Essential Tools: Determining disk usage graphically with free tools

The next essential tool is one that I have used for quite some time now, and one I searched to find for some time. As a systems administrator, its an ever ending battle for you to keep space clear on the servers. It’s a battle that puts you smack in the middle of the users who are using all the space and the management who refuses to buy more space. Additionally, management all to often refuses to place a mandate on how old data is before it is free to delete.

 This tool won’t help you delete files, but it will tell you really quickly where exactly the space is being used for any particular volume… even if it is a UNC path on your network mapped to a network drive!

This tool, spacemonger, is a tool that will show you this in a visual representation by size where space is being used. It allows you to drill down into directories to see more detail and gives you shortcuts via a context menu to common tasks you would preform on a directory.

SpaceMonger truly is an essential tool. The 1.x version I’ve linked to is older, but free and it gets the job done. Additionally, a newer version is available that has more features and is relatively cheap. Go ahead, check it out… I’m sure you’ll add it to your essential tools!

Know of a tool that you think is essential? Post a comment here and if I don’t already have it in my tool belt, I’ll add it and give it a shot. If it makes the grade– I’ll add it to the list of tools to review. The only criteria are:

1. The tool must be free, or inexpensive with a “Per User” or “site” type license. (No pay per installation licenses, please)
2. The tool (or it’s installation file) must be small enough to fit on a 256Mb flash drive for portability.
3. Command line run time options are beneficial, but not required.
4. If it has ads… it needs be truly INVALUABLE.
5. It should make the user’s job easier by gathering information or preforming a task that a typical Network or Systems Administrator would preform.

Enjoy!