Scanning your network with Nmap and Zenmap

The nmap utility is a network scanner that can give you a great deal of information regarding network resources. All you should have to do is install the nmap package. Once you have this utility in your arsenal, you can do some pretty neat things on your network. In most cases, nmap is used to interrogate systems and extract information. While nmap itself doesn't solve any actual problems, it helps you discover information you can use in order to build an understanding of what's happening on your network at any given time.

It also needs to be used with great care, as nmap is capable of disclosing information regarding a network that may be private, and unless you have express permission to use it, you should exercise discretion. Since nmap can be used for purposes of hacking, it's definitely a red flag to a network administrator (if that person isn't you) if they see this type of activity on the network. But in real-world scenarios, nmap can really...