THWACK is the SolarWinds community where IT professionals swap ideas, ask questions, and learn from one another. It brings together people across IT disciplines for practical conversations that extend beyond any single product or challenge.
For database professionals, THWACK provides a practical home for community engagement alongside product discussions, technical resources, events, blogs, and THWACK Missions. It is a place to share approaches to performance, availability, troubleshooting, and the day-to-day work of keeping critical systems running, while staying connected to the broader SolarWinds community.
The Mission
THWACK Missions add a bit of structure and fun to the experience of using the primary platform for the SolarWinds community to engage and cross-pollinate ideas and enthusiasm. The goal behind our missions is to invite members to spend more time with a topic that might otherwise get only a quick glance, with points, badges, and the leaderboard adding to the appeal. This is idea that shaped Total Recall: Into the Database, (our most recent database-focused mission) which uses a sci-fi theme to explore memory and database performance across an IT environment.
Bringing database performance to life
Database performance can be a serious subject. It involves the day-to-day work of understanding workloads, finding bottlenecks, and investigating the issues that affect critical applications. Still, not every conversation about it has to begin with a product datasheet or a long technical article. Because Total Recall: Into The Database takes a sci-fi approach to memory and database performance, it gives database professionals a lighter way to explore a familiar subject and, maybe, just maybe, come across a useful idea or resource they haven’t seen before.
More than just points on the board
Often, the assumption is that community missions are mainly about points, prizes, and leaderboard position. Those things certainly make a mission more enjoyable. And yes, Total Recall includes points, badges, and the chance to earn up to 1,500 THWACK points. But a Mission is more than a just a reason to check in and win some swag or some kudos. It gives members a lightweight way to explore a topic, discover related resources, and connect with other users. The result is a learning experience that extends beyond the activity itself.
Database community engagement beyond the Mission
THWACK is already a place where people share technology and best practices, so Missions fit naturally. They offer a starting point, with the wider community there for anyone who wants to explore further. They also give us room to have some fun while engaging users of database products. The subject matter stays practical, but it doesn’t have to be presented in an overly formal way. A strong theme can add personality without getting in the way of the technical content.
The same spirit of participation also sits behind the SolarWinds® THWACK® MVP Program. MVPs are recognised for consistently sharing their SolarWinds knowledge and experience with the wider community. There’s no points-based shortcut to that recognition. The programme’s advice is simple: engage, and share what you learn. A Mission gives database users another place to start doing just that.
A fun way into a serious subject
For the database team, Missions can complement more traditional technical content. They don’t replace product documentation, a technical article, or a conversation with another DBA. They simply offer another way to start exploring a subject and find the right resources when more detail is needed.
We’re looking forward to future THWACK Missions with new themes and useful ways to explore SolarWinds® Database Performance Analyzer, SQL Sentry®, database performance monitoring, and database observability. Above all, we hope they give database users another reason to learn, contribute, and connect with people working through similar challenges.
FAQ
What are THWACK Missions?
THWACK Missions are interactive community experiences. Members can take part and earn points and badges while exploring SolarWinds topics and resources.
Who can take part in THWACK Missions?
THWACK members can explore the Missions area and take part when a mission is available. The community also includes forums, groups, events, and technical content for SolarWinds users.
How can THWACK help database professionals?
THWACK gives database professionals a place to explore product resources, ask questions, share experience, and connect with other users working with database environments.