If I remember correctly, ESFTool was a small GUI like application to help you setup a dedicated server for ESF 1.0 or 1.1.
In other words, it called HLDS with some command line parameters depending on the settings you've chosen
In any case, there is no alternative to HLDS since it IS the dedicated server (Half-Life Dedicated Server)
Its like asking "hey my heart has a failure, can't you put a liver there or something instead to pump blood though my body?" ;P