Important notice: The information in this article is outdated. Mini probes are deprecated as the OpenSSL version required to run them is out of support. You can no longer install new mini probes.


I want to write my own scripts or programs using the PRTG RESTful API, custom sensors, custom notifications, and website styling.

  • What are the provided functionalities?
  • Where can I get a full description of the API?
  • What can I do with it and how can I use the API?

Introduction to the PRTG API interface

Users can customize and extend the functionality of PRTG Network Monitor using the following options:

  • HTTP API: Access monitoring data and manipulate monitoring objects using HTTP requests
  • Custom Sensors: Create your own sensors for customized monitoring
  • Custom Notifications: Create your own notifications to send alarms to external systems
  • Mini Probe API: Create your own small probes to get monitoring data from any platform

An important note about technical support regarding API features

Working with the PRTG API can quickly become a technical challenge and it is no everyday task. In most cases the knowledge of an experienced software developer or web developer is required to work with the API. All API features described on this page as well as their usage are not covered by Paessler's usual next-business-day support. So please understand that it may take a few days to receive an answer to inquiries about API features from Paessler Support. In general we cannot provide support for web design issues involving your own CSS and HTML nor for implementing or adjusting mini probes.

HTTP API

This section will give you a brief overview over the functionalities of the API interface. For detailed instructions see the API documentation (section Detailed HTTP API Documentation below).

The HTTP API offers the following functionality:

  • Authentication, error handling and optional encryption
  • Functions for getting live object and status data as well as live graphs
  • Functions for getting historic sensor data and graphs
  • Functions for manipulating objects (for example edit, add, delete)

You can use it via simple HTTP GET requests (either HTTP or HTTPS). Sample Call:

http://yourserver/api/table.xml?content=sensortree

Detailed HTTP API documentation

Please find a detailed documentation of all HTTP API functions in the PRTG Manual: Application Programming Interface (API) Definition. There, you will also find information about the interactive query builder.

Note: Only the documentation that comes with your PRTG installation fits exactly the PRTG version you are running.

Custom sensors

Custom sensors allow a number of monitoring tasks that go far beyond the standard sensor set to be performed. Apart from parameterized versions of SNMP, packet sniffer sensors, and NetFlow sensors you can create your own sensors using WQL (WMI Query Language) and by compiling an EXE file, using any Windows software development tool.

More details about custom sensors:

Note: With PRTG custom sensors, you can use placeholders.

Custom notifications

Custom notifications allow you to run any script or program as a notification. Connected with a trigger connected with a sensor's settings, you can initiate a desired action—even far beyond a notification itself. This is a powerful tool to react to specific situations in your network.

Among the possibilities are the following scenarios:

Note: With PRTG notifications, you can use placeholders.

Mini Probe API

The PRTG Mini Probe interface allows you to create small probes on any device and on any operating system. They help gathering monitoring data from platforms where it is not possible or not suitable to use the PRTG common local and remote probes. Basically, this takes the Custom Sensors concept to a higher level: You have a very broad range of possibilities and can implement amazing functions.

See the following article for a collection of Mini Probe implementations:

Want to share your script/program?

Write your own Knowledge Base article providing your script! See this article for more information: How can i share my self-written script/program with other PRTG users?