SolarWinds User Device Tracker: Complete Setup & Best Practices

How to Monitor End-User Devices with SolarWinds User Device Tracker

Monitoring end-user devices helps IT teams quickly locate devices on the network, identify user-to-device mappings, and troubleshoot connectivity or security issues. SolarWinds User Device Tracker (UDT) provides a focused toolset for tracking endpoints by MAC address, IP, switch port, and user. This guide explains how to deploy, configure, and use UDT to monitor end-user devices effectively.

1. What UDT does (brief)

• Device location: Maps devices to switch ports and interfaces.
• User association: Shows which user or workstation is tied to an IP/MAC.
• Historical tracking: Keeps movement and connection history for devices.
• Alerts & search: Lets you search devices quickly and receive notifications for changes.

2. Pre-deployment requirements

• SolarWinds Platform (appropriate version) and access to the Orion web console.
• Network credentials: SNMP (v2c/v3), WMI, SSH, and/or API access to network devices and Windows hosts as needed.
• Properly configured polling credentials in Orion for switches, routers, and hosts.
• Network topology with managed switches that provide MAC/IP-to-port data (most managed switches do).

3. Installation and integration

1. Add the User Device Tracker module from SolarWinds Installer or Orion Platform if not already installed.
2. Ensure the UDT service is running and visible under Orion web console > Settings > All Settings > User Device Tracker.
3. Confirm required polling engines and that your Orion server has network access to managed devices.

4. Configure polling and credentials

1. In Orion, go to Settings > All Settings > Manage Nodes/Credentials.
2. Add SNMP v2c or v3 credentials for switches and routers; add Windows credentials for WMI where required.
3. Assign credentials to device groups or individual nodes so UDT can query MAC address tables, ARP tables, and CDP/LLDP neighbors.

5. Discovering and adding devices

1. Ensure switches and routers are added as nodes in Orion.
2. UDT uses switch MAC tables and ARP caches to discover endpoint mappings automatically—no manual device import needed for tracked endpoints.
3. For unmanaged or wireless devices, ensure access points and controllers are monitored in Orion so UDT can collect association data.

6. Using the UDT web interface

• Navigate to My Dashboards or UDT-specific views in Orion. Key panels:
  • Live Device View: Search by MAC, IP, hostname, or username to locate a device and see current switch port, interface status, and last-seen timestamp.
  • Port/Interface Details: View connected MAC addresses, VLAN, speed, and neighboring device.
  • Connection History: See movement timeline for a device showing prior ports/IPs and timestamps.
  • Top Talkers / Active Endpoints: Quickly identify high-activity devices or all currently connected endpoints.

7. Searching and bulk operations

• Use the global search box to find devices by MAC, IP, hostname, or username.
• Export search results to CSV for reporting or ticketing integration.
• Use filtering by VLAN, node, or device type to narrow results.

8. Alerts and notifications

1. Configure alerts in Orion Alerting for events such as: new device appearing on critical ports, device moved to unauthorized ports, or high number of endpoint changes.
2. Use actionable alerts that include device location and suggested remediation steps.
3. Integrate with ticketing or paging systems to create incidents automatically on critical endpoint changes.

9. Troubleshooting common issues

• Missing device mappings: Verify SNMP credentials, ensure switches support and expose MAC tables, and confirm UDT polling intervals.
• Inaccurate user mappings: Ensure WMI or Active Directory integration is configured to map usernames to IPs.
• Wireless endpoints not appearing: Add APs/controllers as nodes and confirm controller integration supports client association queries.

10. Best practices

• Maintain up-to-date credentials and limit permissions to read-only where possible.
• Poll at reasonable intervals (e.g., 60–300 seconds) balancing freshness and system load.
• Group critical switches and ports into dedicated views and alerts.
• Regularly archive exported reports and historical data for compliance.
• Use role-based access control in Orion to limit who can see sensitive device-location data.

11. Example quick-run checklist

1. Install UDT module and verify service.
2. Add/manage network devices with correct SNMP/WMI credentials.
3. Confirm UDT can read MAC and ARP tables from switches.
4. Search for a test device by MAC and confirm port mapping.
5. Configure an alert for device movement on a critical switch port.
6. Export a CSV of current endpoints for inventory.

12. Wrap-up

SolarWinds User Device Tracker centralizes endpoint location, user association, and history, enabling faster troubleshooting and better visibility into your network edge. Following the steps above—proper credentials, monitored switches, and targeted alerts—will let you monitor end-user devices reliably and respond quickly to incidents.