SolarWinds Hybrid-Cloud-Observability-Network-Monitoring Hybrid Cloud Observability Network Monitoring Exam Exam Practice Test

Comprehensive and Detailed Explanation From Exact Extract:

If an OID is not present in the SolarWinds MIB database, you can still poll it by manually defining the OID in Device Studio. The platform allows you to input the object identifier and specify SNMP as the method to query the device.

From the documentation:

"If a required OID is missing from the MIB database, use the Device Studio's 'Manually Define Object Identifier' feature to specify the OID and configure SNMP polling for the device."

Comprehensive and Detailed Explanation From Exact Extract:

The Universal Device Poller (UnDP) in SolarWinds allows you to create custom SNMP pollers. Results from UnDPs can be displayed as charts, gauges, or tables on SolarWinds web console views. The administrator guide states:

“Universal Device Pollers (UnDPs) allow you to collect SNMP data not provided natively by SolarWinds. The collected results can be displayed as charts, gauges, or tables, making it easier to visualize the custom metrics.”

Device Studio pollers are templates used to define UnDPs, but it is the UnDP that presents data visually. Hardware health and Network Insight are not custom pollers.

Comprehensive and Detailed Explanation From Exact Extract:

SolarWinds NTA (and Hybrid Cloud Observability) supports a range of flow technologies including J-Flow (used by Juniper devices) and sFlow (an industry standard for network monitoring and traffic analysis). GFlow and HFlow are not supported flow technologies in SolarWinds' official documentation.

Comprehensive and Detailed Explanation From Exact Extract:

By default, SolarWinds Log Analyzer retains log data for 7 days. This means log messages are searchable and available in the web console for one week unless the retention settings are adjusted.

The documentation states:

"Log Analyzer's default retention period for storage and search is 7 days. Administrators can adjust this period as required to meet compliance or storage needs."

Comprehensive and Detailed Explanation From Exact Extract:

Custom pollers are typically created when you need to monitor metrics or OIDs that are not supported by default in SolarWinds:

Monitor specific metric that is not out-of-the-box: If a device exposes a metric not natively monitored by SolarWinds, you must create a custom poller for that metric.

Monitor unsupported object ID: For any OID that is not included in default templates, a custom poller is necessary.

Monitoring special equipment or devices without WMI might also need custom pollers, but the requirement specifically applies when you need to access non-standard metrics or OIDs.

Comprehensive and Detailed Explanation From Exact Extract:

NetFlow defines a flow as a unidirectional sequence of packets sharing common values in seven key fields. The three essential data points from your list used to determine if packets are part of the same flow are IP address (source and destination), Layer 3 protocol (such as TCP or UDP), and port number (source and destination). The interface name is not used to identify a unique flow.

Comprehensive and Detailed Explanation From Exact Extract:

If the web console shows a router as “down” but it is actually operational:

ICMP is blocked: If the polling engine cannot ping the device, it will be reported as down.

SNMP is blocked: If SNMP polling fails (for devices polled via SNMP), detailed data and status cannot be retrieved, resulting in a down state.

Agent connection issues may apply for agent-based monitoring but are not typical for network routers. Node dependency configuration could affect child node status display but would not cause the parent node to show “down”.

Comprehensive and Detailed Explanation From Exact Extract:

Device Studio pollers are used to build custom pollers for advanced device-specific metrics and widgets. The technologies explicitly supported for Device Studio pollers include:

Machine type for node details widget: Device Studio can create custom pollers to display specific node details, such as machine type, chassis ID, or serial number, within a node details widget.

Power supply status for vital statistics view: Device Studio also allows polling and visualizing metrics such as power supply status, fan status, and other vital statistics that are not natively included in basic SNMP polling.

While Device Studio can poll for advanced or composite data such as VLAN, VRF, and device health, certain interface statistics or single CPU/memory metrics are typically managed by standard SNMP pollers or Universal Device Pollers rather than Device Studio.

Comprehensive and Detailed Explanation From Exact Extract:

Device Studio is specifically designed to build custom pollers for missing or vendor-specific metrics that are not natively included in node details. It is best used to enrich the node details with custom OID-based metrics from devices.

From the documentation:

“Use Device Studio to build pollers for new metrics not present in the default node details, particularly for custom or third-party equipment.”

The official SolarWinds documentation specifies that the minimum RAM requirement for setting up log collection (Log Analyzer/LA) in Hybrid Cloud Observability is 16 GB. This ensures optimal performance and stability for log collection, processing, and storage within the SolarWinds environment.

Exact Extract from Official Guide:

“Minimum hardware requirements for Log Analyzer and log collection: 16 GB RAM, quad-core CPU, and sufficient storage depending on log volume.”

