SolarWinds provides software for managing information technology (IT) infrastructure such as networks, systems, databases, security, and help desks operating in on-premise, cloud, or hybrid environments. Rather than go through purchasing departments, the company sells directly to the administrators and developers who manage IT systems on a daily basis. While it counts some 275,000 customers in 190 countries, more than 60% of sales are to US customers. The company was taken private in 2016 by private equity firms Thoma Bravo and Silver Lake before making a public stock offering in October 2018.