Which Lansweeper setup is right for you

A Lansweeper installation consists of several components: database, web console, one or more scanning servers. This article helps you select the correct database type, web server type, and number of scanning servers for your needs. It also includes diagrams of sample Lansweeper setups.

Installation recommendations

How many installations

The questions below help you decide how many independent Lansweeper installations to set up. An "installation" consists of a database, web console, and at least one scanning server. The number of installations you set up may affect how you license Lansweeper.

Do you have isolated DMZ or other networks that cannot be reached from a central network location?
No	Yes
Recommendation: one installation.	Recommendation: one installation per isolated network. If you have networks that cannot communicate directly, consider setting up an isolated Lansweeper installation per network. If the networks do have internet access, you can sync their data to Lansweeper Cloud to manage it centrally there.

Do you want some admins in your Lansweeper installation to only see a subset of scanned assets?
Recommendation: one installation.	Recommendation: one installation, linked with Lansweeper Cloud. In a local Lansweeper installation, website access cannot be restricted on an asset level. However, you can link the local installation with Cloud and restrict asset access there. Give your admins access only to Cloud, not to the local Lansweeper installation. Alternatively, if you want your admins to have local access to a subset of assets, consider setting up multiple Lansweeper installations. You can then choose to give each admin access to only the relevant installation.

Do you want some admins in your Lansweeper installation to only see a subset of scanned assets?

Yes

Recommendation: one installation.

Recommendation: one installation, linked with Lansweeper Cloud. In a local Lansweeper installation, website access cannot be restricted on an asset level. However, you can link the local installation with Cloud and restrict asset access there. Give your admins access only to Cloud, not to the local Lansweeper installation. Alternatively, if you want your admins to have local access to a subset of assets, consider setting up multiple Lansweeper installations. You can then choose to give each admin access to only the relevant installation.

How many scanning servers

A Lansweeper installation has at least one scanning server, but it can have multiple. A scanning server scans your network and performs several other functions. The questions below help you decide how many scanning servers to set up as part of your Lansweeper installation. If the answer to any of the questions below is "yes", consider adding more than one scanning server to your installation.

Do you want to scan more than 1,000 network assets?
No	Yes
Recommendation: one scanning server.	Recommendation: one scanning server per 1,000–5,000 assets. The more assets you scan, the more scanning server resources it takes to complete those scans. You can increase your thread settings to make a scanning server process more scan requests at a time. However, at some point it becomes advisable to add more servers to handle the scanning load.

Do you want to scan assets in multiple subnets, across multiple LANs?
No	Yes
Recommendation: one scanning server.	Recommendation: one scanning server per subnet. By adding a scanning server to each subnet you intend to scan, you improve the accuracy with which asset data can be detected. A local scanning server is better at detecting your assets' MAC addresses, for instance.

Do you want to scan assets in networks that have a VPN connection to your main network?
No	Yes
Recommendation: one scanning server.	Recommendation: one scanning server per VPN-connected site. By adding a scanning server to each VPN-connected site, you improve the accuracy with which asset data like MAC addresses can be detected. Having local scanning servers also ensures most of the scanning traffic is contained within each site, instead of all traffic being sent over VPN.

Which database server type

A Lansweeper installation can use either a SQL LocalDB or Microsoft SQL Server database. The questions below help you decide which database server type to choose. If the answer to any of the questions below is "yes", consider using a Microsoft SQL Server database.

Do you already have a Microsoft SQL Server 2014 or higher instance running in your network?
No	Yes
Recommendation: SQL LocalDB.	Recommendation: if you are centrally managing your databases in this Microsoft SQL Server instance anyway, consider installing the Lansweeper database here as well. Keep in mind that your SQL Server instance must be configured to host the Lansweeper database before you can install.

Do you want to scan more than 10,000 assets?
Recommendation: SQL LocalDB.	Recommendation: a non-Express edition of Microsoft SQL Server. As a rule of thumb, we recommend reserving 1 MB of database space per scanned asset. Both SQL LocalDB and Express editions of SQL Server are limited by Microsoft to 10 GB of data, so you may run into the size limit when attempting to store 10,000 assets in such a database. For such a large number of assets, use a non-Express edition of SQL Server.

Do you want to scan more than 10,000 assets?

Yes

Recommendation: SQL LocalDB.

Recommendation: a non-Express edition of Microsoft SQL Server. As a rule of thumb, we recommend reserving 1 MB of database space per scanned asset. Both SQL LocalDB and Express editions of SQL Server are limited by Microsoft to 10 GB of data, so you may run into the size limit when attempting to store 10,000 assets in such a database. For such a large number of assets, use a non-Express edition of SQL Server.

Do you want to set up multiple Lansweeper scanning servers?
No	Yes
Recommendation: SQL LocalDB.	Required: Microsoft SQL Server. SQL LocalDB databases cannot be connected to by remote components. As a result, SQL LocalDB databases cannot be used for setups with multiple scanning servers. Use SQL Server for these types of setups instead.

Which web server type

A Lansweeper web console can be hosted in either IIS Express or IIS. The questions below help you decide which web server type to choose. If the answer to any of the questions below is "yes", consider using IIS as your web server.

Do you already have an IIS web server running in your network?
No	Yes
Recommendation: IIS Express.	Recommendation: if you are centrally managing your websites in this IIS web server anyway, consider installing the Lansweeper web console here as well.

Do you want to manage web console ports and other technical properties through a visual tool?
No	Yes
Recommendation: IIS Express.	Recommendation: IIS. The built-in IIS Express web server does not come with a visual management tool. For full control of web console properties, use IIS. If you don't already have an IIS web server, you can install IIS.

Example Lansweeper setups

Basic network with a single subnet

Diagram of a basic Lansweeper setup with a single subnet. Core components are a scanning service, database, and web console. Optional components shown are Lansweeper Cloud Site with API integration (top left) and LsAgent with Cloud Relay (top right).

Larger network with multiple subnets

Diagram of a Lansweeper setup spanning multiple subnets. A central database and web console connect to a local scanning service, plus two additional scanning services in Subnet A and Subnet B. Optional components shown are Lansweeper Cloud Site with API integration and LsAgent with Cloud Relay.

Multiple isolated networks with one or more subnets

Diagram of three isolated Lansweeper installations, each representing a separate local network with its own scanning services, database, and web console. All three installations sync their data upward to a shared Lansweeper Cloud Site A via API.