Explaining & Updating High Availability Suicide Rule Intervals

4/14/2026 3:42 PM

4/17/2026 3:19 PM

In SolarWinds High Availability:

• IntervalMemberDown - can be adjusted in web console in HA settings
  How long a standby waits without heartbeats/pool sync before declaring the active member Down and taking over.

• IntervalSuicideRule (the “suicide rule”) - needs to be updated via SQL query. Currently no option to update via UI. 
  How long a member waits when it cannot reach any node in the pool via SQL before it stops all HA resources locally (“commits suicide”) to avoid split‑brain.

Design requirement:

IntervalSuicideRule must be lower than IntervalMemberDown.

This guarantees the original active kills its own resources first before the standby is allowed to promote itself, preventing double‑polling and data corruption. Generally, it is recommended to have "IntervalSuicideRule" at least 5 seconds lower than "IntervalMemberDown".

Orion Platform

The High Availability failovers were caused by intermittent SQL connectivity and severe latency between the main poller and the SolarWindsOrion database.

 Around the time of each event, HA and MessageBus components logged SQL SqlException timeouts and 50+ second queries against HA_PoolMembers / HA_PoolMembersView, so the active member could not read the pool state or reach any node in the pool.

 Because this condition persisted beyond the configured 45-second IntervalSuicideRule, the HA service invoked the suicide rule, stopped all local HA resources (VIP and poller engine), and demoted the main poller, causing all pools to move off the active server.  HA behavior itself was by design; the underlying cause is unstable/slow SQL access from the HA nodes. 

A permanent resolution is to resolve the SQL connection issues; however, in large environments it may sometimes be needed to adjust the suicide rule due to low network bandwidth or very large environments in HA. 

The steps below can be used to update the rule "default interval to consider a member as down in a pool" and the "HA suicide rule". Please have a DB backup and VM snapshots taken before completing the following steps. Services don't need to be restarted for changes to take effect, but as a best practice, disable HA globally before updating the settings.

To prevent double polling, give the services sufficient time to stop before a failover occurs. Set the HA suicide rule value at least 5 seconds lower than the rule "Default interval to consider a member as down in a pool."

 

To adjust the rule "default interval to consider a member as down in a pool", head to the HA settings in the web console and adjust the below:

Configure SolarWinds Platform High Availability settings 

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To adjust the HA suicide rule, there is currently no option to increase it in the web console; it must be done via a SQL query.  Please have DB backup taken beforehand.

 

The query below can be used to update the HA settings table so the suicide rule is 55 seconds instead of 45. This will only affect any future pools created; it will not affect current created pools.

-- Scripts are not supported under any SolarWinds support program or service.
-- Scripts are provided AS IS without warranty of any kind. SolarWinds further
-- 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,
-- production, or delivery of the scripts be liable for any damages whatsoever
-- (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.
UPDATE [dbo].[Settings] SET CurrentValue = 55 WHERE SettingID = 'HA-DefaultPoolIntervalSuicideRule'

The query below can be used to update the HA pools table so the current pools will have the suicide rule of 55 seconds instead of 45. This will only affect current pools and not any future ones.

-- Scripts are not supported under any SolarWinds support program or service.
-- Scripts are provided AS IS without warranty of any kind. SolarWinds further
-- 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,
-- production, or delivery of the scripts be liable for any damages whatsoever
-- (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.
UPDATE [dbo].[HA_Pools]
SET IntervalSuicideRule = '55' WHERE IntervalSuicideRule = '45'