You've organized your monitoring environment with libraries, but now it's time to take your PRTG setup to the next level with custom dashboards. In PRTG, these dashboards are called "maps," and they allow you to visualize your monitoring data in ways that make sense for your organization and different stakeholders.
Whether you need to display critical infrastructure status on a NOC screen, share service health with management, or create a quick overview of your most important systems, maps are the perfect tool for the job. Let's explore how to create your first dashboard and make your monitoring data truly shine.
Although raw monitoring data is essential, it is not always the most effective way to communicate the status of your IT infrastructure. Dashboards transform complex data into visual representations that different audiences can immediately understand.
With PRTG maps, you can:
🧩 Create visual representations of your network topology
🧩 Display real-time status of critical systems and services
🧩 Share monitoring information with non-technical stakeholders
🧩 Combine different data sources into a single, cohesive view
🧩 Customize the look and feel to match your organization's branding
🧩 Publish dashboards on information screens throughout your organization
The best part? Maps update automatically with the latest monitoring data once created, ensuring everyone has access to current information without any manual effort.
Before we dive into the step-by-step process, check out this video tutorial that walks you through creating maps in PRTG:
Let's walk through the process of creating your first PRTG dashboard:
Begin by selecting Maps | Add Map from the main menu in the PRTG web interface. Enter a meaningful name for your map, such as "Network Overview" or "Critical Services Status." Define the width and height in pixels. 1920×1080 is a good starting point for most screens.
You can upload a background image at this stage if you want to use a network diagram, floor plan, or company logo as the foundation of your dashboard. Finally, set the map access permissions and click Create to generate your new map.
Now comes the fun part - adding content to your dashboard! ☺️ The Map Designer interface is divided into three main sections:
To add items to your map, select an object from the Device Tree, then drag elements from the Properties panel onto the map design area. You can add various types of elements:
Once you have placed an element on your dashboard, you can select it to modify its properties, including its size, position, and display options.
Once you've added all necessary elements to your dashboard, take some time to arrange them in a logical and visually appealing layout. You can:
Consider the purpose of your dashboard and who will be viewing it. For technical staff, you might include detailed performance graphs and status tables. For executives, focus on high-level service status and business impact indicators.
Click the "View Map" tab to see how your dashboard looks in action. This preview shows exactly what users will see when accessing the published map. Test the interactive elements and make sure all the information is clear and readable.
Return to the Map Designer tab to make any necessary adjustments. This iterative process helps you create a polished, professional dashboard that effectively communicates your monitoring data.
Once you're satisfied with your dashboard, it's time to share it with others. PRTG offers several ways to do so:
Click the </> Get HTML tab to obtain links for sharing the map
Use the public access option with a secret key for sharing with non-PRTG users
Add the map to the Home menu by setting its priority to 5 stars
Set up map rotation to display multiple dashboards in sequence (optional)
For information screens or NOC displays, you can display the map in a browser in full-screen mode. The dashboard will automatically update with the latest monitoring data according to the refresh interval you've set.
Not sure where to start with your dashboards? Here are some popular map types that can add value to your monitoring setup:
Create a visual representation of your network infrastructure, positioning devices according to their physical or logical relationships. Use connection lines to show network links, and use status icons to indicate device health. This will give you an immediate visual indication of where problems are occurring and their potential impact.
Focus on business services rather than individual devices. Group related components together and use status indicators to show the overall health of each service. This is perfect for sharing with management, who are more concerned with service availability than technical details.
For organizations with multiple locations, position devices on a geographical background. This makes it easy to quickly identify regional issues and understand the scope of outages. You can use built-in maps or upload custom floor plans as backgrounds.
Use graphs and gauges to highlight key metrics. Focus on indicators such as bandwidth utilization, response times, CPU load, and memory usage. This is particularly useful for capacity planning and performance optimization.
Focus entirely on the current problems in your environment. Use filtered status icons to display only devices and sensors in warning or down states. This will help your team quickly identify and address issues.
Let's look at some practical examples of how organizations use PRTG maps to visualize their monitoring data:
Create a high-level dashboard that shows critical business services with simple green, yellow, or red indicators. Include key metrics that matter to leadership and translate technical data into business-relevant information that executives can understand at a glance.
Design a comprehensive dashboard displaying your entire infrastructure with topology visualizations, performance graphs, and alert counters. These contain more technical detail and are designed for large screens in operations centers.
Create a dashboard that focuses on end-user services and includes status indicators for email, file sharing, and business applications. This allows support staff to quickly determine whether reported issues are related to known system problems.
Ready to take your PRTG dashboards to the next level? Here are some steps to consider:
1️⃣ Start with a simple dashboard focused on your most critical systems
2️⃣ Get feedback from different stakeholders and refine your design
3️⃣ Create specialized dashboards for different teams and purposes
4️⃣ Experiment with advanced features like custom HTML elements
5️⃣ Set up strategic dashboard displays in key locations
Remember, effective dashboards evolve over time. As your monitoring needs change, and you receive feedback from users, continue to refine and improve your maps to ensure they provide maximum value.
In next week's article, we'll explore how to automate and customize reporting in PRTG, helping you deliver regular updates to stakeholders in formats that meet their specific needs. Until then, enjoy creating visual representations of your monitoring data with PRTG maps!