<%NUMBERING1%>.<%NUMBERING2%>.<%NUMBERING3%> PRTG Manual: HTTP Push Data Sensor
The HTTP Push Data sensor displays numeric values 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 (secured with TLS 1.2 or not secure).
For more information about the sensor usage, see section How to Use.
For a detailed list and descriptions of the channels that this sensor can show, see section Channel List.
HTTP Push Data Sensor
Sensor in Other Languages
- Dutch: HTTP Push Data
- French: Données Push HTTP
- German: HTTP Push-Daten
- Japanese: HTTP プッシュデータ
- Portuguese: Dados HTTP via Push
- Russian: Данные push-объекта HTTP
- Simplified Chinese: HTTP 推送数据
- Spanish: HTTP Push de datos
Remarks
- This sensor might result in false alerts if the parent probe 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).
- low
- How to Use
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.
Add Sensor
The Add Sensor dialog appears when you manually add a new sensor to a device. It only shows the settings that are required to create the sensor. Therefore, you do not see all settings in this dialog. You can change nearly all settings on the sensor's Settings tab after creation.
HTTP Push
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SSL/TLS Settings
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Define the security of the incoming HTTP push requests:
- HTTP (unsecure): Send push messages to the probe system via HTTP (not secure).
- HTTPS (secured with TLS 1.2 only): Send push messages to the probe system via HTTPS. The sensor only supports connections secured with TLS 1.2. It uses the SSL certificate that is delivered with PRTG or your own trusted SSL certificate that you imported for the PRTG web server.
If you install the sensor on a remote probe, make sure that you import the same SSL certificates to the remote probe that you use on the PRTG core server.
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Port
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This setting is only visible if you enable HTTP (unsecure) above. Enter the number of the port on which this sensor listens for incoming HTTP requests. The default port is 5050.
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SSL/TLS Port
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This setting is only visible if you enable HTTPS (secured with TLS 1.2 only) above. Enter the number of the port on which this sensor listens for incoming HTTPS requests. The default port is 5051.
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Basic Sensor Settings
Click the Settings tab of a sensor to change its settings.
Basic Sensor Settings
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Sensor Name
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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.
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?
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Parent Tags
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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.
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Tags
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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:
- pushsensor
- pushdata
- httppushsensor
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Priority
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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 ().
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Usually, a sensor connects to the IP Address or DNS Name of the parent device. See the device settings for details. For some sensors, you can explicitly define the monitoring target in the sensor settings.
HTTP Push
HTTP Push
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SSL/TLS Settings
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Shows whether the sensor accepts push messages via HTTP or HTTPS.
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Port
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This setting 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.
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SSL/TLS Port
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This setting 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.
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Request Method
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Select the request method of the webhook:
- ANY: Do not use any filter for the request method.
- GET: Select this method if the webhook uses GET.
- POST: Select this method if the webhook sends POST data.
POST data must be form-encoded request bodies with the same parameters as for GET requests.
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Identification Token
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This is the token that PRTG uses to find the matching sensor for the incoming message. When you create the sensor, this token is {__guid__}.
PRTG replaces this token with an automatically generated token after sensor creation. If you want to use a different identification token, you can edit it during or after sensor creation.
PRTG does not automatically replace the token if you change it already during sensor creation.
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Request Handling
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Define what PRTG does with the incoming messages:
- Discard request: Do not store the pushed messages.
- Store request: Store the last message received from the sensor in the \Logs\sensors subfolder of the PRTG data directory on the probe system. The file name is Request for Sensor [ID].txt. This setting is for debugging purposes. PRTG overwrites this file with each scanning interval.
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HTTP Push Data
HTTP Push Data
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No Incoming Data
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Define which status the sensor shows if it does not receive a push message for at least two scanning intervals:
- Ignore and keep last status (default): Keep the status as defined by the last message that the sensor received.
The parent probe must be connected to keep the last status. If the parent probe disconnects, the sensor shows the Unknown status. If the parent probe connects again, the sensor does not automatically switch from the Unknown status to the last status before the parent probe disconnected.
- Switch to unknown status: Show the Unknown status if the sensor does not receive a message for at least two scanning intervals.
- Switch to down status after x minutes: Show the Down status if the sensor does not receive a message within a specific time span. Define the time threshold below.
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Time Threshold (Minutes)
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This setting is only visible if you select Switch to down status after x minutes above. Enter a time threshold in minutes. If this time elapses, the sensor shows the Down status if it does not receive a push message within this time span.
Enter an integer value. The maximum threshold is 1440 minutes.
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Value Type
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Define the type of the value of the received data:
- Integer
- Float (with a dot . between the predecimal position and the decimal places)
If this setting does not match, the sensor shows the Down status.
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Sensor Display
Sensor Display
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Primary Channel
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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.
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Graph Type
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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).
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Stack Unit
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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.
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Inherited Settings
By default, all of the following 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.
Scanning Interval
Click to interrupt the inheritance.
Scanning Interval
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Scanning Interval
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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 on PRTG on premises installations.
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If a Sensor Query Fails
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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.
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Schedules, Dependencies, and Maintenance Windows
You 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 schedules, dependencies, and maintenance windows. They are active at the same time as the parent objects' settings.
Schedules, Dependencies, and Maintenance Windows
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Schedule
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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.
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Maintenance Window
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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.
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Maintenance Begins
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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.
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Maintenance Ends
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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.
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Dependency Type
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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.
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Dependency
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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.
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Dependency Delay (Sec.)
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This setting is only visible if you enable 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.
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Access Rights
Click to interrupt the inheritance.
Access Rights
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User Group Access
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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.
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How to Use
This function is known as webhook. Basically, a webhook works like a push notification. Webhooks are usually triggered by an event (for example, a new comment on a blog post) and send according information to a specified URL. The HTTP Push Data sensor then displays the data of pushed and received messages.
The HTTP Push Data sensor uses the following URL:
http://<probe_ip>:<port_number>/<token>?value=<integer_or_float>&text=<text message>
Replace the parameters <probe_ip>, <port_number>, <token>, and <integer_or_float> with the corresponding values. The &text parameter is optional: You can omit it.
- You can define the port number and identification token in the sensor settings.
- The probe IP is the IP address of the probe system with this sensor.
- The value can be an integer or a float value depending on the data of your application. You have to set the value type accordingly in the sensor settings. This parameter is the sensor value.
If this parameter is missing, the sensor shows a Down status.
- You can optionally add a custom text message by replacing the parameter <text message> with your custom text. The text is shown as the sensor message. If there is no value but only a text, the text is shown as an error message.
This text message has to be URL encoded (for example, the whitespaces in the sample URL below). Most browsers do URL-encoding automatically.
Example:
http://192.0.2.0:5050/XYZ123?value=0&text=this%20is%20a%20message
You 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.
Channel List
Which channels the sensor actually shows might depend on the monitored device, the available components, and the sensor setup.
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Downtime
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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.
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[Value]
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The received value and an optional message in one channel
This channel is the primary channel by default.
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More
KNOWLEDGE BASE
What security features does PRTG include?
My HTTP sensors don't work. What can I do?
Sensor Settings Overview
For more information about sensor settings, see the following sections: