PRTG Manual: IMAP Sensor

Sensor Name

Enter a meaningful name to identify the sensor. The name will be shown by default in the device tree and in all alarms.

Tags

Enter one or more tags, separated by space or comma. You can use tags to group sensors and use tag-filtered views later on. Tags are not case sensitive. We recommend using the default value. You can add additional tags to it, if you like. Other tags are automatically inherited from objects further up in the device tree. Those are not visible here.

Priority

Select a priority for the sensor. This setting determines where the sensor will be placed in sensor lists. Top priority will be at the top of a list. You can choose from one star (low priority) to five stars (top priority).

Timeout (sec.)

Enter a timeout in seconds for the SMTP connect. If the reply takes longer than this value the request is aborted and an error message is triggered.

Port

Enter the number of the port that will be used to connect via IMAP. For non-secure connections usually port 143 is used; usually port 993 for SSL connections. The actual setting depends on the server you are connecting to. Please enter an integer value. We recommend using the default value. If you do not get a connection, please try another port number.

Authentication Type

Select the kind of authentication for the IMAP connection. Choose between:

• Username/Password: Authenticate at the IMAP server via username and password.
• Simple Authentication and Security Layer (SASL): Use a secure connection for the authentication at the IMAP server.

Username

Enter a username for IMAP authentication. Please enter a string or leave the field empty. Note: If you leave this field empty, PRTG will not attempt to log in to the mail server. The sensor will show a green Up status if the IMAP server is available.

Password

Enter a password for IMAP authentication. Please enter a string or leave the field empty. Note: If you leave this field empty, PRTG will not attempt to log in to the mail server. The sensor will show a green Up status if the IMAP server is available.

TLS (Transport-Level Security)

This setting is only relevant if authentication is used. Choose if a secure connection via TLS/SSL will be used. Choose between:

• Don't use
• Use

Process Email Content

This sensor can additionally check the content of all incoming emails. Choose between:

• Do not check email content: Only check availability of the IMAP server and check if a login is successful (if defined). Do not process any mails in the IMAP mail account.

• Process emails in this mailbox: Login in to the IMAP mail account and check the mails contained there. Define further options below.

Mailbox Name

This field is only visible if email content processing is enabled above. Enter the name of the mailbox (e.g. the name of the IMAP folder) that will be checked. Default value is Inbox. Unless you set a last message date check below, the sensor will always look at all emails contained in the mailbox. Note: Please make sure that you do not manually edit mails in this mailbox with another mail client, as this can lead to malfunctions of this sensor's email identification.

Identify by "From" Field

This option is only visible if email content processing is enabled above. Define if you want to check the "From" field of the emails. Choose between:

• Don't check: Do not check this field in emails.
• Check using string search: Check this field in emails using simple string search.
• Check using regular expression: Check this field in emails using a regular expression. For more information about syntax, please see Regular Expressions section.

When using a search, the sensor will scan all emails from the newest to the oldest. Note: The scan will be finished with the first match! That means: After a match is found in one email, there will be no further checks performed in older emails.

Search For

This field is only visible if a check is enabled above. Enter a search string using the method defined above.

Identify by "Subject" Field

This option is only visible if email content processing is enabled above. Define if you want to check the "Subject" field of the emails. Choose between:

• Don't check: Do not check this field in emails.
• Check using string search: Check this field in emails using simple string search.
• Check using regular expression: Check this field in emails using a regular expression. For more information about syntax, please see Regular Expressions section.

When using a search, the sensor will scan all emails from the newest to the oldest. Note: The scan will be finished with the first match! That means: After a match is found in one email, there will be no further checks performed in older emails.

Search For

This field is only visible if a check is enabled above. Enter a search string using the method defined above.

Identify by Mail Body

This option is only visible if email content processing is enabled above. Define if you want to check the mail body of the emails. Choose between:

• Don't check: Do not check the mail body.
• Check using string search: Check the mail body using simple string search.
• Check using regular expression: Check the mail body using a regular expression. For more information about syntax, please see Regular Expressions section.

When using a search, the sensor will scan all emails from the newest to the oldest. Note: The scan will be finished with the first match! That means: After a match is found in one email, there will be no further checks performed in older emails.

Search For

This field is only visible if a check is enabled above. Enter a search string using the method defined above.

Check Last Message Date

This option is only visible if email content processing is enabled above. Define if you want to check all emails in the mailbox, or only mails that were received within the last x hours. Choose between:

• Don't check message age: Always check all emails contained in the mailbox.
• Check for new messages received within the last x hours: Only regard emails that were received in the last hours. Define below.

Error Threshold (Hours)

Enter the maximum age in hours. Only emails that are younger will be processed. If there is no matching email in the defined time span, the sensor will show a Down status.

Warning Threshold (Hours)

Enter the maximum age in hours. Only emails that are younger will be processed. If there is no matching email in the defined time span, the sensor will show a Warning status.

Set to Alarm

This setting is only visible if email content check is enabled above. Define in which cases the sensor will show a Down status. Choose between:

• If subject contains
• If subject does not contain
• If mail body contains
• If mail body does not contain
• Always: Always set this sensor to a Down status in case any emails could be identified.
• Never: Never set this sensor to a Down status based on email content.

