Prerequisites:

1. PRTG Installation: Ensure PRTG Network Monitor is installed and running in your environment.
2. Access to SharePoint Server: You need access to the Microsoft SharePoint server(s) you want to monitor.
3. SNMP, WMI, or SSH Access: Ensure SNMP, WMI, or SSH access is enabled on the SharePoint server(s) for monitoring purposes.
4. Administrator Access: Obtain administrative access to configure sensors and settings in PRTG.

Setting Up SharePoint Server Monitoring:

1. Add SharePoint Server(s): In PRTG, navigate to "Devices" and add the SharePoint server(s) you want to monitor.
2. Install Appropriate Sensors: Click on the SharePoint server device you added, then go to "Add Sensor" > "By Type" > Select the appropriate sensor type based on the access method supported by your SharePoint server (e.g., SNMP Traffic Sensor, WMI Service Sensor, SSH Script Advanced Sensor).
3. Configure Sensor Parameters: Define the parameters for monitoring, including authentication details (e.g., SNMP community string, WMI credentials, SSH credentials).
4. Select Performance Metrics: Choose the performance metrics you want to monitor, such as CPU usage, memory utilization, disk space, network traffic, and SharePoint services status.
5. Test Configuration: Verify that the sensors can successfully retrieve SharePoint server performance metrics and service status data.

Monitoring SharePoint Server Availability and Performance:

1. Real-time Monitoring: Access the PRTG dashboard to view real-time updates on SharePoint server availability, performance metrics, and service status.
2. Performance Analysis: Monitor SharePoint server performance metrics to ensure optimal operation and identify potential bottlenecks or performance issues.
3. Service Status: Track the status of critical SharePoint services (e.g., SharePoint Timer Service, SharePoint Search Service) to ensure continuous availability and functionality.
4. Alerting: Set up alerts to notify administrators immediately when SharePoint server availability or performance degrades. Configure alerts based on specific criteria, such as CPU utilization exceeding a certain threshold or SharePoint service failures.
5. Historical Analysis: Utilize PRTG's reporting and historical data features to analyze past trends in SharePoint server availability and performance, identify patterns, and plan for capacity upgrades or optimizations.

Best Practices:

1. Regular Health Checks: Schedule regular checks of SharePoint server performance metrics and service status to proactively identify and address any issues before they impact user experience.
2. Backup and Recovery: Implement backup and recovery strategies for SharePoint data and configurations to minimize data loss and downtime in case of failures.
3. Patch Management: Keep SharePoint server software and dependencies up to date with the latest patches and updates to address security vulnerabilities and performance enhancements.
4. User Experience Monitoring: Implement user experience monitoring tools to track SharePoint user interactions, page load times, and response times to ensure optimal user satisfaction.
5. Security Monitoring: Monitor SharePoint server logs and security events to detect and respond to unauthorized access attempts or security breaches.

Troubleshooting:

1. Connection Issues: Ensure that PRTG can establish SNMP, WMI, or SSH connections to the SharePoint server(s) and retrieve performance data and service status.
2. Sensor Configuration: Double-check sensor settings, including authentication details and monitoring parameters, and verify that the correct credentials and OID/WMI queries are used.
3. SharePoint Configuration: Review SharePoint server configuration settings, such as authentication methods, service accounts, and site collections, to troubleshoot performance or availability issues.
4. Resource Utilization: Investigate resource utilization on the SharePoint server(s), including CPU, memory, disk I/O, and network bandwidth, to identify potential bottlenecks or performance constraints.
5. Service Dependencies: Identify and resolve dependencies between SharePoint services and underlying infrastructure components (e.g., SQL Server, Active Directory) that may impact availability or performance.

By leveraging PRTG Network Monitor to track Microsoft SharePoint server availability and performance, you can ensure your SharePoint environment's reliability, scalability, and user satisfaction. Real-time monitoring, proactive alerting, and historical analysis enable you to detect issues early, optimize resources, and maintain a seamless collaboration platform for your organization. With comprehensive monitoring and troubleshooting capabilities, PRTG empowers you to effectively manage and optimize your SharePoint infrastructure.