Operating system monitoring with PRTG
One monitoring environment, no matter the operating system you use
- Monitor Windows, Linux, macOS, and other Unix-based and proprietary OS
- Get automatically alerted when there's risk of underperformance
- Agentless deployment saves time, hassle, and system resources
Our users give top ratings for monitoring with Paessler PRTG
PRTG operating system monitoring: What you’ll find on this page
Conquer the OS smorgasbord
Windows may be the backbone of most enterprise networks, but it's unlikely to be the only operating system you're dealing with… even if your organization doesn't have a bring-your-own-device-to-work policy.
You likely have Linux and Unix-based web, database, and application servers. Plus hybrid cloud environments, and routers, switches, and firewalls running on proprietary operating systems like Cisco iOS.
As a sysadmin, you're usually faced with one of two options: pick which operating systems to monitor (if you like living on the edge), or deploy specialized monitoring tools for every OS on your network and complicate your life further.
But there's also a third way. With Paessler PRTG, you can monitor every network component, regardless of which OS it runs on, from one place. It's simpler. It tracks all your key operating system health stats round the clock. And, best of all, it's as flexible and versatile as you need it to be.
PRTG makes OS monitoring as easy as it gets
Custom alerts and data visualization let you quickly identify and prevent performance issues on Windows, Linux, macOS, and other UNIX-based and proprietary operating systems.
4 reasons why to choose PRTG as your operating system monitoring tool
Fast setup
Get up and running in minutes, with minimal intervention. Install PRTG with a few clicks and define an IP address range.
The Auto-Discovery functionality adds every device in that IP range to your monitoring environment, based on built-in device templates, and assigns the appropriate sensors. Job done.
Automatic alerts
Pick your parameters and let PRTG do the work. Select your preferred performance thresholds, and you'll get alerted when a network component is at risk of breaching them.
This way, you can fix the issues pronto before you're flooded with error messages (and colleagues' complaints).
Wide compatibility
Stop switching between monitoring environments and get a clearer picture of your network's performance and health.
Whichever operating systems you want to keep an eye on, PRTG brings everything together in one clear, intuitive interface you can tailor to your organization's exact requirements.
Resource-light
No need to install specialized software agents or clients (though you can use it as an agent-based monitor if you want to).
Our agentless monitoring software uses protocols like SNMP, SSH, WMI, and Windows performance counters for collecting metrics even from remote systems, so it doesn't hoover up precious system resources.
What operating system monitoring looks like in PRTG
Diagnose network issues by continuously tracking various proprietary operating systems. Show CPU load, network traffic, memory usage, physical disk space, bandwidth, and other key system metrics in real time. Visualize monitoring data in clear graphs and dashboards to identify problems more easily. Gain the overview you need to troubleshoot underperformance, security loopholes, and other hardware, software, and network issues.
Device tree view of the complete monitoring setup
Preconfigured Windows Process sensor in PRTG
Custom PRTG dashboard for keeping an eye on various applications, services, and operating systems
Start monitoring operating systems with PRTG and see how it can make your network more reliable and your job easier.
“All-around winning “The real beauty of PRTG is the endless possibilities it offers” “PRTG Network MonitorIT experts agree: Paessler PRTG is a great solution for IT infrastructure monitoring
network monitor”
is very hard to beat”
A unified view of your OS data with all the flexibility you need
PRTG tracks network components using more than 250 preconfigured sensor types. This means they work right out of the box, connecting seamlessly to your devices, and pulling data into your monitoring environment straight away.
Windows monitoring
Monitor CPU usage, traffic, memory, hard drives, and much more on your Windows servers.
PRTG even analyzes Windows services and applications such as Microsoft IIS, SharePoint, Active Directory, and Microsoft SQL, Windows Event Log files, and the Windows Security Center.
Linux monitoring
PRTG keeps an eye on popular distributions such as Ubuntu, Debian, CentOS, RedHat, and SUSE, and can also read data from other Linux distributions.
Monitor various health and performance parameters of your Linux network 24/7.
Mac OS X monitoring
PRTG also monitors macOS. Although it forms the basis for only the smallest of networks, macOS is often installed on workstations and sometimes even on servers.
Here too, PRTG uses the SNMP protocol. Certain macOS systems (such as Yosemite - version 10.10) can also be monitored via SSH.
Other operating systems
Many network devices have their own operating systems. There are SonicWall firewalls, IBM servers, and Hyper-V virtualization solutions, to name just a few.
The big advantage of PRTG is that it comes with sensors for specific manufacturers, as well as sensors that you can customize using the PRTG API.
Your operating system monitor at a glance – even on the go
Set up PRTG in minutes and use it on almost any mobile device.
Find the root cause of the problem with our PRTG operating system performance monitoring solution
Real-time notifications mean faster troubleshooting so that you can act before more serious issues occur.
PRTG is compatible with all major vendors, products, and systems
Create innovative solutions with Paessler’s partners
Partnering with innovative vendors, Paessler unleashes synergies to create
new and additional benefits for joined customers.
With ScriptRunner, Paessler integrates a powerful event automation platform into PRTG Network Monitor.
ScriptRunner
“Excellent tool for detailed monitoring. Alarms and notifications work greatly. Equipment addition is straight forward and server initial setup is very easy. ...feel safe to purchase it if you intend to monitor a large networking landscape.”
