PRTG 9 Manual: Welcome Wizard

Directly after installation, a welcome wizard appears. Note: When updating an existing PRTG Commercial Edition in version 8 or 9 with a (newer) version of PRTG 9, this wizard is not shown.

Follow the welcome wizard by clicking on the Next button. To load a web page with extended help, click on the blue question mark ? symbol in the upper right corner any time.

Select Edition

In the first step, a dialog appears, asking for the edition you would like to install. Please select the proper option. When selecting Trial Edition, Starter Edition, or Commercial Edition, please enter license information, too.

Welcome Wizard Edition and License Selection

Welcome Wizard Edition and License Selection

Use the Freeware Edition

  • Use PRTG for free without a time limit
  • Monitoring is limited to 10 sensors and a minimum scanning interval of one minute
  • No registration is needed to use PRTG as Freeware!
     

Run the Free Trial Edition or the Starter Edition

  • Test PRTG for 30 days with unlimited access to the software
  • You can monitor with an unlimited number of sensors
  • You need to register at Paessler with your name and email address, so we can send you a free trial key
  • After the trial period, PRTG will automatically change to a freeware edition
  • Note: If you have received a special Starter Edition key for extended freeware monitoring with 20 sensors, please choose this option (see More section below). There is not timely limitation with a Starter Edition key.
     

Purchase or Register a Commercial Edition

  • Please choose this option to enter a license key that you have already purchased. If you do not yet have a commercial license key, you can go to the Paessler web shop now by following the buy a license link.
  • This option is only available if you have downloaded the commercial installer. You cannot use a commercial key with the freeware- or trial installer. In order to download the commercial installer, please log in to your Paessler customer account.
  • Enter a license key and monitor your network with the number of sensors you have chosen.
     

Enter License Information

If you selected Trial Edition or Commercial Edition before, enter your license information.

Welcome Wizard Enter License Information

Welcome Wizard Enter License Information

Please enter both Name and Key exactly as stated in the email received from Paessler. We recommend using copy&paste to avoid typing mistakes.

Essential Settings

In the next step, please define important essential settings. PRTG pre-configures all other settings for you so you only have to enter your email address and select a setup mode.

Welcome Wizard Essential Settings

Welcome Wizard Essential Settings

Essential Settings—Email Address

  • Enter a valid administrator's email address.
  • By default, PRTG will send notifications and important messages to this address.
     

Essential Settings—How do you want to run PRTG?

PRTG offers single failover clustering in all licenses—even using the Freeware edition. For detailed instructions, please see Install a PRTG Cluster section.

Please select if you want to configure PRTG for a cluster.

Run PRTG in "Standalone Mode"

  • Run one instance of PRTG as a standalone solution.
  • If you are not sure what to choose, take this option. You can integrate a PRTG installation in standalone mode into a cluster later on.
  • Monitoring and alerting is performed by one single PRTG installation only.
     

Run PRTG in "Cluster Mode"

  • Run several PRTG installations combined in a cluster.
  • Select this option for a high-available monitoring solution.
  • Two or more PRTG installations work together in one cluster and act as one monitoring system.
  • Automatic failover: One PRTG installation takes over monitoring and alerting seamlessly in case the other installation fails or the server is restarted.
  • Multi-location monitoring: You also have the option to monitor your network from different locations by setting up geographically distributed installations.
  • For detailed instructions please see Install a PRTG Cluster section.
     

Cluster Settings

This screen only appears if you have chosen to set up a PRTG cluster. Please select whether you want this PRTG installation to be the master node or a failover node. For detailed instructions please see Install a PRTG Cluster section.

Welcome Wizard Cluster Settings

Welcome Wizard Cluster Settings

Cluster Settings—Install a Master Node

  • Make this PRTG installation the master node of your cluster.
  • Choose this option if you are about to make the first installation in your cluster.
  • The master node usually controls your whole cluster.
  • There may only be one master node in a PRTG cluster. Please do not install several master nodes, as they won't be able to connect to each other. Instead, use failover nodes for all other installations in your cluster.
     

Cluster Access Control

  • Cluster Access Key: For safety reasons, a node can only connect to the cluster with a cluster access key. With the setup of the master node you will define a new key for the cluster here. The access key is already pre-defined; you can leave the default value.
  • Cluster Port: All communication in the cluster is directed through the cluster port. It is already pre-defined; you can leave the default value.
  • Please make sure the security settings in your network allow communication between all nodes on the defined port.
  • Save both cluster access key and cluster port in a text file for later use; you will need them in the cluster settings for each failover node later.
     

Cluster Settings—Install a Failover Node

  • Make this PRTG installation a failover node in the cluster.
  • Choose this option if you have already set up a master node and want to add a failover node to your cluster.
  • There may be several failover nodes in one cluster—provided that you have the appropriate license.

 

Cluster Access Control

  • Cluster Access Key: For safety reasons, a node can only connect to the cluster with a cluster access key. For a failover node, please enter the existing key you have defined while setting up the master node.
  • Cluster Port: All communication in the cluster is directed through the cluster port. It must be the same port defined for the master node.
  • Please make sure the security settings in your network allow communication between all nodes on the defined port.
  • If unknown, you can look up cluster access key and cluster port in the PRTG Server Administrator program (Cluster tab) on the server your master node is running on.

 

Join an Existing Cluster Automatically

  • This will add the failover node to the master node's settings automatically.
  • Master: Enter the IP address or DNS name of the master node in order to join the cluster automatically.
  • If you enter nothing here, you'll have to add the master node's IP address or DNS name later in the PRTG Server Administrator program on the server the failover node is running on. For more information, please see Step 3 and following of 10 Steps to Set Up a PRTG Cluster—Scenario 3 (see More section below).
  • Important: After joining, you must confirm the new node in the master node's settings in order for the failover node to connect to the master node! For more information, please see Step 7 and following of 10 Steps to Set Up a PRTG Cluster—Scenario 3 (see More section below).
     

Introductory Information about PRTG

In the next four screens, some basic information about PRTG is shown. Please read the information carefully as it will help you setting up a good PRTG configuration.

Ready to Load the Browser

Ready to Load the Browser

At the end, click on Next to open a browser window and log in to the web interface.

More

Knowledge Base: What is the PRTG Starter Edition license?

 

Knowledge Base: How can I establish a secure web interface connection to PRTG?

 

Knowledge Base: PRTG blocks port 80 although I'm using SSL on port 443. How to free port 80?

 

Knowledge Base: How do I set up a cluster in PRTG 8?

 

Knowledge Base: 10 Steps to Set Up a Cluster—Scenario 3

 

Installing the Software—Topics

Continue

Keywords: Configure,Configure PRTG Server,Setup

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