Applications Systems

Change agent polling between agent initiated and server initiated in the SolarWinds Platform

This article provides steps on how change agent communication manually.

First published date

10/16/2018 6:06 PM

Last published date

12/10/2025 12:46 AM

Overview

This article describes how to manually change the polling method of agents between agent initiated and server initiated, without losing data by uninstalling and reinstalling the agent.

Product section

Server Application Monitor

Resolution

  1. Log into the node where the agent is installed.
  2. Edit the connection settings.
    • For Windows, open Orion Agent Settings in the Control Panel.

      • If you get an error when opening Agent Settings in the Control Panel:

        Navigate to the C:\ProgramData\SolarWinds\Agent directory and Permanently Grant Access to the directory for your user when prompted.
        Navigate to the agent installation directory (by default C:\Program Files (x86)\SolarWinds\Agent) and Permanently Grant Access to the directory for your user when prompted.

    • For Linux, su (that is, issue the substitute user command) to an account with elevated privileges and type service swiagentd init in the terminal.
    • For AIX, su to an account with elevated privileges and type /opt/SolarWinds/Agent/bin/swiagentaid.sh init in the terminal.
  3. Select an agent communication mode.
    • Agent-initiated communication: The agent initiates communication with the SolarWinds Platform server on port 17778. This port must be open on the SolarWinds Platform server firewall so the agent can connect. Also open port 17791 if the agent is on Windows 2008 R2. No changes to the firewall rules are required on the agent-monitored device.
    • Server-initiated communication: The agent waits for requests from the server on a specified port. This port must be open on the firewall of the agent computer so the SolarWinds Platform server can connect. No changes to the firewall rules are required on the SolarWinds Platform server.
  4. Save your changes.

 

Note:

  • If you switch from agent-initiated to server-initiated communication, you must register the agent with the Orion server manually 
  • When communication between the agent and the SolarWinds Platform server is successful, the agent is listed on the Manage Agents page with the updated communication mode.