Event log monitoring with Paessler PRTG

Continuously logging events is an essential aspect of modern IT infrastructure. Ensuring that everything is running smoothly requires keeping an eye on numerous logs. Today I will show you how PRTG monitoring solutions make this task more manageable.
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Generally, event logs are files that record significant incidents within an operating system or other software. These logs contain information about hardware events, security alerts, or application errors. Understanding and monitoring event logs are vital for troubleshooting and maintaining the integrity of systems.

WMI event log monitoring

Think about an organization with several servers running various applications. Unexpected failures or security breaches could lead to significant downtime or data loss. By implementing the WMI Event Log Sensor, the organization's IT team can continuously monitor event logs. When an abnormality is detected, the sensor triggers an alert, enabling swift action to prevent or mitigate the issue. There you can individually set the sensor to a specific status according to a new event log entry.

Automated Problem Solving with PRTG

Recently we talked to an IT guy from the Red Cross of Upper Austria. They are running Paessler PRTG and the WMI Event Log Sensor is not only detecting but also solving problems automatically. Here’s an example of a problem encountered by the team:

One of its services was running but not writing anything to the database. This always seemed to happen when the database was moved from one node in the cluster to another. Jungwirth describes how he solved the problem:

We set up PRTG to read the event logs of the service. If the service is no longer able to access the database, this information is recorded in the service’s EventLog and immediately detected by PRTG via WMI. The software then automatically triggers a script that restarts the service. The service re-establishes its connection to the database and the problem is solved.

If you want to find out more about how The Red Cross of Upper Austria uses Paessler PRTG for its IT, I recommend ⏩ this interesting case study ⏪. 

Some further resources:

✅ Monitor backup event log entries with the WMI Event Log sensor

✅ KB article: WMI or API Windows Event Log Sensor not reporting errors