SolarWinds Server & Application Monitor (SAM) is a product offered by SolarWinds, a leading provider of IT management software. SolarWinds was founded in 1999 in Tulsa, Oklahoma, and has since grown into a global company serving over 300,000 customers worldwide.

SolarWinds was founded by Donald Yonce, David Yonce, and Michael Bennett with a vision to provide affordable and powerful IT management software. The company initially focused on network management solutions and has since expanded its offerings to cover a wide range of IT management needs.Key milestones in SolarWinds' growth include:

• 1999: Founded in Tulsa, Oklahoma.

   

• 2001: Released its flagship product, SolarWinds Network Performance Monitor (NPM).

   

• 2006: Moved headquarters to Austin, Texas.

   

• 2009: Completed initial public offering (IPO).

   

• 2015: Acquired by private equity firms Silver Lake Partners and Thoma Bravo for $4.5 billion.

   

• 2018: Returned to public markets through another IPO.

SolarWinds has gone through various funding rounds and ownership changes:

• 2007: Raised funding from Austin Ventures, Bain Capital, and Insight Venture Partners.

   

• 2009: Completed IPO, raising $112.5 million.

   

• 2015: Taken private in a $4.5 billion deal by Silver Lake Partners and Thoma Bravo.

   

• 2018: Returned to public markets.

   

As of January 2025, SolarWinds has a market capitalization of $2.40 billion and an enterprise value of $3.46 billion.

SolarWinds Server & Application Monitor (SAM) is a comprehensive monitoring solution designed for on-premises, cloud, and hybrid environments. Key features include:

1. Application and server performance monitoring.

    

2. Over 1,200 out-of-the-box monitoring templates.

    

3. Application infrastructure dependency mapping.

    

4. Cloud application monitoring (IaaS, PaaS, SaaS).

    

5. Deep monitoring for Microsoft applications (Active Directory, Exchange, IIS, SQL Server).

    

6. Customizable dashboards and alerts.

    

7. Capacity planning and forecasting.

    

8. Integration with other SolarWinds products.

SolarWinds has made several strategic acquisitions to expand its product portfolio:

1. 2019: Acquired Samanage for $350 million, entering the IT Service Management (ITSM) market.

    

2. 2020: Acquired SentryOne, enhancing database performance management capabilities.

    

3. 2018: Acquired Loggly, strengthening cloud offerings.

    

These acquisitions have allowed SolarWinds to offer a more comprehensive suite of IT management solutions.

Recent updates to SAM include:

1. Azure Cloud Dashboard for monitoring Azure cloud accounts.

    

2. Kubernetes containerd support.

    

3. Improved polling scalability.

    

4. Vulnerability and Risk Dashboard improvements.

    

5. Expanded cloud monitoring for Azure Managed Instance, Azure MySQL, Azure PostgreSQL, and Amazon RDS for SQL Server.

SolarWinds emphasizes a people-first culture with core values of Collaboration, Accountability, Readiness, and Empathy (CARE). The company has established "Solarian Life & Communities" initiatives to foster inclusion, sustainability, and employee well-being.

SolarWinds serves over 300,000 customers globally, including Fortune 500 companies, government agencies, and educational institutions. The company has built a strong online community called THWACK, where users can interact, solve problems, and share technology insights. In conclusion, SolarWinds has established itself as a leading provider of IT management software, with SAM being a key product in its portfolio. The company's focus on affordable, powerful solutions and strategic acquisitions has contributed to its growth and market position in the IT management space.