Infrastructure and Operations Engineer in the Communications Industry, firm size 10B - 30B USD
PRTG makes OS monitoring as easy as it gets
Custom alerts and data visualization let you quickly identify and prevent performance issues on Windows, Linux, macOS, and other UNIX-based and proprietary operating systems.
Monitor operating systems: FAQ
What is an operating system?
An operating system (OS) is software that manages the hardware and software resources of a computer or device. It acts as an intermediary between users and the computer hardware. The primary functions of an operating system include:
- Managing hardware resources: The OS controls and allocates resources like the CPU, memory, disk drives, and peripherals (e.g., printers, monitors).
- File management: It organizes and controls how data is stored, retrieved, and managed on storage devices like hard drives or SSDs.
- Process management: The OS manages the execution of multiple programs, scheduling processes, and handling tasks like multitasking and process synchronization.
- User interface: The OS provides a user interface, which can be graphical (GUI) or command-line (CLI), allowing users to interact with the computer.
- Security and access control: It enforces security measures, managing user permissions and protecting the system from unauthorized access.
- Device management: The OS controls the use of peripheral devices through drivers, ensuring that hardware components function properly.
Examples of operating systems include Windows, macOS, Linux, and Android. Each of these systems is designed to handle the specific needs of different types of devices, from personal computers to smartphones and servers.
Why should I monitor operating systems?
Monitoring operating systems is crucial for several reasons, especially in environments where reliability, security, and performance are essential. Here’s why you should monitor operating systems:
Performance optimization
- Monitoring helps track CPU, memory, and disk usage, ensuring that resources are used efficiently and identifying bottlenecks that could slow down the system.
- Regular monitoring can detect system health issues like overheating, excessive resource usage, or hardware failures before they lead to system crashes or slowdowns.
Security
- Monitoring can alert you to unusual activities, such as unauthorized access attempts or abnormal process behavior, which could indicate a security breach or malware infection.
- It helps in keeping track of the system's update status, ensuring that all security patches and updates are applied in a timely manner to protect against vulnerabilities.
Reliability and availability
- By continuously monitoring the system, you can identify and address issues before they lead to downtime, ensuring that critical services remain available.
- Monitoring logs and system events can help detect and troubleshoot errors early, reducing the impact on system availability.
Troubleshooting
- When issues arise, having monitoring data available helps in quickly identifying the root cause, making troubleshooting faster and more effective.
- Monitoring allows you to track and analyze historical performance and identify patterns that may be causing recurring issues.
User experience
- For systems that provide services to users, monitoring ensures that the quality of service remains high, leading to better user satisfaction.
- By keeping track of system response times, monitoring helps ensure that users experience minimal delays and interruptions.
Which Windows versions does PRTG support?
PRTG officially supports the following Windows versions:
- Windows Server 2022
- Windows Server 2019
- Windows Server 2016
- Windows 11
- Windows 10
Which Linux and macOS distributions does PRTG support?
We've successfully tested our SSH and SNMP sensors on the following operating systems:
- CentOS Linux release 7.2.1511 (Core) based on RedHat
- openSUSE 42.1 (x86_64) (Malachite)
- Ubuntu 16.04 LTS
- Debian GNU/Linux 8
- Mac OS X 10.10.5 (Yosemite)
- Gentoo
- Red Hat Enterprise
- Open Solaris
Our sensors may also work well on other distributions (though we haven't specifically tested them). SNMP sensors work on most operating systems.
Can I install PRTG on Linux or macOS?
Yes and no. The central PRTG server can only be installed on a Windows server. But, once you've installed the PRTG server, you can use the brand-new multi-platform probe (a remote probe type in PRTG) that also runs on Linux. With this probe, you can monitor and manage your complete IT infrastructure from your Linux system.
What is a sensor in PRTG?
In PRTG, “sensors” are the basic monitoring elements. One sensor usually monitors one measured value in your network, for example the traffic of a switch port, the CPU load of a server, or the free space on a disk drive.
On average, you need about 5-10 sensors per device or one sensor per switch port.
PRTG: The multi-tool for sysadmins
Adapt PRTG individually and dynamically to your needs and rely on a strong API:- HTTP API: Access monitoring data and manipulate monitoring objects via HTTP requests
- Custom sensors: Create your own PRTG sensors for customized monitoring
- Custom notifications: Create your own notifications and send action triggers to external systems
- REST Custom sensor: Monitor almost everything that provides data in XML or JSON format
More than just a monitoring tool:
Reasons our customers love PRTG
Paessler PRTG is used by companies of all sizes. Sysadmins love PRTG because it makes their job a whole lot easier. Bandwidth, servers, virtual environments, websites, VoIP services – PRTG keeps an eye on your entire network. Everyone has different monitoring needs. That’s why we let you try PRTG for free.Still not convinced?
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Start monitoring operating systems with PRTG and see how it can make your network more reliable and your job easier.
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PRTG |
Network Monitoring Software - Version 24.4.102.1351 (November 12th, 2024) |
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Hosting |
Download for Windows and cloud-based version PRTG Hosted Monitor available |
Languages |
English, German, Spanish, French, Portuguese, Dutch, Russian, Japanese, and Simplified Chinese |
Pricing |
Up to 100 sensors for free (Price List) |
Unified Monitoring |
Network devices, bandwidth, servers, applications, virtual environments, remote systems, IoT, and more |
Supported Vendors & Applications |
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