Roundup: Small Business Network Utilities

Most of these small business network utilities are free. They include all-in-one tools such as Cisco Systems' Network Magic Essentials, general-purpose IT management tools such as Spiceworks IT, and tools for specific tasks such as scanning networks and testing speed.

"If you have a small network at your business or at home, you need help--and lots of it. For your home network, you are by default the network administrator. You may also be the de facto network administrator at work, in addition to the other job titles you could claim. And if you are the acknowledged network administrator, you probably have little or no backup staff.

We've found some reinforcements for you. These ten downloads--most of them free, and none of them expensive--will make managing your small network much easier."