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284 lines
7.5 KiB
Markdown
284 lines
7.5 KiB
Markdown
# Where NetAlertX Fits
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Understanding where NetAlertX fits in your network management toolkit makes it easier to get the most from it.
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Modern networks are typically managed using several specialized tools. One application may monitor uptime, another may capture packets, another may enforce firewall rules, while another documents the network.
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NetAlertX fills a different role: it provides **continuous network visibility** by discovering devices, maintaining an accurate asset inventory, detecting changes, and notifying you when something important happens.
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It answers one of the most common questions in network administration:
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> **What is on my network, and what has changed?**
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---
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## What NetAlertX Does
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NetAlertX continuously discovers devices using one or more discovery plugins and builds a living inventory of your network.
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Depending on your configuration, it can collect information including:
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* IP addresses
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* MAC addresses
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* Hostnames
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* Vendors
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* Device types
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* Open ports
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* Network interfaces
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* Parent/child relationships
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* First and last seen timestamps
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* Custom metadata
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Because discovery runs continuously, your inventory stays up to date automatically.
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Learn more about the available discovery methods in the [Plugins](./PLUGINS.md) documentation.
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---
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## Detecting Change
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Knowing what exists on your network is useful.
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Knowing **what changed** is often even more valuable.
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NetAlertX continuously records changes such as:
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* New devices
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* Devices going offline or coming back online
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* IP address changes
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* Hostname changes
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* Vendor identification
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* Open port changes (via the `NMAP` [plugin](./PLUGINS.md))
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* Devices returning after long periods offline
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* Configuration updates
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These changes become events that can be viewed historically, filtered, searched, or used to trigger automation.
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---
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## Notifications
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Not every event deserves immediate attention.
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NetAlertX lets you choose which events [generate notifications](./NOTIFICATIONS.md) so that important alerts stand out without creating unnecessary noise.
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Examples include:
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* Unknown devices joining the network
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* Critical infrastructure becoming unavailable
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* IP address changes
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* Port changes
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* Custom workflow events
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Notification publishers can be enabled independently, allowing NetAlertX to integrate with your existing communication channels.
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---
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## Automation
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As networks grow, manually responding to every event quickly becomes impractical.
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NetAlertX includes a [workflow engine](./WORKFLOWS.md) that can automatically react to events.
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Typical automations include:
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* Mark trusted devices automatically
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* Assign devices to groups
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* Update fields
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* Archive old devices with the same IP
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* Assign devices to the right parent node
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Automation helps keep device management consistent while reducing repetitive administrative work.
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---
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## Device Relationships
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Networks are more than collections of independent devices.
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Devices often depend on one another.
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Examples include:
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* Access points connected to switches
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* Virtual machines hosted by physical servers
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* Containers running on hosts
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* Network interfaces belonging to a parent device
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* IoT gateways connected to sensors
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NetAlertX supports [device relationships](./NETWORK_TREE.md) to better represent how devices are connected and how they depend on each other.
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---
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## Historical Visibility
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Many monitoring systems focus only on the current state.
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NetAlertX also records historical information so you can answer questions like:
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* When was this device first discovered?
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* When was it last online?
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* Which ports have changed over time?
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Historical information provides valuable operational context without requiring a separate logging platform.
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---
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## Plugin Architecture
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Every environment is different.
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Some users prefer simple ARP scanning.
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Others rely on:
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* SNMP
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* DHCP leases
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* Router integrations
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* Pi-hole
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* Virtualization platforms
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* Cloud services
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* External asset inventories
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NetAlertX is built around a plugin architecture that allows multiple discovery sources to work together, improving accuracy while remaining flexible.
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See the complete list in [Plugins](./PLUGINS.md).
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---
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## Integrations
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NetAlertX is designed to complement your existing infrastructure rather than replace it.
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It integrates with many popular platforms, including:
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* Home Assistant
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* Pi-hole
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* MQTT
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* Notification services
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* REST APIs
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* Custom workflows
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This allows NetAlertX to become part of your existing automation and monitoring ecosystem.
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---
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## How NetAlertX Compares
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The following diagram illustrates how NetAlertX complements other common network tools.
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| Need | Typical Tool | NetAlertX Role |
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| --- | --- | --- |
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| Device discovery | ✅ | **Core capability** |
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| Asset inventory | ✅ | **Core capability** |
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| Detect network changes | ✅ | **Core capability** |
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| Historical device tracking | ✅ | **Core capability** |
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| Notifications | ✅ | **Core capability** |
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| Automation | ✅ | **Core capability** |
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| Packet inspection | Wireshark | Not intended |
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| Firewall enforcement | pfSense, OPNsense | Not intended |
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| IDS/IPS | Suricata, Snort | Not intended |
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| Network documentation | NetBox, NetMap | Complements them |
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| Uptime monitoring | Uptime Kuma, Nagios | Complements them |
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NetAlertX works best alongside these tools, providing the continuously updated device inventory that many monitoring platforms lack.
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---
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## Typical Deployments
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### 🏠 Home Networks
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Monitor:
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* Family devices
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* Smart home equipment
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* NAS systems
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* TVs and media devices
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* Game consoles
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* IoT devices
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Receive alerts whenever new or unknown devices join your network.
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---
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### 🧪 Homelabs
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Track constantly changing environments including:
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* Docker containers
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* Virtual machines
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* Kubernetes nodes
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* Development systems
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* Test networks
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Maintain an accurate inventory without manual documentation.
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---
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### 🏢 Small Businesses
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Maintain visibility across office networks by tracking:
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* Unauthorized devices and shadow IT
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* Office infrastructure and critical core systems
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* Real-time asset inventory drift
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---
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### 🌍 Remote Sites
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Deploy NetAlertX at branch offices or remote locations to maintain local visibility while monitoring multiple sites centrally.
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---
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## What NetAlertX Is Designed To Do
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NetAlertX is designed to excel at:
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* Continuous device discovery
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* Asset inventory
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* Network visibility
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* Change detection
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* Historical tracking
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* Notifications
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* Workflow automation
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* Plugin extensibility
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By focusing on these capabilities, NetAlertX remains lightweight, flexible, and easy to integrate into existing environments.
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---
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## What NetAlertX Is Not
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NetAlertX is **not** intended to replace:
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* Firewalls
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* Packet analyzers
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* IDS/IPS platforms
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* Configuration management systems
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* Network documentation platforms
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* Dedicated uptime monitoring systems
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Instead, it complements these tools by providing continuous awareness of the devices connected to your network.
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---
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## Next Steps
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Now that you understand where NetAlertX fits, continue with one of the following guides:
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* **[Installation](INSTALLATION.md)** — Install NetAlertX on your platform.
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* **[Plugins](./PLUGINS.md)** — Configure device discovery.
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* **[Features](FEATURES.md)** — Explore everything NetAlertX can do.
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* **[API](API.md)** — Integrate NetAlertX with your own applications. |