SolarWinds Integration with Network Copilot | Aviz Networks
From Monitoring Silo to Unified Intelligence: SolarWinds Integration with Network Copilot
October 7, 2025Network Copilot ™
Summary
Enterprises rely on SolarWinds Orion for rich device and interface telemetry, but this data often remains siloed within its database and UI. The SolarWinds integration with Network Copilot changes that by transforming Orion from a standalone monitoring tool into a unified, real-time intelligence layer. Through the SWIS API and Kafka streaming, operators get structured, queryable insights across inventory, hardware health, and performance metrics, all accessible directly within Copilot.
Introduction
Many enterprises already depend on SolarWinds Orion for network performance monitoring and telemetry. It delivers extensive data, from device inventory to performance counters, yet this information often stays locked inside Orion's database or UI.
Network operators face three common issues: siloed access, manual data sharing, and limited real-time integration. This blog explains how the SolarWinds integration with Network Copilot solves these problems by turning Orion's monitoring data into unified network intelligence.
How Does the SolarWinds Integration with Network Copilot Work?
The SolarWinds Collector for Copilot bridges Orion's closed data environment with Copilot's open data platform. It uses the SWIS API to extract inventory and telemetry data, normalizes it, and streams it into Kafka, making SolarWinds data instantly available across the Copilot ecosystem.
The SolarWinds Collector Solution
The integration is built as a containerized microservice (Docker-based) that securely connects to SolarWinds through the SolarWinds Information Service (SWIS) API. It runs scheduled queries to fetch both inventory and metrics at configurable intervals, ensuring the data remains fresh and structured.
Key characteristics:
- Containerized microservice that runs alongside other collectors.
- SWIS API integration for secure, structured queries (no DB-level access needed).
- Scheduled polling for inventory and performance data.
- Schema normalization to make SolarWinds data consistent with other controllers.
- Kafka streaming for real-time data availability in the Copilot data plane.
This approach transforms SolarWinds from a monitoring silo into an active data source within a unified observability and automation framework.
Figure 1: Data connector ingestion using Network Copilot
What Data Does the SolarWinds Collector Cover?
The collector queries Orion database entities through the Orion SDK (SWIS API) to provide complete visibility into both static and dynamic data, including devices, interfaces, hardware components, and performance metrics.
a. Device Inventory
Pulled from Orion.Nodes and Orion.AssetInventory.ServerInformation, providing a full device profile:
- IP address, hostname, caption
- Model, serial number, OS, vendor
- Uptime, reachability, availability status
- Device type and classification
b. Interface Inventory
Fetched from Orion.NPM.Interfaces (joined with Orion.Nodes):
- Interface name, alias, description
- Admin/oper status
- MTU, speed, index for correlation with counters
c. Hardware Inventory (Fan & PSU)
Queried from Orion.HardwareHealth.HardwareItem and related entities:
- Fan presence, model, serial, direction, LED status, speed
- Power Supply presence, model, serial, voltage, current, wattage, thresholds
- Operational state
d. Performance Metrics (Health Counters)
Includes real-time utilization data from key entities:
- CPU Load: from Orion.CPULoad (per device processor load %)
- Memory Utilization: from Orion.Volumes
- Interface Counters: from Orion.NPM.InterfaceTraffic and Orion.NPM.InterfaceErrors
Metrics include:
- In/Out octets, packet counts
- Errors, discards
- Last poll timestamps
What Does the SolarWinds Copilot Workflow Look Like?
The collector authenticates into SolarWinds, pulls data securely, transforms it into JSON, and streams it into Kafka, ensuring consistency with Copilot's unified data model.
- Authentication to SolarWinds: The collector logs into the Orion SDK (SWIS API) using configured credentials for secure access.
- Lightweight Collector Service: Runs as a containerized service that fetches both inventory and live performance data on schedule.
- Streaming into Kafka: Converts all records (devices, interfaces, CPU/memory, fans, PSUs) into JSON and sends them to Kafka topics.
- Unified Data Model: Cleans and normalizes data before publishing, so it aligns with Copilot's schema and integrates easily with other collectors.
How Can SolarWinds Data Be Used Inside Network Copilot?
SolarWinds data inside Copilot enables faster troubleshooting, deeper inventory insights, and real-time health monitoring through natural-language queries.
1. Everyday Operations & Troubleshooting
Quickly check device reachability, interface status, and recent failures without logging into the Orion UI.
Sample Prompts:
!solar: Has any switch rebooted in the last 24 hours?!solar List interfaces that changed Admin and Oper status
2. Hardware & Inventory Visibility
Access detailed hardware and asset information for audits or lifecycle planning.
Sample Prompts:
!solar List all devices with uptime less than 24 hours!solar List the voltage thresholds for all Power Supply Units!solar Show me various HWSKUs in my network!solar List interfaces for all devices with speed and type
3. Performance & Health Monitoring
Use live telemetry like CPU, memory, and interface errors for proactive assurance.
Sample Prompts:
!solar Which devices are running high CPU right now?!solar Are there interfaces reporting high error or discard rates?
Figure 2: Interface details of a switch using SolarWinds Data ingestion
Why Does This Integration Matter?
It transforms SolarWinds from a standalone monitoring tool into a real-time intelligence source within Copilot, eliminating silos and manual data handling.
| Challenge | Before (SolarWinds native) | After (with Copilot) |
|---|---|---|
| Device inventory access | Locked in Orion views | Directly queryable in Copilot |
| CPU / memory monitoring | Manual drilldowns per device | Instant, natural-language answers |
| Interface counters | CSV/API exports required | On-demand via Copilot prompts |
| Fan / PSU visibility | Buried in Hardware Health tables | Readable as a structured inventory |
| Multi-source correlation | Manual stitching across tools | Unified insights across connectors |
Conclusion
SolarWinds Orion has long provided powerful monitoring and telemetry, but it operated in isolation. With Network Copilot, that same data becomes living intelligence—structured, queryable, and actionable. No more silos or manual exports. Just instant answers and unified insights across your entire network.
Transform Your Network Monitoring Today
Experience instant access to your SolarWinds data with Network Copilot. Transform siloed monitoring into unified, actionable intelligence today.
Tags:network observabilitynetwork performance monitorsolarwinds integration