<%NUMBERING1%>.<%NUMBERING2%>.<%NUMBERING3%> PRTG Manual: HTTP Push Data Advanced Sensor

The HTTP Push Data Advanced sensor displays data from received messages that are pushed via an HTTP request to PRTG. It provides a URL that you can use to push messages to the probe system via HTTP (either encrypted with TLS 1.2 or not secure).

The sensor can show the following:

  • Received values
  • Message encoded in valid Extensible Markup Language (XML) or JavaScript Object Notation (JSON) in multiple channels

icon-book-arrowsFor details about the return value format, see section Custom Sensors.

HTTP Push Data Advanced Sensor

HTTP Push Data Advanced Sensor

Sensor in Other Languages

Dutch: HTTP Push Data geavanceerd, French: Données avancées Push HTTP, German: HTTP Push-Daten (Erweitert), Japanese: HTTP プッシュデータ(アドバンスト), Portuguese: Dados HTTP Avançado via Push, Russian: HTTP: Данные push-объекта (Расширенный), Simplified Chinese: HTTP 高级推送数据据, Spanish: HTTP Push de datos Avanzado

Remarks

  • You cannot use this sensor in cluster mode. You can only set it up on a local probe or a remote probe but not on a cluster probe.
  • If you use this sensor with multiple channels, we recommend that you simultaneously push the data for all your channels to the PRTG server. You can push data to only one of your sensor channels but, in this case, all other channels record the value of 0 for this push message.
  • This sensor may result in false alerts if the probe on which the sensor runs disconnects from the PRTG core server. In this case, the sensor shows the error message: The latest push message that the sensor received is older than the specified time threshold allows. (code: PE222).
  • For details about the usage, see section HTTP Push Data Advanced Sensor—How to Use.

icon-prtg-on-demandYou cannot add this sensor to the Hosted Probe of a PRTG hosted by Paessler instance. If you want to use this sensor, add it to a remote probe device.

How to Use

This function is known as webhook. Basically, a webhook works like a push notification. Webhooks are usually triggered by some event (for example, a new comment on a blog post) and send according information to a specified URL. The HTTP Push Data Advanced sensor then displays the data of pushed and received messages.

The data that is pushed to this sensor must be valid XML or JSON.

icon-book-arrowsFor details about the return value format, see section Custom Sensors.

The HTTP Push Data Advanced sensor uses the following URLs depending on the type of HTTP request.

  • GET requests: http://<probe_ip>:<port_number>/<token>?content=<valid XML_or_JSON>
     
    The XML encoded value of the content parameter has to match the format as defined in section Custom Sensors.
  • POST requests: http://<probe_ip>:<port_number>/<token>
     
    This HTTP request method sends the XML or JSON encoded HTTP body as POST data. The body has to match the format as defined in section Custom Sensors. We strongly recommend the HTTP content type application/xml or application/json.

Replace the parameters <probe_ip>, <port_number>, <token>, and <valid XML_or_JSON> (for GET requests) with the corresponding values:

  • You can define port number and identification token in the sensor settings.
  • The probe IP is the IP address of the probe system with this sensor.
  • The content of GET requests has to be valid XML or JSON in the PRTG API format.
    icon-i-blueThe content has to be URL encoded (for example, the whitespaces in the sample URL below). Most browsers do URL-encoding automatically.

Minimum example for the GET method that returns one static channel value:

http://127.0.0.1:5050/XYZ123?content=<prtg><result><channel>MyChannel</channel><value>10</value></result><text>this%20is%20a%20message</text></prtg>

icon-i-blueBy default, values within the <value> tags in the returned XML or JSON must be integers to be processed. If float values are returned, you have to explicitly define this value type as defined in section Custom Sensors with <float> tags, otherwise the sensor shows 0 values in affected channels. Example:

http://127.0.0.1:5050/XYZ123?content=<prtg><result><channel>MyChannel</channel><value>10.45</value><float>1</float></result><text>this%20is%20a%20message</text></prtg>

icon-i-roundYou can use several sensors with the same port and identification token. In this case, the data of push messages is shown in each of these sensors.

Add Sensor

The Add Sensor dialog appears when you manually add a new sensor to a device. It only shows the setting fields that are required for creating the sensor. Therefore, you do not see all setting fields in this dialog. You can change (nearly) all settings in the sensor's Settings tab later.

The following settings in the Add Sensor dialog differ in comparison to the sensor's Settings tab.

HTTP Push

SSL Settings

Define the security of the incoming HTTP push requests:

  • HTTP (unsafe): Send push messages to the probe system via HTTP (not secure).
  • HTTPS (TLS 1.2 only): Send push messages to the probe system via secure HTTPS. The sensor only supports TLS 1.2 connections. It uses the SSL certificate that is delivered with PRTG or your own trusted SSL certificate that you have imported for the PRTG web server.

