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Inventory/Audit/License Compliance

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by razz2

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This might be better as a discussion, but lets see what we get here.

I have been doing more and more license compliance audits lately. In many cases it is small networks and MSIA (Microsoft SOftware Inventory Analyzer) works fine. Sometimes I have used the NewtPro 1.0 or 2.0 software. I am looking for a combination of these. Here is what I like about them:

MSIA has a license management part to it where you can enter current licenses and it will let you know where you stand, but it is VERY limited.

NewtPro has a full inventory of Hardware and software, including software keys. It has no license feature though. If it did it would be for me.

Both are agentless which is nice in some cases, but not for license compliance. An agent that reports changes would be better obviously.

I have tried Centennial Discovery and like it so far. It saw my SQL Server and used it. I don't like their web admin terminology but it is ok to use.

TallySystems TSCensus I am disappointed with. Installed failed on my server because the demo will not work with SQL Server. It wanted to install MSDE even though SQL was there. It installed an old JVM even though the new one was installed and it seems non-intuitive to me.

Here is the question... What is the best software to inventory Hardware and Software on about 150 workstations and manage licenses? The key here the 150 count. This is not large enough to warrant a package like LanDesk which I think is very expensive.

All suggestions are welcome but if the software has a demo that will help.

Thanks to all in advance,

razz

6 replies

by liame

I've asked a similar question not that long ago.

For me it came down to a toss up between centennial and visual audit pro - centennial came out on top for us due their licencing flexibilty.

http://www.mycmdb.com/ is also worth looking at.

by razz2

I was looking at NewtPro 2.0 or Centennial, but I tried LanDesk
as their Asset tool is available seperately. I also tried the Alloy-
Software Asset Navigator. Over 200 nodes the license includes
some small helpdesk software too and the price is reasonable. I
will most likely go that way. I have tried so many and most were
ok. Some really bugged me though. The Centennial saw my SQL
server when other installed MSDE anyway. They said the demo
would not do SQL but the full ver. would. Odd to me. So would
not work on an AD controller, some would. Most of all some had
the "Weird Interface Blues". I really liked the Assest Navigator.
The Centennial has better HTML management and shows
software usage but is a bit more and lacked some other
features. Wish I could the HTML reports from Centennial mixed
with the other parts of Asset Navigator.

Thanks to all.

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