SpiceWorks, the free network admin program for small LANs, gets an update

Version 3.2 of the free Spiceworks IT management software fixes numerous bugs in the previous version and for the first time supports LDAP servers that do not belong to an Active Directory under Windows. The developers have improved UTF-8 support for SNMP device names, Wake on LAN, and numerous parameters that affect login, searching for network devices, and how e-mail is handled. Details can be found in the release notes on the vendor's website.

Spiceworks inventories and monitors network devices, such as Windows, Linux, and Mac OS X computers, routers and printers; it manages software licenses and collects error messages in a ticket system. It displays the data it collects in reports or issues warnings via an alarm system when, for instance, servers crash, hard drives malfunction, or printer toner is about to run out. The program also organizes tasks and projects in a helpdesk.

Spiceworks runs on Windows XP SP2 and higher; it also needs a web browser (Firefox or Internet Explorer). According to the vendor, the program is especially well suited to networks with fewer than 250 devices. The nearly 12 MB installation file is available to download on the Spiceworks website. Although it is not open source, SpiceWorks is free to install and use, without restrictions – development is funded by internal advertisements within the software. However, users have the option of paying to get rid of the adverts if they wish, but this is not actively requested.

(lghp)