AUSTIN, TX--(Marketwired - Mar 25, 2014) - SolarWinds (NYSE: SWI), a leading provider of powerful and affordable IT management software, today announced that its 2014 Bracket Battle will feature the best of the best in the gaming world. Hosted on thwack, SolarWinds' online IT Pro community, this bracket-based, "March Mayhem"-style competition will start on March 24, 2014 with 33 of the most popular and iconic games to grace arcades, consoles and computers until only one victor escapes the ultimate "game over." Each round winners are selected by the popular vote of the thwack audience.

　　The game vs. game match-ups that gaming enthusiasts have long debated will finally become a reality at thwack.com. This year's battle features 33 video game titans that span various platforms and genres and thwack members will decide who stands victorious in this knock out battle. The initial bracket including all of the first round grudge-matches will be announced on March 24 but to fuel the frenzy of excitement, consider this:

　　Who would you rather have by your side - Tommy Vercetti or John Marston?

　　Could the Umbrella Corporation thrive in Rapture?

　　Would Bald Bull's reach defeat Mileena's dual sias?

　　These match-ups can be decided by a landslide or come down to a single deciding vote. So, gamers should start mobilizing troops and conjuring up Intimidating Shouts to ensure that the game that engulfs your nights and weekends is crowned champion. Tweet up a storm, engage your Facebook friends and promote your agenda in other communities to ensure success for your game -- make sure to use #LevelUp or #SWIBracketBattle so that fellow supporters can join you in battle and fierce competitors can see what they are up against.

　　The Details

　　The Gaming Bracket Battle beings March 24, 2014, at thwack.com with the announcement of the initial matchups and voting on the "play-in game" where two games will battle for the right to play in the main bracket

　　Voting on round one will begin on March 26, 2014 at noon and lasts until March 28, 2014 midnight

　　Voting on round two begins March 31, 2014

　　Additional rounds will be announced via SolarWinds Geek Speak blog, with the champion being crowned on April 14, 2014

　　The gauntlet has been thrown, level up or level out.

　　Additional Resources

　　Geek Speak Blog: Let's Level Up Folks!

　　SolarWinds Bracket Battle 2 - Gamer Edition

　　About SolarWinds

　　SolarWinds (NYSE: SWI) provides powerful and affordable IT management software to customers worldwide from Fortune 500 enterprises to small businesses. In all of our market areas, our approach is consistent. We focus exclusively on IT Pros and strive to eliminate the complexity that they have been forced to accept from traditional enterprise software vendors. SolarWinds delivers on this commitment with unexpected simplicity through products that are easy to find, buy, use and maintain while providing the power to address any IT management problem on any scale. Our solutions are rooted in our deep connection to our user base, which interacts in our online community, thwack, to solve problems, share technology and best practices, and directly participate in our product development process. Learn more today at http://www.solarwinds.com/

　　SolarWinds, SolarWinds.com and thwack are registered trademarks of SolarWinds. All other company and product names mentioned are used only for identification purposes and may be trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective companies.

　　MEDIA CONTACTS:

　　Nicole Fachet

　　Text100

　　Phone: 212.871.3950

　　[email protected]

　　Courtney Cantwell

　　SolarWinds

　　Phone: 512.682.9692

　　[email protected]