“The Buddy List” Tools for System Administrators

“The Buddy List” consists of best available network admin/IT-related tools. I’ve used most of them in my day to day work and would highly recommend them for any network administrator.

IT System Inventory and Monitoring

Spiceworks – User friendly, easy access to help/support. Windows based software application.

Open-Audit – (previously known as ‘Winventory’) Windows/Linux based application. Can be easily customized. Better than Spiceworks because it can perform additional functionalities, such as adding custom software entries etc.

Remote Desktop/Control

Royal TS – This application is very user friendly and very reliable. But, It only supports RDP. Revision 1.5 was the last freeware version available.

Terminals – Features support for RDP, VNC, ICA, Telnet, SSH, VMRC and RAS. What more can you ask for?

Logmein – Remote control any PC over the Internet without remote prompting (Free Trail)

Crossloop – Easily access a non-technical user’s computer by installing a single app and having them share their remote access code.

TCP/IP Tools

SoftPerfect Network Scanner – Scan a subnet, IP range, or a single IP for details about ping stats, open shares, printers, open ports, SNMP info, etc. Also features an easy right-click ability to connect to the PC via HTTP, telnet or Windows Explorer

WireShark – Packet sniffer/monitor/network protocol analyzer.

Putty – secure telnet to your network devices. Customizable and small.

IReasoning MIB Browser – Use this to browse various SNMP properties of your network devices. A very reliable tool, if you are trying to figure out OID for monitoring purpose.

Random network tools

Net Tools – HUGE collection of a variety of network instructions including Whois, encrypt files, finger, password generator and more.

Productivity

Synergy – Work on two computers at once with one keyboard and mouse.

File transfer/FTP

Filezilla - Constantly improved FTP program, user friendly, more features than some paid programs. Features a server program as well.

WinSCP - Features a couple additional secure-transfer options that FileZilla doesn’t offer.

Active Directory/Windows Networking

AccessEnum – Quickly export file/folder permissions with little or no effort.

AD Explorer – Quickly browse and view or edit your AD LDAP structure.

ADRestore – Undelete tombstoned AD objects.

SpecOps GPUpdate – A plugin to your ADUC, you can right-click one or more than one computers to restart, logoff, shutdown, or force the computer to restart the applicable group policies. New version also allows remote Windows Update.

Netwrix Inactive Users Tracker - Display users that have not logged on for x days, email a report etc.

OldCmp * – Search, report and disable old computer / user accounts. Quick and simple, easy to use.

Text editor

PSPad – HTML cleanup, easily edit and highlight your text. User Friendly easy to use editor.

Other tools

AutoIT – A Quick method to write automation scripts, routine programs etc. Lots of built-in macros.

Spotlight on Windows – A Console showing system-specific info, complete with green/ red/yellow highlights in order to help you keep trace down problem areas.

BareTail - Monitor log files in online, you can follow the last logged entries as they process, whether it’s a zip file, an installation program Zip/Rar or any other compressed files. A handy tool indeed!

Microsoft Scriptomatic 2.0 – Get WMI information from local computers or remote locations. A must have, if you’re into VBScript, JScript, or Perl based system administration scripts.

Universal Extractor – Now you can extract contents from just about any kind of file

Do you think that your Network Admin “Buddy List” is better, then please share in comments.

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