Network Management

Status and Response time in SolarWinds Platform (ICMP vs SNMP) Average Response Time Calculation & Packet loss

This is how the SolarWinds Platform calculates the response time using SNMP and ICMP, and describes the polling response time differences between Internet Control Message Protocol (ICMP) and Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP). also this article will assist you finding Average Response Time Calculation & Packet loss

First published date

11/29/2018 10:30 PM

Last published date

11/13/2025 4:15 PM

Overview

This article describes the polling response time differences between Internet Control Message Protocol (ICMP) and Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP). It explains how the SolarWinds Platform calculates the response time using SNMP and ICMP.

Product section

Orion Platform

Resolution

Calculate the response time

After you select SNMP in a packet analyzer for the Status & Response Time, the SolarWinds Platform begins monitoring the device by requesting to follow object OID 1.3.6.1.2.1.1.2.0.

The request packet is sent at regular intervals, and each get request will be waiting for a get response from the device.

After the get-response packet is received, the ms time is calculated between the get-request & get-response packets to generate and calculate the response time from the node.

This article describes how to save a packet capture from your SolarWinds Platform server using Wireshark.
How to save a packet capture from a SolarWinds Platform server

The following illustration shows the SNMP setting in the Wireshark packet analyzer,

Below is an example of an SNMP get-request packet.

Below is an example of an SNMP get-response packet.

Polling response: ICMP vs. SNMP

After selecting ICMP (Ping) - Fastest, the simple ICMP packet is sent through the SolarWinds Platform Engine and calculates the Response time sent within the packet.

The following illustration shows the ICMP (Ping) - Fastest setting in the Wireshark packet analyzer,

You will notice high Response Time values compared with ICMP when monitoring through SNMP. This is normal behavior, as the device processes the SNMP request through the SNMP engine, depending on availability.

Average Response Time Calculation.

This is done as a rolling average of the last ten polls (ICMP or SNMP) for response time.

You get one ping request and one reply for a specific device during one polling cycle and 23 bytes are sent by default:

Packet loss
If No response is received, the engine will send 3 fast polling packets to verify the Node status.

This article explains how the packet loss of a node is calculated.
How the SolarWinds Platform calculates packet loss for a node (site.com)

Disclaimer: Please note, any content posted herein is provided as a suggestion or recommendation to you for your internal use. This is not part of the SolarWinds software or documentation that you purchased from SolarWinds, and the information set forth herein may come from third parties. Your organization should internally review and assess to what extent, if any, such custom scripts or recommendations will be incorporated into your environment. You elect to use third-party content at your own risk, and you will be solely responsible for the incorporation of the same if any.