The new Network Check is Here: Agent-Based, Simpler, Faster

Feel free to watch the recording of our Release Talk. In it, we demonstrate the new agent-based Network Check and introduce the most important new features included in Release 6.6.0.

The Challenges we Previously Faced – and how we Solved Them

The former Network Check was based on a Greenbone Gateway. This required a dedicated virtual machine to be provisioned, configured, and continuously operated for each customer.

In practice, this was often the biggest hurdle. Especially for smaller customers, it was not always clear where an additional VM could be hosted. At the same time, installation, configuration, and ongoing operation created additional effort for MSPs.

With Release 6.6.0, we are using a component that is already available in many customer environments: the lywand Agent.

An existing Agent can now additionally be used as a gateway for the Network Check. This completely eliminates the need for a separate gateway VM. For MSPs, this means less infrastructure at the customer site, less setup effort, and significantly easier scaling across many customers.

The most Important new Features at a glance

The Agent Becomes the Gateway

No additional Agent needs to be installed for the new Network Check. The only requirement is that a lywand Agent is already installed on a client or server endpoint within the respective customer network. This Agent can additionally take on the role of an Agent Gateway, providing access to the customer network.

At minimum, Agent version 2.26.0 is required for use as an Agent Gateway. A manual update is usually not necessary, as reachable Agents are updated automatically.

The resource requirements on the device also remain low: the actual vulnerability scan is not performed locally on the endpoint. The scan is initiated via the lywand infrastructure, while the Agent Gateway simply provides access to the respective customer network.

Network ranges and Agent Gateways can be configured directly in the platform with just a few clicks. This makes it much easier to roll out the Network Check for both new and existing customers.

Multiple Agent Gateways for Performance and Redundancy

Multiple Agent Gateways can be defined for a network range. This allows network devices to be checked in parallel and can reduce the overall duration of the Network Check.

At the same time, configuring multiple gateways provides additional redundancy in case an Agent Gateway is temporarily unavailable.

The ideal number of gateways depends, among other things, on the number of network targets being checked. In our tests, checking a single network target takes an average of approximately 30 to 45 minutes. Multiple gateways running in parallel increase capacity accordingly.

The number of Agent Gateways used has no impact on costs. Only the number of network devices being checked is relevant.

One Unified View of the Internal Infrastructure

Clients, servers, and network devices are no longer displayed separately. Under “Infrastructure > Internal”, partners can see all of a customer’s internal targets in one unified view.

This provides a central overview of the entire internal infrastructure – regardless of whether a device is checked via an Agent or the Network Check.

Greater Transparency with Check Logs

The new Check Logs provide technicians with detailed information about completed security checks. At any time, they can see when a target was checked, how long the check took, and whether any issues occurred during the process.

This is particularly helpful for troubleshooting and provides greater transparency during ongoing operations.

Asset Discovery and Network Check: What is the Difference?

Asset Discovery first answers a fundamental question: Which devices are actually present in the network?

It identifies and inventories reachable network devices. The feature is free of charge and enabled by default.

Using network ranges, MSPs can define which parts of a customer network should be included in Asset Discovery. Assignment can be based on public IP addresses, Wi-Fi SSIDs, or configured manually.

This allows MSPs to precisely control which networks are taken into account. For example, it can prevent devices from employees’ private home office networks from being discovered.

The Network Check then goes one step further. It performs a port scan and assesses the selected network devices using various security checks. These include known vulnerabilities (CVEs), configuration and encryption, as well as system hardening.

Set up the Network Check in Just a few Steps

1. Define network ranges: Specify the network ranges in which Asset Discovery should be performed.

2. Select Agent Gateways: Choose one or more existing lywand Agents as Agent Gateways through which the network devices will be checked.

3. Define the scope of the check: Specify which of the discovered network devices should be checked for vulnerabilities using the Network Check.

4. Configure recurring Network Checks: Define when and how often the checks should be performed.

A detailed step-by-step guide for setting up an Agent Gateway is available in our Knowledge Base, which can be accessed directly through the platform.

What Happens to Existing Greenbone Gateways?

Existing Greenbone Gateways can continue to be used during the migration period. However, new gateways can no longer be registered – for new configurations, only the agent-based Network Check is available.

The migration period runs until the end of October 2026. Existing gateway VMs should therefore be gradually migrated to the new solution by then.

This provides enough time to set up the agent-based Network Check for each customer before the previous gateway VM is decommissioned.

Partner Experience: What our Partners say

Try the Agent-Based Network Check now

Try the new Network Check directly in the platform and extend your vulnerability management to your customers’ entire internal network infrastructure.

If you have any questions about the setup or need support, you can schedule a meeting with our team at any time.

New to lywand?

Are you an MSP, IT service provider, or system house and would like to learn more about lywand? Feel free to book a live demo or get started with a free trial account.