Welcome to Network Inventory

Version 2024.1

Welcome to Network Inventory — an Alloy Navigator Express' module that detects, audits and continually tracks physical and virtual computers, servers, printers, switches, routers and other equipment on the network. Network Inventory allows you to take control over your network inventory with an array of audit methods and strategies.

About this Network Inventory Guide

This document targets technicians who work with the Network Inventory component of Alloy Navigator Express. It explains Network Inventory features and covers the most common tasks that this component enables users to perform.

The Network Inventory User’s Guide targets system administrators who configure, manage, customize, and work with Network Inventory. It is expected that the reader has a good knowledge and the skills necessary for system administration. This may require understanding of Microsoft SQL Server and the knowledge of network administration.

First Steps

Since your Alloy Navigator Express database is installed and activated, you can audit computers and discover network devices on your network right away. To run your first audit immediately, use the First Direct Network Scan with the Quick Start Wizard. To gain complete insight of your hardware and software inventory, take your time and perform the initial configuration:

1. Make sure your Automation Server is configured and started. For details, see Managing Inventory Servers.
2. Choose audit methods that suits the needs of your organization. For details, see Overview of Audit Methods.
3. Check pre-configured audit profiles: use them as they are, modify them as needed, or create your own. For details, see Audit Profile Options.
4. Provide audit credentials for all types of network nodes you want audited. For details, see Providing Audit Credentials.
5. Create Sites and configure Audit Sources. For details, see Creating Sites.
6. Audit your computers, Chromebooks and network devices. For details, see Auditing Network Nodes.

Next Steps

Once the initial configuration is complete and first audit snapshots are uploaded, you can analyze your inventory from different perspectives:

• Analyze the hardware and software inventory data with dynamic filtering, grouping, and sorting techniques. For details, see by Analyzing Inventory Data Using Grids, Analyzing Inventory Data Using Network Diagrams, or Viewing Individual Audit Snapshots.
• Group computers and devices using custom rules. For details, see Creating Collections.
• Stay informed of important events. For details, see Viewing the Change History.
• Remotely manage computers and devices on your network with an array of tools and utilities right from the interface of Network Inventory. For details, see Using Integrations.

Product Documentation Available for Network Inventory

Alloy Software offers a collection of product documentation to help you get the most out of our products. For more information about Network Inventory, go to Alloy Navigator Express Product Documentation.