— (Log Analyzer Administrator Guide, “System Requirements” section)

Comprehensive and Detailed Explanation From Exact Extract:

List resources is the menu where you can select or deselect which interfaces (including operationally down and administratively shutdown ones) are monitored for a node. This allows you to uncheck unnecessary or down interfaces and prevent them from impacting the node status.

Comprehensive and Detailed Explanation From Exact Extract:

A. MIB files define the available SNMP objects and metrics that can be polled from a device.

C. MIB files provide human-readable names and descriptions for OIDs, allowing SolarWinds to display metrics in a clear, user-friendly format instead of raw OID numbers.

Automatic device discovery is handled by network scanning, not by MIB files, and OIDs are created by device vendors, not by SolarWinds.

Comprehensive and Detailed Explanation From Exact Extract:

SolarWinds provides the flow alert wizard as the tool to configure and manage flow alerts. This wizard guides administrators through selecting the relevant flow metrics and alert thresholds.

The documentation states:

"Use the Flow Alert Wizard to define and manage alerts on flow-based data, allowing for rapid detection and notification of anomalous network activity."

Comprehensive and Detailed Explanation From Exact Extract:

If a device studio poller is configured with a static textual value (rather than a dynamic OID), any change in the actual value on the node will not be detected automatically; the poller’s configuration must be manually updated to reflect the new value. OID-based pollers update automatically as values change on the device.

Comprehensive and Detailed Explanation From Exact Extract:

To detect duplex mismatches:

The node must be monitored (i.e., managed in SolarWinds).

The node must be in "up" status, so SNMP data about interface status, speed, and errors can be polled and compared.

Description in MIB (A) is not necessary if the device is already SNMP-capable, and "warning" status (C) is a result, not a requirement.

Comprehensive and Detailed Explanation From Exact Extract:

Log Analyzer listens for syslog messages by default on:

TCP port 514 (the standard syslog port)

TCP port 6514 (the default port for syslog over TLS/SSL, i.e., secure syslog)

Port 162 is for SNMP traps, and 1463 is not standard for syslog in SolarWinds.

Comprehensive and Detailed Explanation From Exact Extract:

List Resources: When you add or manage a node, the List Resources page allows you to enable or verify hardware health monitoring options.

Manage Sensors: This section allows you to directly manage the hardware sensors (such as fans, power supplies, and temperature sensors) that report health status.

Device view and node properties are not the primary locations for enabling or managing hardware health sensors.

Comprehensive and Detailed Explanation From Exact Extract:

If a node remains in “unknown” status:

A. Ping device from assigned polling engine: Verifies direct network connectivity from the poller to the node.

C. Verify the appropriate polling method is set for this node: Ensures SolarWinds uses the correct protocol (ICMP, SNMP, WMI, etc.) for monitoring.

D. Verify a ping response for this node is received through the ICMP: Confirms basic reachability and that the node is not blocking ping requests.

Running an SNMP walk (B) can help diagnose SNMP-specific issues but is not always directly relevant to a node simply being in “unknown” status unless SNMP is the configured polling method.

Comprehensive and Detailed Explanation From Exact Extract:

By default, SolarWinds Network Performance Monitor uses historical data from the last 7 to 30 days to calculate capacity forecasts. This range balances the need for relevant recent data with enough samples to provide trend accuracy.

The documentation states:

“Capacity forecasting in SolarWinds NPM uses the last 7 to 30 days of historical data by default for its projections.”

Ping the device from the polling engine: Verifies network connectivity and correct polling engine assignment.

Verify hardware health sensors: Ensures the platform is receiving valid sensor data; missing data may indicate sensor or device communication issues.

Adding a remote site node and waiting are not direct troubleshooting steps for missing data on a node that is already “up.”

Exact Extract from Official Guide:

“If a node is up but data is missing, check network connectivity from the polling engine using ping or SNMP walk tools, and verify that hardware health sensors are reporting valid data.”

— (Network Performance Monitor Administrator Guide, “Troubleshooting Nodes and Data Collection” section)

Comprehensive and Detailed Explanation From Exact Extract:

If a NetPath probe displays “no data found” while others work, the most common and recommended first step is to restart the SolarWinds agent service on the node where the problematic probe is deployed. This action often resolves agent-to-probe communication issues or agent service hiccups.

Comprehensive and Detailed Explanation From Exact Extract:

If the flow source view in SolarWinds NTA shows “never received” and firewall issues are ruled out, it is often because the device (node) is no longer monitored by SolarWinds. If a node is removed or its monitoring is disabled, the collector will not associate incoming flows from that node, resulting in "never received" status.

Comprehensive and Detailed Explanation From Exact Extract:

To test connections from two separate locations using NetPath or similar functionality in Hybrid Cloud Observability, you need to create two probes and assign each probe to an agent at each respective location. This allows network path and experience monitoring from the point of view of both locations.

