Network Mapping Software

[MFortie]

Any one have a suggestion for a good network mapping package?

Not necessarily freeware, but free is always good!

I did try SpiceWorks, but it didn't want to run; before I spend too much time on troubleshooting it, I thought I'd see what else is out there.

LanSurveyor? What's Up Gold? Good, bad, so-so?

Thanks,

Mark

[ExtremeX]

=)

Whats up gold is excellent network monitoring software. I use this at work to monitor all network devices from managed switches, firewalls, printers to servers.

Iris Network Traffic Analyzer - very powerful and worth a look.

BackTrack if you havent seen/heard of that before is a Linix distro with a extensive suite of tools.

Wireshark

Nmap - Network Mapping

Nessus

Some of these tools really compliment eachother.

edit: Spiceworks is terrible IMO. Tried it and hated it. Full of ad ware.

[bigmike82]

Solar Winds LAN Surveyor is pretty badass...but very expensive. Those guys really make outstanding products.

[snypr]

I use whatsup also, very good tool. BAC (Business availability center from HP) is awesome, but very expensive. Actually BAC is way overkill if you are just needing uptime monitor/reporting, so it might not be the best choice. We also used spotlight for our exchange servers some years ago, very flashy and sexy looking from a monitoing standpoint, but might also be overkill as well as I think its main side was app performance monitoring. Like extreme said, BT is wonderful if your linux savvy...and can get one in trouble , but a fantastic tool none the less.

[JDay]

How do you not know about Nmap?

http://nmap.org/

[sfwdiy]

How do you not know about Nmap?

http://nmap.org/

This. nmap is the cat's a**, and it's free.

--B

[bigmike82]

Yeah, but nmap isn't a network mapping package...

[JDay]

Yeah, but nmap isn't a network mapping package...

Contrary to popular belief it is not just a port scanner. The name Nmap stands for "Network Mapper".

http://www.itworld.com/it-managementstrategy/96905/unix-how-using-nmap-map-your-network

[bigmike82]

Call it what you want....it is a port scanner. It doesn't map anything more than ping does.

[JDay]

Call it what you want....it is a port scanner. It doesn't map anything more than ping does.

Obviously you have little to no real experience with this tool, if this is not a mapped network below, what is?



ETA: Read the manual here.

http://nmap.org/book/zenmap-topology.html

[bigmike82]

Obviously you have little to no real experience with this tool, if this is not a mapped network below, what is?

Lawl. You funny.

Generally, when someone asks for a network mapper, you're talking about an internal network mapper. See, nmap can't 'map' switches because they don't show up on a tracert. Or worse yet, they'll show up as hosts on the ring. Switches are a pretty vital part of a network...especially if you use them to extend connectivity from floor to floor. So if you're on a network with only a few routers, the mapping function is useless.

I stand by the fact that nmap is not a mapper. It may have mapping functionality, but unless you're mapping specific cases like the above, it doesn't do you much good.