January 2, 2021

Your Powerful and Foolproof Network Scanner

Due to the increasing complexity of local-area networks, also known as LANs, businesses and organizations have started to rely on software tools known as network scanners. A network scanner simplifies and automates what would otherwise be a time-consuming and potentially expensive process that would involve manual inventory of all hardware and software assets.
Editor’s choice 2019
Network Inventory Advisor
Automatically collect all relevant data on all network devices and get detailed OS and devices statistics.
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 a LAN Scanner

A LAN scanner is a software tool that automatically discovers all devices connected to a particular network and gathers all relevant information about them. LAN scanners are the backbone of modern hardware and software asset management strategies. Without proper information technology asset management, businesses and organizations often waste huge sums of money on hardware and software purchases, instead of leveraging their existing assets. Good asset management also helps with the timely discovery of network problems and greatly simplifies reporting; thus, offering something to both IT administrators and managers.

How to Select the Best Network Scanner

When selecting a network scanner, keep in mind that it should fit your needs — not someone else’s. Some scanners are more suitable for smaller networks, while other scanners specialize in the scanning of networks that consist of thousands of nodes. There are scanners that support only a certain operating system or a vendor, and there are scanners that are compatible with most major software products. Finally, not all network scanners are equally affordable, nor do all network scanners come with the same customer support.

“That said, there are certain universally desirable features that any good network scanner should have, with the main one being the ability to reliably and automatically discover all software and hardware assets”

That said, there are certain universally desirable features that any good network scanner should have, with the main one being the ability to reliably and automatically discover all software and hardware assets. Network Inventory Advisor can automatically collect license information for most major software products from more than 500 vendors. It can also conduct automated network hardware audits, collecting heaps of information about hundreds of devices in a matter of minutes. You can audit every computer running Windows, Mac OS X, or Linux. All network SNMP devices are supported as well.

Unlike many other network device scanner solutions, Network Inventory Advisor is designed to also function as an easy-to-use network monitoring solution. You can use it to understand better how your network handles usage spikes and discover the cause of network slowdowns and outages. Network Inventory Advisor gives you a broad overview of your entire network, accelerating your decision-making and increasing your problem-solving abilities.

Another desirable feature of any scanning software is a modern user interface design with adherence to present usability principles. Only then is it possible for a network scanner tool to be both sophisticated and easy to use at the same time. Network Inventory Advisor is an excellent example of a network scanner Windows users can download for free and test for up to 15 days to discover how approachable complex data scanning can be. Despite being a Windows network scanner, Network Inventory Advisor can discover computers running all major operating systems.

Network Inventory Advisor

Scanning and asset discovery with Network Inventory Advisor is fully automated, and the initial step-by-step scanning wizard makes scanning as simple as it can be. Users who demand a greater degree of control over the scanning process can still adjust many advanced settings.

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

A necessary part of any modern IT asset management solution is software licensing management. A full-featured LAN scanner, such as Network Inventory Advisor can automatically collect information about software licenses and purchases and track their usage across the network. Modern businesses and organizations rely on a growing number of products from multiple vendors, often with each vendor using a different licensing model. To ensure compliance with contracts, it’s necessary to know how many software activations are on the network and how many license keys are remaining for potential network expansions. Network Inventory Advisor automates software licensing management, allowing businesses and organizations to conduct detailed compliance audits with a few mouse clicks.

You should select a network scanner capable of dealing with non-standard network setups and non-computer assets. Being able to track and report on standalone nodes, computers not connected to the main network, and even office furniture from the same software you use for hardware and software inventory management is a huge convenience and time-saver. Network Inventory Advisor handles non-computer assets with ease, allowing you to add limitless number of non-computer assets. Best of all, this type of an inventory asset isn’t counted in your license.

Finally, it always pays off to select a network scanner that you can test for free to determine how it performs on your network and decide whether it meets all your requirements. Network Inventory Advisor can be downloaded from the official website for free and tested up to 15 days. Once the trial period is over, you can purchase a license for any number of network nodes you want.

How to Use Network Inventory Advisor as LAN Scan Software

Performing the initial LAN scan with Network Inventory Advisor won’t take you more than a couple of minutes. All you need to do is input your login information into scan wizard window and click on the Start smart scan button. Network Inventory Advisor will then remotely access and gather your hardware and software assets, quickly scanning all nodes on your network.

Once the initial LAN scan is over, you will see all your assets in the Assets tree window located on the left side of the main application window. From there, you can effortlessly add standalone assets, import or export audit data, view detailed reports, schedule scans, and much more.

A network scanner is an indispensable tool for any modern business or organization that relies on information technology to stay competitive and thrive in the global market. Network Inventory Advisor is a proven solution that’s trusted by some of the largest companies across many industries.

Editor’s choice 2019

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