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Spiceworks = Hot Stuff
June 13, 2014

Spiceworks = Hot Stuff

Tyler Dickinson | TrustRadius Reviewer
Score 10 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User

Software Version

7.2

Overall Satisfaction with Spiceworks

I am currently using it as a backup to our Dell KACE appliance. Since it's agentless scans can collect more data than KACE's, it is a great way to monitor and collect information about systems that we do not want to install an agent on, such as servers. Plus, due to it's low system requirements and the fact that I'm the only one using it right now, I have it running on a spare laptop on my desk.
  • Agentless scanning provides complete system details, including things like license keys for Microsoft software and toner levels on printers.
  • A full-featured help desk system, rivaling some the best paid solutions.
  • The ability to manage Active Directory users.
  • A purchase tracking system. See where all your money is going and who the big spenders are.
  • Windows only install. A nitpick point, I know, but it would be nice to be able to install it on a Linux box.
  • While an agent is provided (say, for your laptop users who are not always in the office), there is no built in option to deploy it across the network. It must be downloaded and installed manually.
  • No Mac version of the agent, making it difficult to manage MacBook users.
  • A Dell KACE feature, the ability to run scripts and installs directly from the Spiceworks appliance.
  • Since it's a free product, the ROI over any paid product is astronomical.
  • Dell KACE 1000
As far as inventory and help desk, Spiceworks can do just about anything the KACE 1000 can do. However, KACE has a few features that I really like:
  • The agent is compatible with Windows, Mac, and Linux
  • Scripting: KACE has the ability to store and run scripts against any of the managed machines. For example, we have a script to reset the local admin password. Just select the script, select the computer, and hit Run.
  • Managed Installs: With KACE, you can assign a piece of software to all or a group of computers and it will automatically install it when the computer checks in on the network.
However, Spiceworks' agentless scanning blows KACE out of the water. KACE has only just implemented agentless scanning with their latest upgrade and it is limited at best. KACE's agentless scanning only supports SNMP and SSH connections and so will only collect minimal information about computers and does not include items like toner levels for network printers.

If you need more direct control over your systems, KACE may be worth looking into. However, take a good look at Spiceworks' feature before you spend a couple thousand dollars on a product that may be a lot more than you need.
Even if not being used as the main system, it works as a great backup to any other inventory program you may currently have in place. You know, because it's free. And awesome. Frawesome.
This is a great product in almost any work environment. The only place that may be problematic is if you have a lot of remote users using Mac laptops, since the remote agent is a Windows only product. The agentless network scanning, however, will scan Mac, Windows, and Linux machines as well as non-computer items like routers, managed switches, and network printers. For free. The help desk system is just as good as others that cost hundreds or thousands of dollars more. And the Spiceworks Community support, whether you use the product or not, is a tremendous resource for anyone in IT.

Using Spiceworks