January 2, 2021

What is Network Inventory

The term network inventory means many different things to different people. Some imagine a collection of routers and switches, some picture network-connected printers, scanners, and fax machines, and others assume that the term network inventory encompasses every device connected to the Internet. In this article, we explain what a network inventory really is, and we take a closer look at one of the most popular tools for efficient network inventory management, Network Inventory Advisor.
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Network Inventory Advisor
Automatically collect all relevant data on all network devices and get detailed OS and devices statistics.
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Network Inventory Advisor for Windows scans Windows, Mac OS X, Linux computers and SNMP devices, any of them will count as a node.

What Is Network Inventory?

A network inventory is the collection of all hardware and software assets on a network. The term network inventory is typically used in the business setting, both by the management and the IT department. Decision-makers demand a running list of all the stuff on the company network because it allows them to better plan future software and hardware purchases and make sound strategic decisions. Network administrators need to have a good understanding of all the equipment that makes up the company network to diagnose and fix problems in a timely manner and to prepare for audits.

“ Network administrators need to have a good understanding of all the equipment that makes up the company network to diagnose and fix problems in a timely manner and to prepare for audits.”

Most of those who are responsible for network inventory management rely on network inventory software such as Network Inventory Advisor or Total Network Inventory to accomplish what would otherwise take days and weeks in a matter of minutes and hours. Besides being time-efficient, network inventory software has numerous capabilities that are indispensable for preparing for audits, including reporting, automatic hardware and software asset tracking, and customizable alerts.

How Can Network Inventory Advisor Help Me Manage My Network Inventory?

First released in 2008, Network Inventory Advisor is a third-party network management tool designed to collect all relevant data on network devices and obtain detailed software and hardware statistics. Network Inventory Advisor is developed by ClearApps LLC, software development company headquartered in Elk Grove, California. Since it first became available, Network Inventory Advisor has become one of the most popular network inventory software solutions, and, in this section, we briefly describe some of the ways how Network Inventory Advisor can help you manage your network inventory.

Network Inventory
Editor’s choice 2019
Network Inventory Advisor
Automatically collect all relevant data on all network devices and get detailed OS and devices statistics.
Download for Windows
Network Inventory Advisor for Windows scans Windows, Mac OS X, Linux computers and SNMP devices, any of them will count as a node.

Software Asset Management

Network Inventory Advisor supports software products from over 500 vendors, giving companies of all sizes the ability to easily track installations, software versions, licenses, and services on all computers with a press of a button.

Software Asset Management

Those who choose Network Inventory Advisor as their network inventory software of choice don’t need to worry about passing software audits. With many different licensing models, the modern software landscape can be very difficult to navigate. Most companies these days pay for yearly and monthly software subscriptions, purchase software license keys, and sometimes even pay for on-demand cloud computing services. Network Inventory Advisor helps companies ensure compliance with the myriad of different software licenses with its easy-to-use software tracking features and sophisticated reporting capabilities.

Hardware Asset Management

Network Inventory Advisor is also a powerful network inventory scanner capable of automatically detecting all Windows, macOS, Linux, and SNMP devices on the network. Besides IT asset tracking, Network Inventory Advisor also supports the tracking of standalone assets, like printers, keyboards, sound devices, and even office furniture.To scan connected devices with Network Inventory Advisor, it’s not necessary to install a scan agent on the scanned devices. What’s more, scanning with Network Inventory Advisor can be fully automated to always stay in the know of any changes that occur on the network.

Hardware Asset Management

Thanks to its hardware asset management capabilities, Network Inventory Advisor helps companies leverage their existing resources in the most optimal manner and strategically plan future hardware purchases to keep up with the competition and achieve a healthy growth rate. Considering how much even many small and medium-sized companies spend on hardware assets, it makes sense for companies to assign a high priority to hardware asset management and equip themselves with network inventory tools capable of effortlessly monitoring even the largest networks while still meeting the needs of smaller companies.

One Solution, Multiple Networks

Network Inventory Advisor is one of only a handful of Network Monitoring Tools that can monitor multiple networks from a single installation, making it ideal for MSPs, ensuring that they won’t ever have to look for any additional software to run their network inventory projects. When an MSP gets a new client, they can simply create a separate network in Network Inventory Advisor and make a scan.

Network Monitoring Tool

With Network Inventory Advisor, bulk editing of both software and hardware assets is as effortless as it can be. Even those network administrators who manage networks that consist of multiple thousand assets don’t feel overwhelmed when using Network Inventory Advisor.

Instant Alerts and Comprehensive Reporting

Network Inventory Advisor can send alerts when it detects software and hardware changes, notifying network administrators when something is removed, installed, or replaced on the network. A change on the network may be an early sign of a larger problem, and the sooner the IT staff is aware of the change, the quicker the underlying problem can be solved.

Software and Hardware changes

Of course, not all problems reveal themselves on their own. Some problems are systemic, having to do with network inventory utilization and software license compliance. In the worst-case scenario, a problem is revealed during an audit, leading to large financial penalties that might even threaten the very existence of the company. To prevent this from happening, Network Inventory Advisor features a host of comprehensive reporting capabilities, making it possible to print complex reports with a single click.

Free to Download and Inexpensive to Purchase

Network Inventory Advisor is free to download and can be tested in production without any limitations for up to 15 days. The price for the standard license for Windows XP/2000/ME/7/8/10 is determined by the number of nodes on the monitored network. Thanks to the business-friendly license terms of Network Inventory Advisor any license purchased can be used for personal and commercial needs and every purchase is a one-time payment without hidden fees or subscriptions of any kind. To find out more information about Network Inventory Advisor and its licensing terms, head over to the official website.

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Network Inventory Advisor for Windows scans Windows, Mac OS X, Linux computers and SNMP devices, any of them will count as a node.