---
title: Process Check Monitor
description: Check if a process is running on a host
breadcrumbs: Docs > Monitors > Monitor Types > Process Check Monitor
---

# Process Check Monitor

## Overview{% #overview %}

A process check monitor watches the status produced by the Agent check `process.up`. At the Agent level you can [configure your check thresholds](https://docs.datadoghq.com/integrations/process/) based on the number of matching processes.

## Monitor creation{% #monitor-creation %}

To create a [process check monitor](https://app.datadoghq.com/monitors/create/process) in Datadog, use the main navigation: *Monitors –> New Monitor –> Process Check*.

### Pick a process{% #pick-a-process %}

From the dropdown list, select a process to monitor. Filter the list by entering your search criteria.

### Pick monitor scope{% #pick-monitor-scope %}

Select the hosts to monitor by choosing host names, tags, or choose `All Monitored Hosts`. Only hosts or tags reporting a status for the selected process are displayed. If you need to exclude certain hosts, use the second field to list names or tags.

- The include field uses `AND` logic. All listed host names and tags must be present on a host for it to be included.
- The exclude field uses `OR` logic. Any host with a listed name or tag is excluded.

### Set alert conditions{% #set-alert-conditions %}

{% tab title="Check Alert" %}
A check alert tracks consecutive statuses submitted per check grouping and compares it to your thresholds. For process check monitors, the groups are static: `host` and `process`.

Set up the check alert:

1. Trigger the alert after selected consecutive failures: `<NUMBER>`

Each check run submits a single status of `OK`, `WARN`, or `CRITICAL`. Choose how many consecutive runs with the `WARN` and `CRITICAL` status trigger a notification. For example, your process might have a single blip where connection fails. If you set this value to `> 1`, the blip is ignored but a problem with more than one consecutive failure triggers a notification.

1. Resolve the alert after selected consecutive successes: `<NUMBER>`

Choose how many consecutive runs with the `OK` status resolves the alert.

{% /tab %}

{% tab title="Cluster Alert" %}
A cluster alert calculates the percent of process checks in a given status and compares it to your thresholds.

Set up a cluster alert:

1. Decide whether or not to group your process checks according to a tag. `Ungrouped` calculates the status percentage across all sources. `Grouped` calculates the status percentage on a per group basis.

1. Select the percentage for alert and warn thresholds. Only one setting (alert or warn) is required.

Each check tagged with a distinct combination of tags is considered to be a distinct check in the cluster. Only the status of the last check of each combination of tags is taken into account in the cluster percentage calculation.

{% image
   source="https://datadog-docs.imgix.net/images/monitors/monitor_types/process_check/cluster_check_thresholds.a0293f2a3b0165cff25f7207d86b781f.png?auto=format"
   alt="Cluster Check Thresholds" /%}

For example, a cluster check monitor grouped by environment can alert if more that 70% of the checks on any of the environments submit a `CRITICAL` status, and warn if more that 70% of the checks on any of the environments submit a `WARN` status.
{% /tab %}

#### Advanced alert conditions{% #advanced-alert-conditions %}

See the [Monitor configuration](https://docs.datadoghq.com/monitors/configuration/#advanced-alert-conditions) documentation for information on [No data](https://docs.datadoghq.com/monitors/configuration/#no-data), [Auto resolve](https://docs.datadoghq.com/monitors/configuration/#auto-resolve), and [New group delay](https://docs.datadoghq.com/monitors/configuration/#new-group-delay) options.

### Notifications{% #notifications %}

For detailed instructions on the **Configure notifications and automations** section, see the [Notifications](https://docs.datadoghq.com/monitors/notify/) page.

## Further Reading{% #further-reading %}

- [Configure your monitor notifications](https://docs.datadoghq.com/monitors/notify/)
- [Schedule a downtime to mute a monitor](https://docs.datadoghq.com/monitors/downtimes/)
- [Check your monitor status](https://docs.datadoghq.com/monitors/status/)