Probes v10.3

Probe is a scheduled task performed by a Postgres Enterprise Manager (PEM) agent to retrieve performance metrics and information about monitored database objects.

Probes are categorized into the following types:

• System probes
• Custom probes

System probes

PEM features built-in probes at five levels.

• Agent level — Monitors host-specific data such as CPU usage, disk space, memory usage, and network statistics.

• Server level — Tracks global database information including background writer statistics, blocked sessions, session information, and WAL files.

• Database/Schema level — Monitors specific object data such as database size, function statistics, table statistics, and index size.

• Tool-specific probes — Includes probes for Barman (backup), Failover manager (HA), Patroni cluster status, and various replication methods (Streaming, Replication Server).

• Extension level — Monitors specific extension data such as Postgres distributed (PGD) probes.

Customizing probes

You can create, modify, copy, export/import, and delete custom probes to tailor monitoring to your specific needs.

You can modify probe settings using Management > Probes > Manage Probes tab.

1. Creating custom probes

   Custom probes can be created to monitor specific metrics not covered by built-in probes using three collection methods:

   • SQL Query — Write custom SQL queries to fetch specific metrics from the database.
   • WMI — Uses WMI to collect data from Windows systems.
   • Batch — Uses command-line or shell scripts to gather data from the system. It requires allow_batch_probes to be enabled in the agent.cfg file.

2. Core management tasks

   • Modify schedule — Customize execution frequency (minutes/seconds) of probes by disabling the Default switch.
   • Enable/Disable probes — Toggle the status to on or off as needed. Disabled probes used in charts displays an icon to re-enable them.
   • Data retention — Specifies how long probe history is stored before automatic deletion.
   • Copying configurations — Use the Copy probe button to duplicate probe settings from one object to another except for extension-level probes.

3. Export/Import and deletion

   • Export/Import — Use the Export/Import buttons to transfer probe configurations between different PEM installations.
   • Deletion — Custom probes can be deleted using the Delete button. System probes cannot be deleted.