Network configuration software plays a vital role in today’s dynamic environment. First, it gives a baseline describing the current configuration state of your network. Second, it facilitates the chore of automatically applying new configurations, especially when networks rapidly evolve and configuration changes are necessary. Finally, when new hardware is added or removed, or new service requirements are added, Network configuration software can help maintain the information and make it easier for administrators to make the necessary changes. With automatic updates and easy access, network configuration software is the ideal program to have.
There are many different types of network configuration software. Many of these programs offer a free trial to the public and even provide technical support when needed. The most popular of these programs is the Microsoft Exchange Server and Microsoft Outlook Express. Microsoft Exchange is the most popular of the two because it offers more features than Outlook does for the same price.
In the network configuration software tool, several areas will be monitored and controlled. One of these is the list of all the installed or configured devices in the network. These include IP addresses, wireless adapters, routers, switches, wireless cards, and other peripheral devices such as printers and scanners. Some of these devices require manual approval before they can be added or deleted from the network.
Network settings are also monitored. This includes interface settings, IP address settings, virtual LAN settings, gateway settings, stored passwords, and so forth. The automated scans of these areas to determine which of them require automated approval or modification before they are allowed to change or delete. Of course, if you manually changed any of these settings, you must go back into each area to re-approve the device configurations.
Another aspect of network configuration management is monitoring and updating the firmware on individual devices. The firmware contains the basic configuration and security configuration for the device. As new versions of the software are developed and released for the product, the latest firmware for the product must be downloaded and uploaded to the corresponding devices. Unless the device manufacturers provide their own tools or utilities to accomplish this task, users will need to do so themselves by using the appropriate downloads and programs.
One of the most useful features of the network configuration management tool is that it can be used to create and manage Multi-Vendor devices. These are computers on which many different vendors have established business. By using the appropriate tool, you can easily identify the computers on your network that are running any of these vendors. Using the appropriate software, you can create the necessary security restrictions and also install the software on each of your multi-vendor computers.