Port

This field is only visible if you enable HTTP (unsafe) above. Enter the number of the port on which this sensor listens for incoming HTTP requests. The default is 5050.

SSL Port

This field is only visible if you enable HTTPS (TLS 1.2 only) above. Enter the number of the port on which this sensor listens for incoming HTTPS requests. The default is 5051.

Sensor Settings

On the details page of a sensor, click the Settings tab to change its settings.

icon-i-roundUsually, a sensor connects to the IP Address or DNS Name of the parent device on which you created the sensor. See the Device Settings for details. For some sensors, you can explicitly define the monitoring target in the sensor settings. See below for details on available settings.

Basic Sensor Settings

Sensor Name

Enter a meaningful name to identify the sensor. By default, PRTG shows this name in the device tree, as well as in alarms, logs, notifications, reports, maps, libraries, and tickets.

Parent Tags

Shows Tags that this sensor inherits from its parent device, group, and probe. This setting is shown for your information only and cannot be changed here.

Tags

Enter one or more Tags, separated by spaces or commas. You can use tags to group sensors and use tag–filtered views later on. Tags are not case sensitive. We recommend that you use the default value.

There are default tags that are automatically predefined in a sensor's settings when you add a sensor. See section Default Tags below.

You can add additional tags to the sensor if you like. Other tags are automatically inherited from objects further up in the device tree. These are visible above as Parent Tags.

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

Priority

Select a priority for the sensor. This setting determines where the sensor is placed in sensor lists. A sensor with a top priority is at the top of a list. Choose from one star (low priority) to five stars (top priority).

Default Tags

pushsensor, pushdata, httppushsensor

HTTP Push

SSL Settings

Shows whether the sensor accepts push messages via HTTP or HTTPS. Once you have created the sensor, you cannot change this value. It is shown for reference purposes only. If you need to change this value, add the sensor anew.

Port

This field is only visible for sensors that accept push messages via HTTP. It shows the port number on which this sensor listens for incoming HTTP requests. Once you have created the sensor, you cannot change this value. It is shown for reference purposes only. If you need to change this value, add the sensor anew.

SSL Port

This field is only visible for sensors that accept push messages via HTTPS. It shows the port number on which this sensor listens for incoming HTTPS requests. Once you have created the sensor, you cannot change this value. It is shown for reference purposes only. If you need to change this value, add the sensor anew.

Request Method

Select the request method of your webhook:

  • ANY: Do not use any filter for the request method.
  • GET: Select this method if your webhook uses GET.
  • POST: Select this method if your webhook sends POST data. POST data has to be application/x-www-form-urlencoded with the same parameters as for GET requests.

Identification Token

This is the token that is used to find the matching sensor for the incoming message. When you create the sensor, this token is {__guid__}.

This token is replaced with an automatically generated token after you have completed the sensor creation. If you want to use a different identification token, you can edit it during or after sensor creation.

icon-i-roundThe token is not replaced automatically if you change it already during sensor creation.

Incoming Request

Define what PRTG does with the incoming messages:

  • Discard request: Do not store the pushed messages.
  • Write request to disk (File name: "Request for Sensor [ID].txt"): Store the last message received from the sensor to the Logs (Sensor) directory (on the Master node, if in a cluster). File name: Request for Sensor [ID].txt. This is for debugging purposes. The file is overwritten with each scanning interval.
    icon-book-arrowsFor information on how to find the folder used for storage, see section Data Storage.

HTTP Push Data

No Incoming Data

Define which status the sensor shows if it has not received a push message for at least two sensor scans:

  • Ignore and keep last status (default): The sensor remains in the status as defined by the last message that the sensor received.
    icon-i-blueThe probe on which this sensor runs must be connected to keep the last status. If the probe is disconnected, the sensor shows the Unknown status. If the probe is connected again, the sensor does not automatically return from Unknown to the last status before the probe disconnect.
  • Switch to unknown status: The sensor shows an Unknown status if it has not received any message for at least two sensor scans.
  • Switch to down status after x minutes: The sensor shows a Down status if it has not received any message within a defined time span. Define the time threshold below.

Time Threshold (Minutes)

This field is only visible if you enable Switch to down status after x minutes above. Enter a time threshold in minutes. If this time elapses, the sensor shows a Down status if it has not received a push message within this time span.

Enter an integer value. The maximum threshold is 1440 minutes.

Sensor Display

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.

icon-i-roundYou can set a different primary channel later by clicking the pin symbol of a channel 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.
    icon-i-roundThis option cannot be used in combination with manual Vertical Axis Scaling (available in the Sensor Channel Settings settings).

Stack Unit

This field 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.

Inherited Settings

By default, all of the following settings are inherited from objects that are higher in the hierarchy and should be changed there if necessary. Often, best practice is to change them centrally in the Root group's settings. For more information, see section Inheritance of Settings. To change a setting for this object only, disable inheritance by clicking the button next to inherit from under the corresponding setting name. You then see the options described below.

