In my last post, I explained Total Network Inventory’s (TNI) scanning features. Today, I will discuss the tool’s inventory capabilities and show you how you can manage software licensing with TNI.

Note: You can win a TNI license for an unlimited number of computers. More information is at the end of the article.

User Interface

TNI’s user interface basically consists of three panes: The Network View on the left-hand side, the main windows in the middle, and the Category Selection on the right-hand side. The toolbar of the Network View allows you to sort computers and to search for computer names or IP addresses. I like that TNI also can show you which computers are currently online. The main window in the middle displays inventory data TNI has collected. You can use the Category Selection to navigate quickly to the inventory categories and properties that interest you.

Inventory Categories

There are three inventory categories: Hardware, Software, and Other Information. Each of these categories has a couple of subcategories and each subcategory is divided into properties. The properties are also structured and quite detailed. For example the “system memory” subcategory offers general information about the computer’s RAM, the paging files actually on disks, the paging files possible to store, and specific information about each memory slot. For the subcategory system memory alone, you have about 20 data fields (see screenshot).

The Software category includes all information about the operating system with installed hotfixes and applications, but also informs you about important settings like autostarting applications, security settings (firewall, automatic updates, etc.). “Other Information” includes environment-variable settings, running processes, services, user accounts, and more. I found that TNI’s inventory capabilities are very comprehensive. I suppose that is where the tool’s name comes from.

Custom Information

If necessary, you can add your own custom information to each computer. The corresponding input mask is quite flexible. It has three tabs: General Information, User Information, and Custom Information. Some of the fields in the General Information tab, like the computer name, or the IP address, can’t be changed. But you can add information, such as the inventory number or the computer’s date of deployment . Under User Information, you can enter data about the owner of the computer and the Custom Information tab allows you to define your own fields.

Software licensing

An important function of any inventory tool is software license management. TNI’s Software Accounting tool lists installed applications with the number of installations. You can assign the number of purchased licenses and attach a comment to each application. Usually, only a fraction of the installed software is relevant for software licensing. Some applications belong to a suite, others are free, and some are part of the operating system. TNI allows you to select the programs for which you have to manage licenses. If you then click on “Run software report”, TNI will present you a list with only the relevant applications. This report will also give you an overview of the available licenses for each application.

If you want the chance to win a Total Network Inventory license for an unlimited number of computers, worth $1,695, please send an email with the subject line “TNI” to:

This contest closes August 27, 2009.

In my next and last post in this series, I will introduce TNI’s reporting capabilities.