I've been using a version of Open-AudIT in a pre-OAv2 version for about a year and a half (OAv1, I guess you'd call it). I am the IT manager with a few staff working under me. I don't think all of them have complete buy-in using OA, but I haven't really pushed it so far. I started using it to "scratch my own itch" as it were because I needed summary reports of machines for upgrade planning, cost allocation between departments, getting some order to our out-of-control database of statically assigned internal IP addresses, having a handy tool to remote control PC's when I only knew the name of the user, etc. However, I haven't really pushed staff to use it, but for unity sake, I need to either push them to use this or come to some agreement on using a competing tool.
There are competing products out there that claim to do some of the same things that OA does. These are:
- HP Insight Manager (which we have free with some of our HP servers) - Spiceworks - Desktop Authority from Quest Software (recently acquired by Dell and is a subsidiary)
What sort of pitch can you give me that tells me why I would use OA versus one of these other products? What are the pro's/con's, limitations, gotcha's, etc.?
There are other products out there as well, but they cost a lot of money (Microsoft System Center, Solar Winds, etc.). OA and the ones listed above I can use at no cost (or for a modest support cost, as could be the case with OA if we decide to fully commit to using it).
My network admin uses HP Insight Manager and likes it. I tried using it to get the info I need a few years ago, and didn't like the process I had to go through, but I didn't know as much about inventory tools then as I do now. I might not be giving it a fair shake.
Spiceworks I have only read about on the web; haven't really tried to use it. The pitch sounds good, but the devil is always in the details. I was a little put off by the advertising-based model, but the more I've thought about it, I'm more comfortable with the idea now than I was earlier. I like the community aspect of it; not sure how its inventorying capabilities stack up to OA.
Desktop Authority isn't really meant to be an inventory tool, but it has some data-gathering capabilities. It is really good at automating login scripts, remote control, patch management, etc., and generally putting an easier-to-use face on GPO. Among these features is data-gathering, but that isn't its primary competency.
So how does OA compare? Usually I eschew sales pitches (usually receiving more cold sales calls in a day than I can pay attention to), but this time I'm actually asking for the pitch: bring it on...
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