Patch management is a bit tedious job if you have several hundred systems at your location.For every single system you have to manually configure the Automatic Updates and then that machine will contact the Windows Update server and download the patches,but again your precious bandwidth will get used for each and every machine downloading the patches.WSUS can come handy in this situation.

Recently I installed the WSUS(Windows Software Update Services) for patch management.The software is available for 32 bit OS only.It is not supported on 64 bit OS.I installed the software on 32 Bit Windows 2003 Standard Edition.The installation was fairly simple.IIS(Internet Information Services) must be preloaded on the system.
You can download the wsus from this location

The installation was fairly simple with few configuration steps.During the setup it asks on which website would you like to keep WSUS server.On the default IIS website or the separate website for WSUS administration.I preferred the option with additional website for WSUS.So it gives port 8530 for accessing your WSUS admin panel.The URL for accessing admin panel for WSUS then will be like http://wsus-server:8530/wsusadmin

After regular installation you can access the admin panel by giving the above URL.After starting the WSUS you have to choose for which Microsoft products(OS) you want to keep WSUS services.Then you have to start the synchronization process with the Microsoft update server.WSUS server keeps a record of all the updates on it when the synchronization gets completed.

Then the next step is to add computers in the WSUS server.Here there are two options.If you want the clients to automatically come in specific group you can select that option in
Options >>Computer Options >>
The first one is "Use the Move computers task in Windows Server Update Services" . If you select this option then you have to manually move the computers in the specific group from the Unassigned computers group after it gets detected.
The second one is "Use Group Policy or registry settings on computers" .By selecting this option you can control the assignment of computers on the client side.




There are some settings required to be done at client side.
After running gpedit.msc you have to go to the below path
Computer configuration >> Administartive templates >> Windows update

The main things you will need to modify are
Configure Automatic updates - Select your option as per your choice.I have choosed Auto download and schedule the install.Also configure the suitable timing when the update shouls get installed.
Specify intranet Microsoft Update service location - Specify the path here for the Wsus server you have configured.


There are many options which you can use as per the your requirement at the client side.After saving the changes run
gpupdate /force command from the command prompt to forcefully update the group policy changes you have made.

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I was searching this tool for several months.Ntop which was available for Linux for one decade is now also available for Windows OS.It is really good tool to track your bandwidth usage on your network.You can find out who is choking your network bandwidth by using unnecessary programs.
It gives real time usage by protocol wise, application wise.Simply keep the software on the perimeter of the network i.e. on the gateway of your network and it will display all the sites being visited by your users in the network sorted by protocol usage.

You can download Ntop for Windows by going to this URL.Installation is fairly simple.Just download the exe and run it.Complete the installation and you will get a Commander program in your Windows programs list.Run the commander, from here you will be able to start Ntop service and launch the ntop interface window.By default it uses port 3000.You can also type the IP address of the pc along with the port number 3000 to see the Ntop data.The address will be http://your-ip-address:3000 , here put the ip address on which the Ntop is installed and
you will get Ntop interface.

Now all the hassles are gone for administering your network.Just use Ntop and MRTG for Windows or Linux and play wise.

I have successfully installed OPmanager 7 on the Windows Server 2003 OS.It is used to monitor network devices like Switches, routers, Servers, UPS in the network.The device should have snmp configured.
The installation is fairly simple.You just have to install the programme and add the devices.It will start monitoring the devices.

You can monitor service like http,smtp,pop3,ldap which are installed on the servers.You can monitor the bandwidth of various devices.
The Opmanager can send you the alerts if any of the device is showing error.It can generate a sound alert,send a mail or even send a sms if sms server is configured.
You can configure Opmanager with Netflow Analyzer which is another product available from Adventnet.

It's just really a blessing for a network administrator who can take proactive actions on the network devices for the faults.

One more thing, you can download free version which can monitor any 10 devices for free.