Exact Extract from Official Guide:

“To monitor network paths from multiple locations, create a separate probe for each location and assign the probe to an agent deployed at that site.”

— (Network Performance Monitor Administrator Guide, “NetPath and Probes” section)

Comprehensive and Detailed Explanation From Exact Extract:

The SolarWinds MIB database is used for SNMP-based monitoring and performs these critical functions:

A. It defines which OIDs are recognized and what metrics can be polled via Universal Device Pollers or other custom monitors.

C. It maps OIDs (numeric identifiers) to their human-readable textual names for reporting and alerting.

Options B and D are not accurate; the database does not enable automatic polling nor does it update device OIDs during polling.

Comprehensive and Detailed Explanation From Exact Extract:

To monitor and configure High Availability (HA) mode for site-to-site VPN tunnels on a Cisco ASA firewall, SolarWinds uses SNMP for standard device and interface metrics, and CLI polling for advanced VPN and HA state details. SNMP provides general health data, while CLI polling (using Device Studio or Network Insight) collects information not available via SNMP, such as detailed VPN and HA status.

Comprehensive and Detailed Explanation From Exact Extract:

If interfaces on a node show an “unknown” status, the recommended solution is to delete and rediscover the node. This ensures all current interface information, OIDs, and properties are correctly detected and polled, resolving mismatch or missing data that can cause an “unknown” status.

Comprehensive and Detailed Explanation From Exact Extract:

When the SolarWinds Log Analyzer web console is in "live mode," it automatically refreshes the log viewer data every 10 seconds by default, ensuring users see near real-time event streams.

The documentation states:

"In live mode, Log Analyzer refreshes data every 10 seconds to display the most recent events as they arrive."

Comprehensive and Detailed Explanation From Exact Extract:

The local NetFlow source provides live (real-time) flow traffic data that is sourced to and from the main polling engine server. This feature is primarily for monitoring the main polling engine’s traffic and quickly identifying top talkers and general flow activity on that server.

Comprehensive and Detailed Explanation From Exact Extract:

SolarWinds provides a MIB Browser utility that lets you search and verify whether a specific object ID (OID) exists in the SolarWinds MIB database. By entering the OID in the MIB Browser, you can confirm its presence and also test polling against the device.

The documentation states:

"Use the MIB Browser to search for and verify OIDs in the SolarWinds MIB database. The tool also allows you to test poll the device to ensure the OID is being returned."

Comprehensive and Detailed Explanation From Exact Extract:

False positives in hardware health alerts often occur when the polled MIB on the device is not the preferred or correct MIB for that particular hardware platform. This can result in SolarWinds interpreting SNMP data incorrectly, causing inaccurate alerts. Ensuring that the device is using the recommended MIB for hardware health resolves these false alert issues.

Comprehensive and Detailed Explanation From Exact Extract:

SolarWinds Log Analyzer and Hybrid Cloud Observability support log collection from current, supported Windows operating systems, such as Windows 10 (workstation) and Windows Server 2019. Older or unsupported versions like Windows Vista or Server 2012 may not be supported.

Comprehensive and Detailed Explanation From Exact Extract:

A. When you probe less frequently, updates are slower but generally more accurate since there's less overhead and less chance of missing network changes due to polling overlaps.

C. Probing more frequently results in faster updates but may slightly decrease accuracy due to increased network noise and overlapping probes.

The documentation states:

"A higher probing frequency provides faster updates in NetPath views but can reduce accuracy due to more frequent sampling. Lower frequency means slower updates but typically results in higher accuracy and less system load."

Comprehensive and Detailed Explanation From Exact Extract:

When you observe an "unknown traffic event" in the SolarWinds web console, it usually means the collector is receiving NetFlow or other flow data from a device that is not currently managed or monitored in the SolarWinds database. The collector can receive flows from any device, but if the device is not added or properly monitored, the traffic will show up as "unknown" because SolarWinds cannot associate the flows with a known interface or device.

Comprehensive and Detailed Explanation From Exact Extract:

For a node-specific log view, navigate to the node’s details summary and choose “Analyze Logs” under the Management section. This provides a filtered view of log messages for the selected node, allowing you to drill into relevant log events and details.

From the documentation:

“To view logs for a specific node, open Node Details > Management > Analyze Logs for node-level log analysis and troubleshooting.”

Comprehensive and Detailed Explanation From Exact Extract:

When configuring database log collection (e.g., from SQL Server), SolarWinds supports:

Mixed mode authentication (SQL Server and Windows authentication)

Windows authentication

Kerberos and oAUTH are not supported directly as authentication methods for log collection from SQL Server databases in the SolarWinds platform.

