What credential does the solarwinds agent for windows use to connect to the orion server?

Question

Hello and thanks for the look.

possible dumb question, but have been dumb before so figured I'd ask the experts. We have several windows managed nodes (w/qoe). The agents were already installed (manually I think) by someone who has moved on. I personally have not installed the agent. if I understand this correctly, during the manual installation credentials were entered. I have been tasked with implementing an AD service account to be used for the agent initiated mode for the agent>server communication credential. How can I change the agent credential post-installation? I think credentials were entered during the manual installation, but unsure if these were purposed for installation only or to be used for the on-going agent initiated polling communications. I am starting to think there is no credential after the initial install...dunno...Here's where you guys come in :-) . Here's where I've been so far:

Active Directory:

- Created an AD standard user service account to be used

- Verified the service account is nested in the proper groups to grant administrative permission on both the Orion Application (windows auth) and the windows server (administrators group)

Orion:

- Verified Managed Node from the qoe managed sensor and NPM Nodes and do not see a way to change the credentials when the windows server agent polling method is selected

Windows:

- Verified the Control Panel -> Orion agent Settings -> Agent Initiated Communication mode is selected and the Orion Username and Password are currently blank. This is where I expected to see the credential used and simply change it there.

end of day...Confused and not getting through my thick head. Thanks for the read and ANY feedback would be GREATLY appreciated

Tony

jpr7311 · Answer

Good question, Tony.  From my understanding of Solarwinds Agents, the credentials that you provide in the web console when pushing out a new Agent are only used for the initial installation of the Agent, and then never used again after install.  So those credentials would need permissions to be able to install software on the target machine (http://www.solarwinds.com/documentation/en/flarehelp/sam/content/core-agent-requirements-sw476.htm ).  If those Agents you have in place are functioning properly(Settings > All Settings > Manage Agents), there is no need to change them.  You can use that new service account you created for future Agent deployments.

Typically, I would use WMI for all Windows Servers that are Windows Server 2008 R2 and above, and then SNMP for Windows Server 2008 and below.  There are some scenarios where Agents make more sense, or is the only option:

* Servers in a DMZ or behind a firewall with strict rules that block the plethora of WMI ports.  Once an Agent is installed, it only uses one port for communication with the Orion server(TCP 17778). 
* They are also great for high latency environments because they use roughly 20% of the bandwidth WMI uses.

Hope this helps!

- Parker