At a time when insidious computer viruses can wreak havoc on school network infrastructures, and users of all ages open their eMail in-boxes to a seemingly unending barrage of spam, a new breed of network administration tools and customizable software applications is helping school technology directors better manage, and secure, their increasingly sophisticated networks.

To help school leaders understand which vendors and products their colleagues have enjoyed the greatest success with, eSchool News presents its 2006 Readers' Choice Awards for Best Network Administration Software.

More than 600 readers voted at eSchool News Online in April for what they considered to be the best products in each of 15 categories, and the results appear below. In perusing these results, keep in mind that quality is subjective, and what might be the best solution for one school or district might not be appropriate for another. Nevertheless, knowing which solutions your peers consider to be the best could prove useful to your own efforts.

Best Server Operating System

1. Windows Server 2003 (Microsoft Corp.) 46.0%
2. Netware (Novell Inc.) 15.4%
3. Windows 2000 (Microsoft Corp.) 11.6%
4. OS X Server (Apple Computer) 11.4%
5. Linux (various providers) 6.8%

Readers chose Microsoft's Windows Server 2003 as the hands-down favorite for school-based server operating systems. The product, which received 46 percent of the online vote, is intended to improve identity and access management of enterprise-level servers, reduce storage costs, provide a rich web platform, and offer cost-effective software virtualization capabilities at an affordable price, according to Microsoft. When asked why they chose Windows Server 2003 over the competition, one reader wrote, "It's stable, popular with area schools, and easy to administrate remotely."

Novell's Netware was the runner-up pick, followed by Windows 2000 and Apple Computer's OS X Server. "Security is what makes [OS X] an extremely viable option for schools," wrote one respondent in favor of Apple's solution. The open-source Linux platform received just 6.8 percent of the vote--perhaps an indication that most readers are still not as familiar with open-source solutions. "Linux is a solid platform, virtually bulletproof from students," wrote one open-source advocate, who added, "Of course, the biggest reason [for choosing Linux] is the cost."

Best Network Asset Management Software

1. ZENworks Asset Management (Novell Inc.) 26.4%
2. NetSupport DNA (NetSupport Inc.) 14.8%
3. NetOp Remote Control (CrossTec Corp.) 10.6%
4. LANDesk Management Suite (LANDesk Software) 8.4%
5. Altiris Connector (Altiris Inc.) 7.1%

The award for Best Network Asset Management solution goes to Novell's ZENworks Asset Management product for its ability to support large-scale technology inventories and enable IT technicians to manage multiple software licenses across school campuses. One survey respondent praised ZENworks for its "compatibility and cost." "We have been using ZENworks for years, and [it] seems to do the job for our district," wrote another long-time education customer.