Network scanning and auditing

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This article clarifies the distinction between network scanning and auditing and explains how the two processes work in tandem to provide a comprehensive and detailed account of networked assets.

The network scan process in AlloyScan detects and identifies active devices on the network and collects basic information such as device name, IP address, and operating system type. This process is focused on detecting the presence of devices and providing a quick high-level overview of the network.

Device audit uses a variety of sophisticated methods for an in-depth analysis of each discovered device. During the audit, AlloyScan collects various hardware configuration details, installed software, and other relevant information.

In many scenarios, running a network scan is going to be the first step in analyzing the network. Network scan runs quickly and produces a list of all discovered devices, from where you can decide which devices you want to keep track of, and which ones can be ignored.

The next step is running the audit of the devices that you want to track. Once your devices have been successfully audited, they will be automatically added to AlloyScan's Inventory section.