Updated free network management software due this week

Spiceworks is set to release version 2.0 of its free IT management software by the end of this week.

IT Desktop Version 2.0 features Windows event log monitoring, increased application performance for larger networks, and new community interaction aimed at encouraging IT managers to collaborate on managing networks.

The software is funded by advertising and aimed at small and medium-sized enterprises with computer networks of up to 250 devices.

Version 2.0 retains the core elements of the original, such as the ability to discover, monitor, track, report on, troubleshoot and repair hardware and software running in a network.

A built-in help desk, remote control capability and wiki-based IT community features are also included.

Spiceworks claims that its user base has doubled in the past six months, and that IT Desktop is now being used by more than 200,000 IT professionals in 194 countries.