In the following there are several ways displayed that you can use PRTG to monitor specific events within your ticketing system using various mechanisms.

It’s key to remember that your choice of ticketing system is largely influenced by your individual and specific requirements, and consequently, it’s capabilities. What you intend to monitor, will also have an influence on how you use PRTG monitor the system in question.

Firstly, let’s look at the different ways one can connect to the ticketing system to capture relevant data using the appropriate sensors:

1. If you have a ticketing system with an API that can receive URL queries and provide XML outputs that will be parsed afterwards, then we suggest that you use a HTTP XML/REST Value Sensor in PRTG (this is the best used for simple queries).

• In this instance, after you have created a new device in your device tree (which correlates the ticket system), you can query a category in the ticket system like „Fresh Sales Tickets “, by creating the mentioned sensor in PRTG. Then you must type in the URL for your specific query in the sensor settings. The URL has a special syntax, which includes all the information needed for your query (Please refer to: https://www.w3schools.com/Tags/ref_urlencode.asp for detailed information). When executing the sensor, the URL provides an XML code output with the requested information. Every child node in this XML output signifies a bit of information which represents one ticket. By counting the child nodes, you have the amount of tickets and thus what you have requested in your query.

2. Having direct access to the ticketing system database through a SQL query, then you can use our Microsoft SQL v2 Sensor.

• This option is also good for simple requests, but provides you with a bit more flexibility than when using the URL query. To add and configure a Microsoft SQL v2 Sensor you should type in the name of the database and select the SQL file which is executing your requested query. Other settings can be changed and added depending on your specific requirements.

• Processing of more complex queries can also be realized by using our EXE/Script Sensor. This option uses a PowerShell script which includes the SQL query. The PowerShell script is very useful for parsing the database for very specific, qualified data (like “Incoming tickets between 6am and 8pm at department xx”). To add the EXE/Script (Advanced) Sensor you will follow the same basic steps as when adding the Microsoft SQL v2 Sensor.

3. Querying the ticketing systems via HTML is also an option.

• When using this option, it is necessary that all the output data (the HTML code) is parsed by a PowerShell script, which will sort the requested information as defined in your code. This PowerShell script is executed by our EXE/Script (Advanced) Sensor. In this case, it will be possible to query how many tickets have existed in a specific time-span, and whether they were incoming/edited/closed etc. The procedure to create these sensors are like the steps mentioned earlier, but in this case, you just select the script. This script will be needed to adjust the parameters for it in the sensor settings.

Besides this, PRTG gives you the ability to monitor your ticketing system with several other non-ticket-related sensors:

An example of this could be our Execution Time, Memory Load or CPU Load Sensor, which in combination with the pro-active layout of PRTG sends out a warning when there is a suspicious behavior. (Performance metrics might be very helpful in the case that your ticket system is overloaded)

And finally, once you have finished configuring your PRTG installation to monitor your ticket system as described above, it is then possible to see your sensor data in a visual map using our comprehensive Map Designer.

To create a map please follow these steps:

• In PRTG click on Maps
• (+) Add MAP
• Fill in the relevant details in the map creation wizard
• move Map Objects from the Properties section on the right of the screen onto your empty Map
• Then choose your relevant sensors in the selection Device Tree on the left of the screen and drag them onto the Map Object you’ve just created.

The Map Object will now display your Sensor data, that you queried for, graphically. You can also adjust the object display and behavior with HTML code or just create a custom object for special needs. It is also possible to create multiple maps and include them into a map rotation. Furthermore, you can create a link for your map and share it with other colleagues. For more information about the capabilities of PRTG and especially the Map Designer you can also refer to our Manual or visit our Blog.

We just added some new Map chart objects in Version 18.2.41 which are also suitable to display information about tickets.