Documentation for Network Topology Mapper

Prepare to install

Before you install, complete the checklist below. This checklist helps you:

Verify that system requirements are met, all required software is installed, and required roles and features are enabled.
Gather the information required to complete the installation.

	Review release notes	Review Network Topology Mapper release notes and available documentation in the Success Center.
	Review system requirements	Make sure your environment has all of the hardware, software, and database requirements for your installations.
	Review device requirements	Make sure the devices you want to see on NPM maps correspond with device requirements.
	Run all Windows updates	Check for and run all Microsoft Windows Updates on all servers. As you install, if a Windows update runs, your system may reboot as needed by Windows.
	Prepare licenses	Review your current product licenses and determine if you need to make any changes. You can download updated license keys through the Customer Portal. If you need to modify your licenses, contact your SolarWinds account manager or SolarWinds.
	Gather credentials	Use the Local Administrator Account for installation. The Local Administrator Account is not the same as a domain account with local admin rights. A domain account is subject to your domain group policies. To download SolarWinds products and licenses, you need a SolarWinds Customer Portal account. To create your SolarWinds account, see Access the Customer Portal.
	Schedule the installation	Set up the maintenance window, preferably during off-peak hours. Depending on the number of products, size of databases, and size of environment, you may need hours to complete your installation.
	Notify your company	Send a message to your company about the installation schedule and maintenance window. If you need additional help, contact and allocate staff to be available.

As part of your preflight, prepare the SolarWinds environment:

	1. Build the environment	Prepare the servers based on your deployment size and system requirements.
	2. Run all OS updates	Before installation, check for and run all OS updates on all servers. As you install, if an OS update runs, your system may reboot as needed. These include Microsoft Windows, Linux, and others as specified in requirements.
	3. Open ports according to requirements	For your server ports and firewall, open ports according to the system requirements. SolarWinds uses these ports to send and receive data.
	4. Check for antivirus software	Determine if any antivirus software is installed on the server or servers where you plan to install. To ensure the installation goes smoothly, exclude the SolarWinds directory. For example, on Windows Server 2012 R2, exclude `C:\ProgramData\SolarWinds\`. Do not exclude executable files. SolarWinds assumes that `C:\` is the default volume.