Network Management

Recommended Upgrade Steps for .NET 8.0 on SolarWinds Platform

This article provides steps to upgrade to .NET 8.0 on SolarWinds Platform, focusing on installing matching ASP.NET Core and .NET Desktop runtimes (same version) to prevent service startup issues.

First published date

4/8/2026 1:13 AM

Last published date

4/8/2026 3:01 AM

Overview

This article provides recommended steps for upgrading .NET 8.0 on the SolarWinds Platform.

  • Install both of the following on each SolarWinds server:
    • ASP.NET Core Runtime
    • .NET Desktop Runtime
  • Both runtimes must be the same version (for example, 8.0.24 and 8.0.24).
  • Only use Microsoft official installers (x64) appropriate for the OS.

Product section

Orion Platform

Resolution

At this time, SolarWinds Platform is validated and supported on .NET 8.0.  We do not yet support .NET 9.0 or .NET 10.  For more information, please contact SolarWinds Support.

Recommended Upgrade Steps

  1. Plan the Maintenance Window

    • Schedule a maintenance window for each SolarWinds server (main poller, additional polling engines, web servers, etc.).
    • Notify stakeholders that SolarWinds services may be briefly unavailable during the upgrade.

  2. Identify Current .NET Version

    On each SolarWinds server:

    • Open Settings > Apps > Installed apps (or Programs and Features on older OS versions).
    • Note any existing:
      • ASP.NET Core Runtime 8.x
      • .NET Desktop Runtime 8.x
    • Record the current versions for your change record.

  3. Download Matching .NET 8.0 Installers

Before running the installers, stop all SolarWinds services on all SolarWinds servers. If High Availability (HA) is deployed, disable it temporarily to prevent failover issues.

From the official Microsoft .NET download site:

    • Download the ASP.NET Core Runtime (8.0, Windows x64) installer.
    • Download the .NET Desktop Runtime (8.0, Windows x64) installer.
    • Ensure that both installers are the same version/build (for example, 8.0.24 for both):
      • aspnetcore-runtime-8.0.24-win-x64.exe
      • windowsdesktop-runtime-8.0.24-win-x64.exe

  2. Install .NET 8.0 Components (Same Version)

    On each SolarWinds server:

    1. Run the ASP.NET Core Runtime 8.0.x (x64) installer:

      • Follow the setup wizard.
      • Complete the installation.

    2. Run the .NET Desktop Runtime 8.0.x (x64) installer:

      • Follow the setup wizard.
      • Complete the installation.

    3. Confirm that:

      • The ASP.NET Core Runtime and .NET Desktop Runtime are both present.
      • They have the same version number (e.g., 8.0.24 and 8.0.24).

  3. Reboot the Server (If Required)

    • If either installer prompts for a restart, or if the environment is heavily used, perform a reboot of the SolarWinds server after the installations complete.
    • Ensure the server comes back cleanly and all services are able to start.

  4. Verify Installed Versions

    After the upgrade and any reboot:

    • Re-open Installed apps / Programs and Features.
    • Confirm that both:
      • ASP.NET Core Runtime 8.0.x (x64)
      • .NET Desktop Runtime 8.0.x (x64)
    • Are installed and show the exact same 8.0.x version.
    • Apply the same process (steps 1–6) to:
      • Main poller
      • Additional polling engines
      • Web or application servers
    • Ensure consistent .NET versions across all SolarWinds servers where platform components run.

  5. Validate SolarWinds Services

    • Restart SolarWinds Services and enable HA (if applicable)

    • Open Services.msc.

    • Confirm SolarWinds services (including SolarWinds Certificate Management Service, polling engines, and web services) are:

      • Running, and
      • Remaining stable (not stopping unexpectedly).

    • Log in to the SolarWinds web console and:

      • Check Platform Health or equivalent.
      • Confirm there are no .NET- or certificate-related errors.

Best Practices / Notes

  • Always upgrade ASP.NET Core Runtime and .NET Desktop Runtime together, keeping them on the same 8.0.x build.
  • Avoid installing mismatched versions (for example, ASP.NET 8.0.24 with Desktop 8.0.20) as this can cause services not to start or behave unpredictably.
  • For security-driven upgrades (e.g., vulnerability findings):
    • Use this process to ensure compliant and supported .NET versions.
    • Re-run vulnerability scans after verifying both runtimes are installed at the same version.
  • .NET Framework 4.8 remains installed and unchanged.