When looking for a suitable Spiceworks Alternative or Replacement software, for either network device management or help desk ticketing system, there are quite a few software packages that will fit the bill.
Some features we'll be looking for in a replacement will be as follows:
- Automatic Device/Hardware Discovery and SNMP Network Scanning
- Manage Devices from Central Location
- Manage Software Licensing and Inventory from Dashboard
- Scan with WMI or SSH (for Linux/Unix/MAC)
- Reports (Scheduled and Customizable)
- Easy to Use and Intuitive Interface
Spiceworks is very attractive to a lot of small firms and businesses due to its Free price tag – but on the other hand, it is fairly limited in terms of functionality and the constant bombardment of ads that it is supported by.
Here is our list of the four best Spiceworks alternatives:
- SolarWinds Server & Application Monitor – FREE TRIAL This on-premises package discovers and scans servers, creating a software inventory and tracking application interdependencies for live activity monitoring. Runs on Windows Server. Get it on a 30-day free trial.
- HaloITSM – FREE TRIAL This ITIL-based asset management package provides an asset discovery service and an inventory management service as well as a Help Desk ticketing system. Available as a SaaS platform or for installation on Windows Server. Access a 30-day free trial.
- Paessler PRTG – FREE TRIAL A package of monitoring tools for networks, applications, and servers that is customizable and is free for up to 100 sensors. Runs on Windows Server.
- ManageEngine Applications Manager This package scans your systems and identifies off-site resources that support them as well as the managed resources that you know about. Available for Windows Server, Linux, AWS, and Azure.
Below we'll go over the best replacements and alternatives to Spiceworks (some would say competitors) that you can implement into your network if you are ready to take the next step for network server Monitoring and help desk ticketing.
Most software and tools below have either a Free version or a trial period to test out the features and functionality before making a decision on a software package.
Here's the Best Spiceworks Alternative & Replacements of 2023:
What should you look for in a replacement for Spiceworks Network Monitor, Inventory, and Help Desk?
We reviewed the market for systems that will provide good replacements for Spiceworks and analyzed the options based on the following criteria:
- A system that can identify and log all installed software packages
- An option to monitor network devices
- A Help Desk service with ticketing
- Asset management
- Automated alerts for system problems
- A free trial or a demo that provides an opportunity to test the service before paying
- Value for money from a system monitor or Help Desk package that is offered at a better price
With these selection criteria in mind, we looked for asset management and user support systems that will fully replace the free utilities offered by Spiceworks.
1. SolarWinds Server & Application Monitor – FREE TRIAL
SolarWinds Server & Application Monitor (SAM) has a very similar and easy to use Interface to Spiceworks, although it is an enterprise software solution that only boosts a 30 Day free Trial and then requires licensing thereafter.
But nonetheless, it provides More options and features than Spiceworks offers and gives you a very granular and detailed overview of your network components, servers, routers, switches and any other devices within your network.
Features of SolarWinds server and application monitor include Automatic Mapping and Discovery of Applications and Systems within your network, Monitoring of Cloud based solutions (public and private), Pre-Built reporting and alerts, and even has an extensive template engine that allows your to import Nagios scripts to create custom monitoring templates.
Some features that SolarWinds SAM offer are as follows:
- Auto Application, Hardware, and Environmental Discovery
- Pre-Packaged Alerts and Monitoring Notifications
- Vmware and Hyper-V Support/Monitoring
- Pre-built templates for monitoring over 200+ Applications Natively
- Monitor Cloud and Local Hardware/Devices/Services (including services such as Amazon EC2, Microsoft Azure and Rackspace)
- Exchange, IIS, SQL Server monitoring with AppInsight technology
- Capacity and Storage Planning
- and Much more…!
