uses WMI to request monitoring data. You can change the default behavior to a hybrid approach in the Windows Compatibility Options of the parent device's settings on which you create this sensor: if you choose this option, the sensor first tries to query data via Windows performance counters and uses WMI as a fallback if performance counters are not available. When running in fallback mode, the sensor tries to connect via performance counters again after 24 hours.
Sensors that use the WMI protocol have a high impact on the system performance. Try to stay below 200 WMI sensors per probe. Above this number, consider using multiple remote probes for load balancing.
For a general introduction to the technology behind WMI, see section Monitoring via WMI.
The sensor has the following default tags that are automatically predefined in the sensor's settings when you add the sensor:
- wmiprocesssensor
For more information about basic sensor settings, see section Sensor Settings.
Setting |
Description |
---|---|
Executable |
Enter the name of the process that you want to monitor. Provide the name of an executable file without the .exe extension (for example, enter firefox to monitor firefox.exe). The sensor shows the Down status if the process is not active on the target device. |
Setting |
Description |
---|---|
Result Handling |
Define what PRTG does with the sensor result:
In a cluster, PRTG stores the result in the PRTG data directory of the master node. |
Setting |
Description |
---|---|
Primary Channel |
Select a channel from the list to define it as the primary channel. In the device tree, PRTG displays the last value of the primary channel 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 this sensor shows different channels:
|
Stack Unit |
This setting is only visible if you select Stack channels on top of each other above. Select a unit from the list. PRTG stacks all channels with this unit 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 of these settings are inherited from objects that are higher in the hierarchy. We recommend that you 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 and to display its options.
For more information, see section Inheritance of Settings.
Which channels the sensor actually shows might depend on the target device, the available components, and the sensor setup.
Channel |
Description |
---|---|
CPU Usage (Average per Instance) |
The average CPU usage (%) (if multiple instances are running) For this value, the summed up CPU usage value is divided by the number of all instances. It shows the average CPU usage of a single instance of the process on one CPU. |
CPU Usage (Total) |
The total CPU usage (%) For this value of a process, all CPU usage values are summed up. The total is divided by the number of all CPUs and the maximum value is 100%. This corresponds to the CPU usage of all instances of this specific process. |
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 |
Handles |
The number of handles |
Instances |
The number of instances |
Private Bytes |
The private bytes |
Threads |
The number of threads |
Working Set |
The working set This channel is the primary channel by default. |
KNOWLEDGE BASE
What security features does PRTG include?
My Windows sensors do not work when using direct performance counter access. What can I do?