Check Method

This setting is only visible if an if-condition is selected above. Define how you want to check for the above condition. Choose between:

• String search: Check the mail body using simple string search.
• Regular expression: Check the mail body using a regular expression. For more information about syntax, please see Regular Expressions section.

When using a search, the sensor will scan all emails from the newest to the oldest. Note: The scan will be finished with the first match! That means: After a match is found in one email, there will be no further checks performed in older emails.

Search Text

This setting is only visible if an if-condition is selected above. Enter a search string using the method defined above.

Error Message

This setting is only visible if an alarm condition is selected above. Define the message that will be shown in case the sensor shows a Down status.

Set to Warning

This setting is only visible if email content check is enabled above. Define in which cases the sensor will show a Warning status. Choose between:

• If subject contains
• If subject does not contain
• If mail body contains
• If mail body does not contain
• Always: Always set this sensor to a Warning status in case any emails could be identified.
• Never: Never set this sensor to a Warning status based on email content.

Check Method

This setting is only visible if an if-condition is selected above. Define how you want to check for the above condition. Choose between:

• String search: Check the mail body using simple string search.
• Regular expression: Check the mail body using a regular expression. For more information about syntax, please see Regular Expressions section.

When using a search, the sensor will scan all emails from the newest to the oldest. Note: The scan will be finished with the first match! That means: After a match is found in one email, there will be no further checks performed in older emails.

Search Text

This setting is only visible if an if-condition is selected above. Enter a search string using the method defined above.

Warning Message

This setting is only visible if a warning condition is selected above. Define the message that will be shown in case the sensor shows a Warning status.

No Matching Mail Behavior

This setting is only visible if email content check is enabled above. Define how the sensor will react if no matching emails are found in the mailbox that is being scanned. Choose between:

• Set sensor to "Down" status
• Set sensor to "Warning" status
• None: Don't do anything in this case.

Message

This field is only effective if a sensor change in case of no matching mail is defined above. Define the message that will be shown in case the sensor could not find any matching emails. It will be shown together with a Warning or Down status, just as defined above.

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 will always be displayed underneath the sensor's name. The available options depend on what channels are available for this sensor.

Chart Type

Define how different channels will be shown for this sensor.

• Show channels independently (default): Show an own 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 will generate an easy-to-read graph which visualizes the different components of your total traffic. Note: This option cannot be used in combination with manual Vertical Axis Scaling (available in the Sensor Channels Settings settings).

Stack Unit

This setting is only available if stacked graphs are selected above. Choose a unit from the list. All channels with this unit will be 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.

Scanning Interval

Scanning Interval

The scanning interval determines the time the sensor waits between two scans. Select a scanning interval (seconds, minutes, or hours) from the list. You can change the available intervals in the system administration.

Note: Inheritance for schedules, dependencies, and maintenance windows cannot be interrupted; the according settings from the parent objects will always be active. However, you can define additional settings here. They will be active in parallel to the parent objects' settings.

Schedule

Select a schedule from the list. Schedules can be used to pause monitoring for a certain time span (days, hours) throughout the week. You can create new schedules and edit existing ones in the account settings. Note: Schedules are generally inherited. New schedules will be added to existing ones, so all schedules are active.

Maintenance Window

Specify if you want to set-up a one-time maintenance window. During a maintenance window this object and all child objects will not be monitored. They will enter a paused state then. Choose between:

• Not set (monitor continuously): No maintenance window will be set.
• Set up a one-time maintenance window: Pause monitoring within a maintenance window.

Maintenance Begins At

This field is only visible if maintenance window is enabled above. Use the date time picker to enter the start date and time of the maintenance window.

Maintenance End At

This field is only visible if maintenance window is enabled above. Use the date time picker to enter the end date and time of the maintenance window.

Dependency Type

Define a dependency type. Dependencies can be used to pause monitoring for an object depending on the status of another. You can choose between:

• Use parent: Pause the current sensor if the device it is created on is in a Down status, or if it is paused by another dependency.
• Select object: Pause the current sensor if the device it is created on is in an Down status, or if it is paused by another dependency. Additionally, pause the current sensor if a specific other object in the device tree is in a Down status, or if it is paused by another dependency. Select below.
• Master object for parent: Make this sensor the master object for its parent device. The sensor will influence the behavior of the device it is created on: If the sensor is in a Down status, the device will be 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 will be paused if the parent group of its parent device is in a Down status, or if it is paused by another dependency.

Note: Testing your dependencies is easy! Simply choose Simulate Error Status from the context menu of an object that other objects depend on. A few seconds later all dependent objects should be paused.

Dependency

This field is only visible if the select object option is enabled above. Click on the reading-glass symbol and use the object selector to choose an object on which the current sensor will be dependent on.

Delay (Seconds)

Define a time span. After the master object for this dependency comes back to an Up status, monitoring of the depending objects will be 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. Please enter an integer value in seconds. Note: This setting is not available if you choose this sensor to be the Master object for parent. In this case, please define delays in the parent Device Settings or the superior Group Settings.

Access Rights

User Group Access

Define which user group(s) will have access to the object you're editing. A table with user groups and right 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 settings of the parent object.
• None: Users in this group cannot see or edit the object. The object does not show up in lists and in the device tree. Exception: If a child object is visible to the user, the object is visible in the device tree, though not accessible.
• 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 the object's settings. They cannot edit access rights settings.
• Full: Users in this group can see the object, review its monitoring results, edit the object's 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.