Paessler PRTG Database Monitoring

Paessler PRTG Database Monitoring tracks database availability, errors, and query performance across Microsoft SQL Server, MySQL, PostgreSQL, Oracle, Azure SQL Database, AWS RDS, and ODBC/ADO-compatible databases. Users can schedule custom SQL queries and route returned values to monitoring channels. Sensors report complete-request time and query execution time separately, in milliseconds, and can detect connection timeouts, authentication failures, service interruptions, and query-validated errors. Azure SQL Database and AWS RDS sensors collect metrics through Azure Monitor and AWS CloudWatch APIs without an agent on the database host. Alerts can be sent by email, SMS, push notification, syslog, or webhook. Scan intervals are configurable per sensor; Paessler recommends five minutes for production database monitoring. Backup checks can use backup-history queries or file timestamps, with query-level configuration required. PRTG is available as a Windows download or cloud-hosted service, with web, Android, and iOS platforms listed. The free plan covers up to 100 sensors. Paid plans start at $200 a year, billed per month when paid annually; a free 30-day trial requires no credit card.

PRTG combines broad database coverage with query monitoring and alerting. Its free tier and trial provide ways to start, while backup checks need additional query configuration.

It suits teams monitoring several database types that need query timing, availability checks, and configurable alerts. Organizations can use it in self-hosted or cloud-based deployments.

Paessler PRTG Database Monitoring brings database checks into PRTG Network Monitor for teams overseeing varied database estates. Its breadth and configurable queries suit infrastructure teams that want database performance, availability, and alerting in one monitoring setup; sensor caps are the main constraint to plan around.

Overview

PRTG supports Microsoft SQL Server, MySQL, PostgreSQL, Oracle, Azure SQL Database, AWS RDS, and ODBC/ADO-compatible databases. That range is useful when an organization runs multiple engines, but the product is not a database-only package: its capacity is measured in sensors, so the number of checks matters as much as the number of databases.

Teams can run custom SQL queries on configured intervals and map returned values to monitoring channels. This adds flexibility for application-specific checks. Backup completion can also be monitored with queries against backup history tables or by checking file timestamps, but that requires query-level configuration rather than a ready-made backup check.

PRTG Network Monitor is available as a Windows download, while PRTG Hosted Monitor provides a cloud-based option. Paessler is certified to ISO 9001 for quality management.

Key features

Performance and health checks

Database sensors measure complete-request time separately from query execution time, both in milliseconds. That separation can help teams distinguish an overall request delay from query execution time. PRTG can also monitor connection timeouts, authentication failures, service interruptions, and errors validated by queries.

Cloud metrics and alerts

For Azure SQL Database and AWS RDS, sensors collect metrics through Azure Monitor and AWS CloudWatch APIs without an agent on the database host. Threshold alerts can go by email, SMS, push notification, syslog, or webhook, giving teams several ways to route database warnings into existing response channels.

Intervals and backup monitoring

Scanning intervals are configurable per sensor; Paessler recommends five minutes for production database monitoring. More frequent checks can increase the number of readings and responsiveness, but sensor capacity remains the licensing limit. Backup monitoring is possible through custom queries or timestamp checks, making it workable for teams willing to configure and maintain those checks, but less convenient for buyers expecting turnkey backup-status coverage.

Pricing

PRTG uses a freemium model. The free PRTG Freeware Edition costs nothing and supports up to 100 sensors, or about 10 devices. It is a practical starting point for small environments, but the cap can constrain broader monitoring.

Paid subscriptions include the latest version and email support through Paessler's support ticket system. Plans are billed monthly with annual payment:

The smallest paid tier fits teams outgrowing the free cap, while larger tiers provide room for more checks across bigger estates. The trade-off is that buyers need to estimate sensor demand, not simply database count. A free 30-day trial provides full access and requires no credit card.

Platforms

PRTG is offered as a Windows download or cloud-based hosted monitoring. Its listed platform coverage includes Android, iOS, self-hosted, web, and Windows. The hybrid deployment options can suit teams splitting monitoring between local infrastructure and cloud services.

Who it's for

PRTG is best for infrastructure and database teams that need monitoring across several database engines, value custom SQL checks, and want multiple alert routes. It is less suited to buyers seeking a narrowly focused database tool with preconfigured backup monitoring, or organizations whose required sensor count makes the tier limits awkward.

Pros and cons

• Broad database support: Coverage spans major database engines, cloud database services, and ODBC/ADO-compatible systems.
• Flexible monitoring: Custom queries can feed values into monitoring channels, while request and query timings are measured separately.
• Agentless cloud metrics: Azure SQL Database and AWS RDS metrics are collected through their monitoring APIs without an agent on the database host.
• Choice of alert routes: Threshold notifications support email, SMS, push, syslog, and webhooks.
• Sensor caps shape capacity: Buyers must size plans by monitoring checks, which can be less straightforward than licensing by database.
• Backup checks need configuration: Monitoring completion relies on custom queries or timestamp checks rather than a ready-made check.

Alternatives

For a broader set of database-monitoring options, browse the Database Monitoring list.

• Dynatrace Kubernetes Monitoring is a paid option with a free trial and an hourly Kubernetes pod rate.
• Guance Container Monitoring is a freemium alternative with a free plan and trial.
• ManageEngine Applications Manager offers a free plan capped at five apps or servers, plus paid subscriptions.
• Site24x7 Database Monitoring has a free plan and trial, with a Lite plan starting at $9 a month paid annually.
• MySQL is a freemium database system with a GPL-licensed Community Edition.
• New Relic Kubernetes Monitoring has a free tier and an annual Pro plan with 100 GB of free data ingest.
• DBmarlin is a freemium alternative with a free Starter plan and no free trial.
• Grafana Cloud Application Observability offers a free tier and pay-as-you-go Pro pricing.

Verdict

Choose PRTG if you need broad database coverage, custom query monitoring, and flexible alerting within a wider infrastructure monitoring setup. Its sensor-based capacity and adaptable deployment are compelling strengths; look elsewhere if you want backup checks without query configuration or a licensing model that does not require sizing sensors.