Scanning Interval

Click inherited_settings_button to interrupt the inheritance. See section Inheritance of Settings for more information.

Scanning Interval

Select a scanning interval (seconds, minutes, or hours). The scanning interval determines the amount of time that the sensor waits between two scans. You can change the available intervals in the system administration on PRTG on premises installations.

If a Sensor Query Fails

Define the number of scanning intervals that the sensor has time to reach and check a device again in case a sensor query fails. Depending on the option that you select, the sensor can try to reach and check a device again several times before the sensor shows a 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 a Warning status. Choose from:

  • Set sensor to down immediately: Set the sensor to a Down status immediately after the first failed request.
  • Set sensor to warning for 1 interval, then set to down (recommended): Set the sensor to a Warning status after the first failed request. If the following request also fails, the sensor shows an error.
  • Set sensor to warning for 2 intervals, then set to down: Set the sensor to a Down status only after three consecutively failed requests.
  • Set sensor to warning for 3 intervals, then set to down: Set the sensor to a Down status only after four consecutively failed requests.
  • Set sensor to warning for 4 intervals, then set to down: Set the sensor to a Down status only after five consecutively failed requests.
  • Set sensor to warning for 5 intervals, then set to down: Set the sensor to a Down status only after six consecutively failed requests.

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

icon-i-roundIf you define error limits for a sensor's channels, the sensor immediately shows a Down status. No "wait" option applies.

icon-i-roundIf a channel uses lookup values, the sensor immediately shows a Down status. No "wait" options apply.

Schedules, Dependencies, and Maintenance Window

icon-i-roundYou 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 settings here. They are active at the same time as the parent objects' settings.

Schedule

Select a schedule from the list. Schedules can be used to monitor for a certain time span (days or hours) every week.

icon-book-arrowsYou can create schedules, edit schedules, or pause monitoring for a specific time span. For more information, see section Account Settings—Schedules.

icon-i-roundSchedules are generally inherited. New schedules are added to existing schedules, so all schedules are active at the same time.

Maintenance Window

Specify if you want to set up a one-time maintenance window. During a maintenance window, the current object and all child objects are not monitored. They are in a Paused status instead. Choose between:

  • Not set (monitor continuously): No maintenance window is set and monitoring is always active.
  • Set up a one-time maintenance window: Pause monitoring within a maintenance window. You can define a time span for a monitoring pause below and change it even for a currently running maintenance window.

icon-i-roundTo terminate a current maintenance window before the defined end date, change the time entry in Maintenance Ends to a date in the past.

Maintenance Begins

This field 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 maintenance window.

Maintenance Ends

This field 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 maintenance window.

Dependency Type

Define a dependency type. You can use dependencies to pause monitoring for an object depending on the status of another 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 another specific sensor is in a Down status or in a Paused status caused by 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 a 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.

icon-i-roundTo 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 field is only visible if you enable Select a sensor above. Click the Search button and use the object selector to select a sensor on which the current object will depend.

Dependency Delay (Sec.)

This field is only visible if you enable Select a sensor above. Define a time span in seconds for dependency delay.

After the master sensor for this dependency comes back to an Up status, monitoring of the dependent objects is additionally delayed by the defined time span. This can help avoid false alarms, for example, after a server restart, by giving systems more time for all services to start up. Enter an integer value.

icon-i-round-redThis 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.

Access Rights

Click inherited_settings_button to interrupt the inheritance. See section Inheritance of Settings for more information.

User Group Access

Define the user groups that have access to the selected object. A table with user groups and types of access rights is shown. It contains all user groups from your setup. For each user group, you can choose from the following access rights:

  • Inherited: Use the access rights settings of the parent object.
  • None: Users in this group cannot see or edit the object. The object neither shows up in lists nor in the device tree. Exception: If a child object is visible to the user, the object is visible in the device tree but it cannot be accessed.
  • Read: Users in this group can see the object and review its monitoring results.
  • Write: Users in this group can see the object, review its monitoring results, and edit its settings. They cannot edit access rights settings.
  • Full: Users in this group can see the object, review its monitoring results, edit its settings, and edit access rights settings.

You can create new user groups in the System Administration—User Groups settings. To automatically set all objects further down in the hierarchy to inherit this object's access rights, set a check mark for the Revert children's access rights to inherited option.

icon-book-arrowsFor more details on access rights, see section User Access Rights.

More

Knowledge Base: My HTTP sensors don't work. What can I do?

Edit Sensor Channels

To change display settings, spike filtering, and limits, switch to the sensor's Overview tab and click the gear icon of a specific channel. For detailed information, see section Sensor Channel Settings.

Notification Triggers

Click the Notification Triggers tab to change notification triggers. For detailed information, see section Sensor Notification Triggers Settings.

Others

For more general information about settings, see section Object Settings.

Sensor Settings Overview

For information about sensor settings, see the following sections:

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