IT management specialist Spiceworks, Inc. announced the availability of the fifth generation of its free social IT management software application, with new features including the ability to monitor and manage applications, devices and cloud services based on the people who use them within the organization; advanced network configuration management capabilities; and a centralized help desk for Managed Service Providers (MSPs). The new version of Spiceworks can be downloaded for free via the company’s Web site.
The People View Management interface allows IT pros to monitor, manage and provision computers and cloud services based on the people who use them within the organization. IT pros departments can identify a user’s personal machine, email service and usage, help desk ticket history, recently requested purchases, and more – all from a consumer-like interface. People View also provides active directory management capabilities by integrating with Microsoft Active Directory, which allows users to automate the population of employee profile and account information from directly within Spiceworks.
Purchase List Management – gives users the ability to track and manage purchases of IT equipment and services, while providing automated status alerts for important warranty and service renewal dates. Integrated throughout the application, organizations can capture items that need to be purchased to resolve problems or fulfill user requests. The new ‘Purchase List Register’ also shows all pending purchases and their approval status across the organization.
MSP centralized help desk and client portals provides customizable client portals as well as a centralized help desk that allows multiple client service requests to be managed from a single console. In addition, the upgraded help desk provides ways for MSPs to work, track and bill for time and purchases, all by individual client.
Automated network configuration monitoring, backup and restore enables users to automatically scan, backup, compare and restore configurations for network devices, such as switches, routers and hubs. Scans are updated at regular intervals and as new equipment is added to the network. In addition, users are automatically alerted to changes to network configurations. The ‘one-click restore’ feature allows settings and configurations to be remotely restored on network devices using the built-in free TFTP server.
“With Spiceworks 5.0, we’re taking a big step forward in our mission to simplify IT management for small and mid-sized organizations around the world,” said Scott Abel, co-founder and CEO of Spiceworks. “With new features like People View, managing computers and applications is now as easy as connecting with your friends online.”
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Computer Networking 
