You have _this_ video card, you have _this_much_ RAM, you have _this_many_disks_ with _this_much_ space, your favorite color is _purple_ and your processor is made by _Intel_.

June 19, 2009 6:31 AM

Free or near-free configuration management tool that examines a system and outputs a report?

I have 100 (nominal) disparate PCs on a network inherited from various sources. I want a semi-organized report on each of them with regard to which software packages are installed and what hardware is on each. Is there a free or inexpensive piece of software you've used that will do this? Thanks!

posted by ostranenie to Computers & Internet (5 answers total)

Spiceworks will give you plenty of information although it tends to rely on using a domain admin's password to access the information about each PC's configuration. If you don't have a Windows domain, not sure how it would work (although it can also use SSH to scrutinise Linux boxes).
posted by BrokenEnglish at 6:36 AM on June 19, 2009

Have you looked into LanSweeper?

I don't have personal experience with this particular piece of software, as we use Microsoft SCCM at my work, but their free version seems to have the features you need (and they have a non-free version with many more features).

Their documentation PDF does state that you need a Windows 2003 server, with IIS running, and some form of SQL server (a local installation of SQL express is fine).
posted by vall at 6:43 AM on June 19, 2009

Try Belarc.

I've only used Belarc Advisor, which works really well.

They have more advanced products that are server-configurable (so you don't have to install a program 100 different times).

It sounds like BelManage might be more your speed, but I just glanced at it.
posted by foooooogasm at 6:47 AM on June 19, 2009

SIW does great work. Only an exe, nothing to install. Belarc does a similar thing but you have to go through an install process for all machines. SIW sits on a server and you run it from the workstations.
posted by dozo at 7:40 AM on June 19, 2009

I've used both Spiceworks and Belarc for this kind of thing, and both work well. Belarc more for a one-off information, and Spiceworks for a whole network picture.
posted by deezil at 12:59 PM on June 20, 2009