dbWatch vs Paessler PRTG Database Monitoring

dbWatch Control Center monitors, manages, reports on and maintains database environments from one interface. It includes more than 100 monitoring jobs and provides real-time and historical performance information. Teams can automate maintenance routines and schedule customizable reports. Supported database instances listed for licensing include Oracle, Microsoft SQL Server, MySQL, PostgreSQL, MariaDB, Sybase ASE and MongoDB. The product also supports query profiling, wait and lock analysis, and execution plans. Deployment is hybrid: supported environments include on-premises and off-premises systems, AWS RDS, Azure and other clouds. It runs on Windows or Linux 64-bit servers, with Windows clients for its graphical interface. The maker lists SMTP and ServiceNow alerts, webhooks, scripts and CSV, JSON and XML exports. Security features include two-factor authentication, encrypted communications and DBA controls. The company says development, support and compliance processes are managed in Norway, aligned with GDPR and European privacy standards; it is headquartered in Oslo and was founded in 2001. The product is paid, with subscription pricing on request, and offers a free trial but no free plan. Licenses are per instance; a two-node failover cluster requires two licenses.

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. Its sensors measure complete-request time and query execution time separately in milliseconds. You can run custom SQL queries on a schedule and map results to monitoring channels. PRTG can flag connection timeouts, authentication failures, service interruptions, and query-validated errors; threshold alerts can go by email, SMS, push notification, syslog, or webhook.

Azure SQL Database and AWS RDS sensors collect metrics through Azure Monitor and AWS CloudWatch APIs without an agent on the database host. Scan intervals are configurable, with Paessler recommending five minutes for production monitoring. Backup checks use custom queries against backup history tables or file timestamps and require query-level setup. PRTG is offered as a Windows download or cloud-hosted service. Platforms listed include web, Windows, Android, iOS, and self-hosted deployment. A free plan covers up to 100 sensors; paid plans start at $200/mo (annual), and the free trial lasts 30 days.