What is IP address management software?

IP address management (IPAM) is the methodology of planning and managing how IP addresses are assigned to ensure functionality for all network-capable devices. There are two different kinds of IP address: IPv4 and IPv6. IPv4 uses 32 binary bits to definite each address, which creates a four-number, base-10 address, while IPv6 uses 128 binary bits to an eight-number, base-16 address. Both these, but especially IPv6, can be unwieldy to track and assign manually—one reason IP address management software is an essential part of efficient and cost-effective network administration. 

IP management software refers to tools with the capability to track, manage, and plan the use of IP addresses and other related resources in a network environment. IP address management software is built to allow admins to perform the administration of Domain Name System (DNS) and Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) services, which assign and resolve IP addresses to machines. 

IPAM solutions can also provide additional functions to help make the IP management process easier, such as the ability to control IP address reservations in DHCP, data aggregation, and reporting. The best IPAM software will seamlessly integrate DNS and DHCP, so both will stay updated based on the IP addresses assigned to clients by either system. 

IPAM software can track and monitor a variety of data, from IP addresses currently in use to the devices and users associated with those addresses. By centralizing this data monitoring into a single console view, IP management software provides critical insights into elements of network management you can use to speed and inform troubleshooting efforts, IP address planning, and reporting.

Why is IP address management software important?

IP address management can be complicated, time-consuming, and an ineffective use of resources if manually performed—especially at organizations with lots of network devices. Manual IP address management requires administrators to accurately track which addresses are assigned to which devices, if the IPs addresses are static or dynamic, and whether any IP addresses have been reserved.

At small organizations, a spreadsheet can be used to manage most of this information if the number of devices connected remains about the same, but as companies grow and expand, it becomes difficult—if not impossible—to effectively manage IP addresses. 

Using software to manage IP addresses is beneficial because many of these solutions can assist in the process of organizing and tracking subnets, which can be helpful if you’re responsible for managing multiple subnets simultaneously. For these reasons, IP management tools are an important part of troubleshooting and avoiding potential network conflicts.

IP management software is useful for gathering information about and assessing the general health of a network. IP management tools display useful information in a centralized user console that allows admins to see the devices associated with IP addresses and when the addresses were assigned. This can be used to avoid problems like network outages, as IPAM solutions give admins the ability to quickly locate the IP addresses causing issues. 

IP management tools can also gather information necessary for legal or regulatory compliance reporting. The source of data breaches, or other issues causing flow-on effects, can be identified using IP management software. These applications can also be paired with network access control to beef up the security of your network, as information collected by IP management tools can indicate if security software is up to date and operating as intended. IPAM software can also be used to identify unusual traffic patterns on the network or changes in IP addresses signaling of malicious activity or a breach.

IP address management requirements

IP address management is a complicated and complex task, and to provide effective management, there are certain features and capabilities to seek out when looking for an IP management tool.

Automatic IP address tracking. Put an end to IP tracking spreadsheets. With software, you can actively manage IPv4 and IPv6 addresses. 

Integrated DNS, DHCP, and IP management. With active scanning, you can discover and manage subnets along with associated address blocks. Easily view transient IP addresses to identify (and reclaim) abandoned IPs. 

Alerting, troubleshooting, and reporting. You need tools that let you monitor IP address usage and issues. Leverage alerts and reports to catch and fix IP conflicts, subnet/scope depletion, and mismatched DNS entries. 

Multi-vendor support. Save time and avoid errors by using a single console to manage DHCP and DNS servers. Choose a tool compatible with Microsoft, Cisco, BIND DNS, and ISC DHCP servers. It’s useful to gain insight into scopes, DNS zones, and resource records. 

Automatic static IP address requests. Choose a tool that lets you quickly reserve static IP addresses. You can also track IP requests for compliance or change management, as needed. 

API support. You can look for API support offering “Create, Read, Update, Delete” (CRUD) operations, providing integration with third-party software. This feature can help automate the handling of IP records or DNS entries.

Virtual environment integration. Look for IP address management that extends to VMware environments, so you can automate IP address provisioning and update DNS records on virtual machines. 

Cloud DNS monitoring. With an IP management tool, you can centralize how you monitor AWS and Azure zones and records. 

How IP address management tools work

IP address management tools help admins and network engineers determine whether an IP address is available on a given network. IP management software tools can periodically scan subnets and report on the availability status of IP addresses for each subnet. IPAM software also allows engineers and admins to search for IP addresses or ranges of IP addresses to determine availability, or whether certain addresses are reserved. Input from multiple subnets is essential, as this enables the IP management software to scan the entire network for the status of all IP addresses. 