Pros:
- Takes a holistic approach to server performance and health monitoring
- Supports auto-discovery that builds network topology maps and inventory lists in real-time based on devices that enter the network
- Supports both SNMP monitoring as well as packet analysis, giving you more control over monitoring than similar tools
- Uses drag and drop widgets to customize the look and feel of the dashboard
- Robust reporting system with pre-configured compliance templates
Cons:
- Designed for IT professionals, not the best option for non-technical users
Official Website: http://www.solarwinds.com/server-application-monitor
Download a 30-Day FREE TRIAL: http://www.solarwinds.com/server-application-monitor/registration
2. HaloITSM – FREE TRIAL
HaloITSM doesn’t provide network monitoring but it is an alternative to Spiceworks Inventory and Spiceworks Help Desk. This Service Desk package was written to ITIL standards. It provides IT asset management and incident management services. It also supports your projects to improve and extend your IT system.
The important features of HaloITSM are:
- Asset inventory
- Device management including onboarding and retirement
- Service Desk functions to implement improvements and change
- A self-service portal to assist users that includes a knowledge base
- A ticketing system that includes a form for users and support department routing
- Technician tools including add-ons for remote control and a live chat utility
- Integrated SLA tracking
- Offered as a SaaS platform or as a download for Windows Server
Pros:
- Great admin dashboard – easy to navigate and quickly learn
- Includes a technician toolkit
- Supports workflow automation – great for reliably servicing complex clients
- Can install locally or be used as a SaaS
Cons:
- Must contact for pricing
Official Website: https://haloitsm.com/
Free Trial: Access a 30-day free trial of HaloITSM.
3. Paessler PRTG – FREE TRIAL
PRTG Network Monitor not only gives you an inside look into your bandwidth and network, but also allows you to track and manage hardware devices, network devices, and other server and computer infrastructure. We have a great Tutorial on How to Setup PRTG and reviewed its major strong points as well!
Some main Features of PRTG are as follows:
- Customizable User Interface
- Automatic Maps and Network Diagrams
- Reports and Historical Statistics
- Hardware and Software Application Monitoring
- Mobile Apps for IOS, Android and Windows Phones for Remote Monitoring
- and much more…
Pros:
- Uses a combination of packet sniffing, WMI, and SNMP to report network performance as well as discover new devices
- Autodiscovery reflects the latest inventory changes almost instantaneously
- Drag and drop editor makes it easy to build custom views and reports
- Supports a wide range of alert mediums such as SMS, email, and third-party integration
- Supports a freeware version
Cons:
- Is a very comprehensive platform with many features and moving parts that require time to learn
Official Site: https://www.paessler.com/prtg
Free version & trial: Download the PRTG Unlimited Trial for up to 100 Sensors Free from the link above! If your network requirements exceed this sensor limit, then you can start a 30-day free trial.
4. ManageEngine Applications Manager
ManageEngine Application Manager gives you a breakdown of all applications and services within your Network and automatically maps them to their dependencies for further monitoring and analysis.
Application Manager uses 100 Performance metrics and indicators to monitor your applications, servers/hardware, and key components to ensure you are running at peak performance.
They boast a large list of applications that they support and can be easily integrated into their Service Desk module as well for Help desk functionality.
Features include:
- Manage and Monitor up to 50,000 Servers and Applications
- Automatic Application Discovery and Mapping
- Multi-User Permissions
- Supports German, French, Spanish, Chinese, Korean, Hungarian, Japanese and Vietnamese Languages
- Native Android and iPhone App for Accessing Interface
- Automatic Fault Management and Remediation by Launching Programs or Restarting Services Automatically
- Robust Alerting System via Email, SMS, etc
Pros:
- Offers on-premise and cloud deployment options, giving companies more choices for install
- Can highlight interdependencies between applications to map out how performance issues can impact businesses operations
- Offers log monitoring to track metrics like memory usage, disk IO, and cache status, providing a holistic view into your database health
- Can automatically detect databases, server hardware, and devices for real-time asset management
Cons:
- Can take time to fully explore all features and options available
Official Website: https://www.manageengine.com/products/applications_manager/
In conclusion, any one of these Spiceworks Alternative solutions from above is going to have the features and flexibility to make the transition smooth without losing any functionality or coverage.
Many of them have Free Trials and include have the ability to perform Help Desk functionality along with hardware monitoring and software and licensing cataloging. Grab one of the software packages from above and get started with one today.
