IP Address Management [/caption]
IP address management or IPAM refers to the organization of DHCP and DNS services that assign IPv4 addresses to different devices in a network. In other words, IPAM involves planning, tracking, and managing IPv4 addresses, which is usually done by DNS and DHCP services. However, with a robust IPAM software application, these network services can perform better and work in tandem to resolve common IP conflict issues.
Using spreadsheets was the traditional way of managing IP addresses and tracking responsibilities in a network. This can be very taxing in the cases where the size of the IPv4 address pool is huge. Besides, maintaining data in spreadsheets can also be quite time-consuming and prone to human error. This can lead to many incorrect configurations in the network. As more and more non-traditional devices are being connected to the network these days, such as IoT devices and BYOD culture, managing IP addresses by using spreadsheets can be very risky for business networks. This demands to implement the right IPAM measures in a network.
Why is IPAM Necessary?
An IPAM solution allows network administrators to stay updated on the allocation and use of IPv4 addresses in the TCP/IP network. It also helps to track the IPv4 address space precisely and make sure that the IP addresses are used properly. Without adequate IP address management, administrators cannot plan the capacity accurately, which can limit the scope of business growth. The higher the number of IP addresses, the more robust solution for managing them is required.
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Reliable IPAM Software[/caption]
Another reason why using a reliable IPAM software application is necessary is that it makes is simpler to manage IPv6 addresses. IPv4 uses a 32-bit address scheme, which may allow administrators to remember an IPv4 address. However, IPv6 uses a 128-bit address, which can be very difficult to track manually. What's more, an IPAM solution will also make it easier to manage both IPv4 network resources and IPv6 address space simultaneously. This way, network administrators can catalog the resources efficiently.
The IP address management solution will also allow administrators to collect data related to the devices and services connected to the network. This will keep them up to date with all the information, which they can associate with the different tasks and objects in the database for better management. In addition, network administrators can also get the meta-information for the IPv4 addresses using the IPAM application, such as the username, device type, geographical location, etc. This makes it easier to search, sort, and export the information based on any criteria for further analysis.