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SolarWinds Platform service fails to start with "Plugin "Core Business Layer" failed to start on [Poller Name]. Please restart the Module Engine service on [Poller Name]." message

After upgrading to SolarWinds Platform 2026.1, the Orion Module Engine or SolarWinds Platform services may fail to start with an alert stating that the Core Business Layer plugin could not initialize.

First published date

3/27/2026 6:39 PM

Last published date

7/29/2026 10:47 PM

Overview

Following an upgrade to SolarWinds Platform 2026.1 or 2026.1.1, a residual entry in the Setting table — CloudConnected.Settings.HideIconToAllUsers — prevents the Core Business Layer plugin from starting successfully. The plugin attempts to apply this setting during startup via the ScheduleNioTrialEntitlementCheck routine, but the property-set method associated with the record is no longer supported in this version, causing an unhandled exception and a fatal plugin startup failure.

Because the Core Business Layer is a foundational component of the SolarWinds Platform services, this failure prevents the Orion Module Engine from running and may cause the poller to appear offline or unresponsive. Standard service restarts and server reboots will not resolve the issue, as the problematic setting persists in the database. The fix requires removing this record directly from the Setting table and re-running the Configuration Wizard to restore normal service operation.

Product section

Orion Platform

Cause

This issue occurs because of the following conditions are true:

  • A stale/unsupported record in the Setting table with the name CloudConnected.Settings.HideIconToAllUsers prevents the Core Business Layer plugin from starting successfully after the upgrade.

  • Removing this record and re-running the Configuration Wizard on the main poller allows the plugin to start normally.

This issue is only applicable to SolarWinds Platform 2026.1 and 2026.1.1.

Resolution

This issue is addressed in SolarWinds Platform 2026.2. Consider upgrading your environment. If you cannot upgrade,  use the workaround below:

Before proceeding, confirm both of the following:

  1. The exact error text appears in the SolarWinds logs or Windows Application Event Log:

    Plugin "Core Business Layer" failed to start on [server]. Please restart the Module Engine service on [server].

  2. The environment has recently been upgraded to NPM 2026.1, and restarting SolarWinds services or rebooting the server did not resolve the issue.

If both conditions are confirmed, proceed with the steps below.

Step 1 — Back Up the SolarWinds Database

Important: Always back up the SolarWinds database before making any direct SQL modifications.

Take a full backup of the SolarWinds database on your SQL Server before continuing.

Step 2 — Remove the Problematic Setting from the Database

  1. Connect to the SolarWinds database using the Database Manager or SQL Server Management Studio (SSMS). For guidance, see: How to Run a SQL Query in Database Manager

  2. Run the following query to remove the stale setting: 

-- Scripts are not supported under any SolarWinds support program or service.
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-- disclaims all warranties including, without limitation, any implied warranties
-- of merchantability or of fitness for a particular purpose. The risk arising
-- out of the use or performance of the scripts and documentation stays with you.
-- In no event shall SolarWinds or anyone else involved in the creation,
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-- (including, without limitation, damages for loss of business profits, business
-- interruption, loss of business information, or other pecuniary loss) arising
-- out of the use of or inability to use the scripts or documentation.

DELETE FROM [Setting]
WHERE [Name] = 'CloudConnected.Settings.HideIconToAllUsers';
  1. Run the Configuration Wizard on the main poller.