Comprehensive and Detailed Explanation From Exact Extract:

When the SNMP community string is changed on a device, SolarWinds recommends:

Edit the node properties and save the changes.

Update the community string in node properties to match the new value on the device.

"To restore polling, edit the node in SolarWinds, update the SNMP community string in the properties, and save the changes. This ensures that SolarWinds can authenticate and resume polling. Deleting and re-adding the node is not necessary, nor is restarting the SNMP service on the device in most cases."

Comprehensive and Detailed Explanation From Exact Extract:

To monitor servers and connections in a load-balancing environment—specifically for F5 BIG-IP load balancers—SolarWinds requires that you:

Enable CLI polling: This is necessary for SolarWinds to collect configuration and health data from network devices.

Enable F5 iControl polling: F5 iControl API allows SolarWinds to collect load balancer details, including virtual servers and pools, for deep monitoring of server and connection health.

Adding Cisco Nexus devices relates to switch monitoring and is not required for F5/BIG-IP load balancer server connection monitoring.

Exact Extract from Official Guide:

“To fully monitor F5 BIG-IP load balancers, enable both SNMP and CLI polling, and configure F5 iControl API credentials for device access and load balancing visibility.”

— (Network Performance Monitor Administrator Guide, “Network Insight for F5 BIG-IP” section)

The best practices for creating a Universal Device Poller (UDP) in SolarWinds are:

Consult vendor documentation for OID: Always check the device/vendor documentation for the correct OID to monitor the desired metric.

Perform SNMPwalk to determine if OID exists: Use SNMPwalk to verify the OID’s existence and see if it is supported and returns the correct values from the device.

Calling SolarWinds support is not a standard step for obtaining OIDs, and WBemtest is a Windows tool for WMI, not SNMP/OID polling.

Exact Extract from Official Guide:

“Consult device vendor documentation for correct OIDs and perform SNMPwalk to ensure the OID exists and is supported by the device before creating a UDP.”

— (Network Performance Monitor Administrator Guide, “Best Practices for Universal Device Pollers” section)

Comprehensive and Detailed Explanation From Exact Extract:

SolarWinds' log processing policies for svslog (syslog) and traps (SNMP traps) are processed independently and concurrently. This is because syslog and SNMP trap processing are separate services with their own processing pipelines, unlike the global pre and post policies which affect overall log routing or rule order.

Comprehensive and Detailed Explanation From Exact Extract:

SolarWinds allows users to customize the display of NetFlow and other flow-based data for ingress (incoming) or egress (outgoing) traffic. The selected view (direction) is retained for 24 hours for the user session.

As stated in the official guide:

“Both ingress and egress traffic views are available and retained for 24 hours for the user session on the SolarWinds platform.”

Other time frames are not referenced in the official documentation.

Comprehensive and Detailed Explanation From Exact Extract:

To monitor a custom application using flow monitoring in SolarWinds Hybrid Cloud Observability, you must define the application by specifying its port or port range (and optionally protocol). After this, the application can be assigned to flows involving specific machines, but the primary step is to define application ports first.

Comprehensive and Detailed Explanation From Exact Extract:

When a device returns multi-core CPU statistics as a table, SolarWinds Device Studio allows you to use the "Add Calculated Value" option and select the average function. This enables the web console widget to display the computed average CPU utilization automatically.

The documentation explains:

"For devices with multi-core CPUs, you can use the Add Calculated Value feature in the Device Studio to compute the average (or other statistical functions) of returned table values, which can then be visualized directly in widgets."

Comprehensive and Detailed Explanation From Exact Extract:

The Universal Device Poller (UDP) in SolarWinds NPM allows users to monitor any SNMP-exposed value, including interface traffic, UPS battery status, and CPU temperature, provided the device's MIB exposes the relevant OIDs. Users configure the UDP to poll these custom OIDs, making it a flexible option for monitoring a wide range of metrics across diverse devices.

Comprehensive and Detailed Explanation From Exact Extract:

SolarWinds allows you to confirm which metrics (contributors) are used to determine node status. In the node status contributors configuration, you can check if CPU load is included for status calculation. This ensures that CPU thresholds are considered when evaluating overall node health.

Comprehensive and Detailed Explanation From Exact Extract:

SolarWinds platform allows for customizing threshold behavior to reduce false positives and tune alerting sensitivity. The three primary customizable threshold settings are:

Single poll: A threshold is triggered immediately if the value breaches the limit in a single polling cycle.

X consecutive polls: The threshold must be exceeded in X consecutive polling intervals before being considered breached.

X of Y polls: The threshold is triggered if the value exceeds the limit in X out of Y most recent polls.

"X concurrent polls" is not an available threshold customization in the SolarWinds platform.