Your IT team is in need of network mapping tools. What are the best options available?

1 What are network mapping tools?

Network mapping tools are software applications that can scan, discover, and display your network topology, devices, and attributes. They can help you identify network issues, optimize network performance, and plan network changes. Network mapping tools can also provide real-time or historical data on network traffic, bandwidth, availability, and security. Some network mapping tools can also integrate with other network management tools, such as network monitoring, configuration, and security tools.

2 Why do you need network mapping tools?

Network mapping tools can provide a comprehensive and up-to-date view of your network, helping you to save time, money, and resources. These tools can detect and resolve network issues quickly and efficiently, as well as improve network performance and reliability by identifying bottlenecks, misconfigurations, and vulnerabilities. Additionally, they can simplify network documentation and compliance by generating reports and diagrams, while enhancing security by detecting unauthorized devices and connections. Furthermore, they can facilitate network planning and expansion by modeling and testing scenarios.

3 What are the key features of network mapping tools?

When selecting a network mapping tool, it's important to look for features such as automatic network discovery and scanning, customizable network maps, export and sharing capabilities, alert and notification settings, and integration with other network management tools. The tool should be able to scan your network without manual input and allow you to adjust the layout, color, icons, labels, and filters of the maps. It should also enable you to export and share your network maps in various formats, such as PDF or HTML. Furthermore, the tool should alert you to any changes or issues in your network and integrate with other network management tools for more detailed information.

4 What are the best network mapping tools for Windows?

Windows is a popular operating system for network management, and there are many network mapping tools available for it. SolarWinds Network Topology Mapper is a powerful and easy-to-use tool that can automatically discover and map your network devices, connections, and attributes. It can generate inventory reports and compliance audits, and supports multiple discovery methods such as SNMP, ICMP, WMI, CDP, VMware, and Hyper-V. Spiceworks Network Mapping is a free and user-friendly tool that can scan and map your network devices, connections, and attributes. It can also monitor your network performance and alert you to any issues. NetBrain is a comprehensive and advanced network mapping tool that can automate and optimize your network management tasks. It provides real-time and historical data on network performance, configuration, and security, with support for SNMP, ICMP, CLI, API, NetFlow. It can also integrate with various network management tools such as SolarWinds, Splunk, Cisco, and ServiceNow.

5 What are the best network mapping tools for Linux?

Linux is a popular operating system for network management, and there are many network mapping tools available for it. Nmap is a versatile and widely used tool that can scan and discover devices, connections, and attributes. It can also perform security audits and penetration tests, supports multiple discovery methods, and integrates with various network management tools. The Dude is a simple and free tool that can scan and map your network, monitor performance, and alert you to any issues. Zenoss is a comprehensive and scalable tool that can monitor and manage devices, connections, and attributes. It provides analytics on network performance, configuration, and security, supports multiple discovery methods, and integrates with various network management tools.