Assigning IP addresses can be done via static or dynamic methods. Static IP addressing involves manually setting each IP address and the IP networking parameters for each device. This process is error-prone and somewhat labor-intensive but is commonly used for small ranges of IP addresses or for a limited number of devices. You might also consider using static addressing in situations where total control of IP addresses is key, as is often the case with servers. 

Dynamic IP addressing, on the other hand, automates the process. DHCP, for instance, has each connected device request an IP address from the DHCP server, after which it will automatically assign an IP address to the device and configure its network parameters. These IP addresses are assigned for a predetermined time, after which the IP address is returned to the pool of available addresses. Devices can, however, renew their lease on an address if needed. While dynamic addressing is a largely automated process, oversight from network engineers and admins is still required to ensure proper management of IP addresses and correct configuration of the DHCP server. 

IP management tools are built to help you manage these processes from a centralized user interface with other functions, including report generation, performance management, and DHCP and DNS integration.

How to choose an IP address management solution

When it comes to selecting an IP address management solution, factors to consider include the size of your organization, budget, and scalability.

One factor is the size of your organization and network. If you’re a small business operating with fewer than 10 to 15 devices, you might be able to get by with tracking how you assign IP addresses, and each address’ associated device and user, using a spreadsheet. This doesn’t cost as much as paid IP management software tools, but it carries the downside of not providing the powerful network insights IPAM solutions offer.

Another consideration is budget. IT departments and network engineers with limited funds can consider open-source or freeware options. Many of these programs will include the essential features listed above, but open-source programs often lack the technical support and troubleshooting paid options offer. Taking this route is more time-consuming and labor-intensive than opting for paid IP management tools supported by the software publisher’s dedicated support team.

For most businesses, choosing an appropriate IP address management system means choosing a paid solution with easy-to-use features, customer support, and scalability. Especially for companies experiencing growth, it’s critical to have an effective IP address management system in place that will be able to meet the demands of larger networks and a greater number of connected devices.

What is SolarWinds IP Address Manager (IPAM)?

SolarWinds^® IP Address Manager (IPAM) is an IP management tool built to save time and help prevent errors. It includes a number of essential IP address management features, including automated IP address tracking, integrated DHCP, DNS, as well as IP address alerting, troubleshooting, and reporting. Other key functions are multi-vendor, on-premises and cloud-based DHCP, DNS, and API support.

As the size of networks continues to grow and become more complex, software solutions need to be able to support organizations’ need for faster performance and reliable service. Modern network engineers are looking for BYOD capabilities, server virtualization, and cloud-enabled functions—which is why managing your IP addresses inventory and your DHCP and DNS resources with IPAM is critical to help ensure your network is operating at optimal efficiency.

What makes IPAM IP address management different?

SolarWinds IPAM is designed to go beyond the usual range of IP address management features to give you control over every aspect and nuance of your IP address inventory and related resources. 

IPAM integrates with VMware vRealize Orchestrator, which automates the provisioning process for IP addresses. The plug-in also updates DNS records automatically, leveraging more than a dozen different workflows for scripting and integration with vCenter Server and vRealize Automation. When combined with IPAM’s robust notification system, you can rest easy knowing you’ll receive critical alerts instantly.  

The application’s alerting system will also send notifications if subnet scans reveal IP addressing conflicts. IPAM’s conflict detection resources allow engineers to quickly respond to conflict issues and prevent those issues from causing network downtime. IPAM can integrate with SolarWinds User Device Tracker, which is built to provide more detailed information about the devices in question, including their switch port information. IPAM also includes a remote shutdown function engineers can use to shut off network access for problematic devices until the issues can be resolved. 

IPAM includes a subnet allocation wizard engineers and admins can use to set the size of supernets and subnets, allowing IPAM to auto-allocate the right size of subnet. This can lead to more efficient organization of IP addresses based on network traffic as determined by a real-time subnet calculator. 

IPAM is also designed to seamlessly integrate with other SolarWinds monitoring solutions using the Orion^® Platform, creating a robust monitoring lineup that helps ensure your networks are secure and operating efficiently. 

If you’re looking for an IP address management solution, download a fully functional, 30-day trial today to see if SolarWinds IP Address Manager is the best IPAM software for your IP management needs.