Ownership Submission
FORM 4
Check this box if no longer subject to Section 16. Form 4 or Form 5 obligations may continue. See Instruction 1(b).
UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549

STATEMENT OF CHANGES IN BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP OF SECURITIES

Filed pursuant to Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, Section 17(a) of the Public Utility Holding Company Act of 1935 or Section 30(h) of the Investment Company Act of 1940
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(Print or Type Responses)
1. Name and Address of Reporting Person *
HIBBERD DOUGLAS G
  2. Issuer Name and Ticker or Trading Symbol
SolarWinds, Inc. [SWI]
5. Relationship of Reporting Person(s) to Issuer
(Check all applicable)
_____ Director _____ 10% Owner
__X__ Officer (give title below) _____ Other (specify below)
Senior VP, Engineering
(Last)
(First)
(Middle)
C/O SOLARWINDS, INC., 3711 S. MOPAC EXPY., BLDG. TWO
3. Date of Earliest Transaction (Month/Day/Year)
01/05/2009
(Street)

AUSTIN, TX 78746
4. If Amendment, Date Original Filed(Month/Day/Year)
6. Individual or Joint/Group Filing(Check Applicable Line)
_X_ Form filed by One Reporting Person
___ Form filed by More than One Reporting Person
(City)
(State)
(Zip)
Table I - Non-Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned
1.Title of Security
(Instr. 3)
2. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year) 2A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year) 3. Transaction Code
(Instr. 8)
4. Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D)
(Instr. 3, 4 and 5)
5. Amount of Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s)
(Instr. 3 and 4)
6. Ownership Form: Direct (D) or Indirect (I)
(Instr. 4)
7. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership
(Instr. 4)
Code V Amount (A) or (D) Price
Common Stock 01/05/2009   M   12,300 A $ 2.6867 12,300 D  
Common Stock 01/05/2009   S   12,300 (1) D $ 23.1385 (2) 0 D  

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Table II - Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned
(e.g., puts, calls, warrants, options, convertible securities)
1. Title of Derivative Security
(Instr. 3)
2. Conversion or Exercise Price of Derivative Security 3. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year) 3A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year) 4. Transaction Code
(Instr. 8)
5. Number of Derivative Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D)
(Instr. 3, 4, and 5)
6. Date Exercisable and Expiration Date
(Month/Day/Year)
7. Title and Amount of Underlying Securities
(Instr. 3 and 4)
8. Price of Derivative Security
(Instr. 5)
9. Number of Derivative Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s)
(Instr. 4)
10. Ownership Form of Derivative Security: Direct (D) or Indirect (I)
(Instr. 4)
11. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership
(Instr. 4)
Code V (A) (D) Date Exercisable Expiration Date Title Amount or Number of Shares
Employee Stock Option (right to buy) $ 2.6867 01/05/2009   M     12,300   (3) 08/08/2016 Common Stock 12,300 $ 0 99,910 D  
Employee Stock Option (right to buy) $ 2.6867               (3) 08/08/2016 Common Stock 110,000   110,000 I By LP (4)

Reporting Owners

Reporting Owner Name / Address Relationships
 Director  10% Owner  Officer  Other
HIBBERD DOUGLAS G
C/O SOLARWINDS, INC.
3711 S. MOPAC EXPY., BLDG. TWO
AUSTIN, TX 78746
      Senior VP, Engineering  

Signatures

 /s/ Bryan A. Sims, Attorney-in-Fact for Douglas G. Hibberd   01/06/2009
**Signature of Reporting Person Date

Explanation of Responses:

* If the form is filed by more than one reporting person, see Instruction 4(b)(v).
** Intentional misstatements or omissions of facts constitute Federal Criminal Violations. See 18 U.S.C. 1001 and 15 U.S.C. 78ff(a).
(1) Shares sold pursuant to a 10b5-1 Trading Plan.
(2) This transaction was executed in multiple trades at prices ranging from $22.99 to $23.30, inclusive. The price reported above reflects the weighted average sale price. The reporting person hereby undertakes to provide upon request to the SEC staff, the issuer or a security holder of the issuer full information regarding the number of shares sold and each separate price within the range set forth in this footnote.
(3) Options subject to a right of early exercise by Mr. Hibberd prior to vesting and a right of repurchase by issuer that lapses in accordance with the following vesting schedule: 1/4th of the shares vested on August 7, 2007 and 1/48th shall vest each month thereafter.
(4) Vested options held by Clontarf Investments, Ltd. Clontarf Investments GP, LLC is the general partner of Clontarf Investments, Ltd. Mr. Hibberd and his wife are the sole members of Clontarf Investments GP, LLC and, by virtue of this relationship, may be deemed to have voting and dispositive power over the shares issuable upon the exercise of the options held by Clontarf Investments Ltd. Mr. Hibberd disclaims beneficial ownership of the shares held by Clontarf except to the extent of his pecuniary interest therein.

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