IP Address Management by Infoblox:
Real-Time Visibility, Control and Compliance
with IPAM Automation and Integration

IP address management (IPAM) refers to the management of allocation, administration, reporting and tracking of public and private IP space, IP devices and associated data. Enterprises typically deploy systems and processes that interact with the DNS and DHCP infrastructure in order to provide IPAM capabilities.

A majority of IT departments use manual processes and paper or spreadsheet records for IP address management (IPAM). A typical process for a new IP address assignment to a printer may involve several steps spanning several departments, as a result a simple IPAM request can prove to be extremely complex and time consuming, resulting in increased network operating costs and configuration errors. Infoblox IP address management solution automates and simplifies IP address management thus reducing network operating costs and configuration errors.

Diseconomies of Scale Show that Today’s IPAM Processes and Tools are Obsolete

• Lack of delegation and workflow management reduces IT organization flexibility and increases turnaround times
• Configuration errors and lack of automated monitoring cause expensive network outages
• Lack of visibility into DNS and DHCP data makes troubleshooting difficult

A Tour of Infoblox IPAM Capabilities

IP address management (IPAM) functionality is built-in to Infoblox NIOS software and includes a comprehensive suite of functions that support address allocation, management, and reporting. Unlike conventional solutions, in which IPAM is "built-on" to DNS and DHCP servers, the Infoblox solution requires no extra appliances or software and provides powerful benefits, including real-time visibility to highly dynamic IPAM data, built-in high-availability and disaster recovery, one-button software upgrades, and an interface that makes it the easiest to use and most powerful in the industry.


Infoblox IPAM capability is accessed through an intuitive web-based interface called IP Address Manager module. Infoblox IP Address Manager provides a visual representation of your network and its state in addition to providing a user friendly way to perform IPAM tasks in a secure manner while eliminating configuration errors.

Following are a few key elements of Infoblox IPAM manager –

The IP Address Manager Dashboard

• Easy access to IP address management, monitoring and reporting
• Customizable based on administrator’s role and responsibility
• Dashboard widgets available to provide an overview of the current status of the network, IP addresses, services, network discovery status etc.
• Widgets can be created and added to the dashboard easily, much like with iGoogle or MyYahoo
• Perform about 90% of IPAM tasks directly from the dashboard
  

Smart Folders for organizing IPAM data

• Hierarchically view and manipulate IP address management data
• Directly access relevant networks, devices etc.
• Dynamically updated data as new devices join or leave networks
• Assign custom properties to objects e.g. “”asset-id” and use these properties to categorize

Net Map makes new network allocation easy
The Net Map is a patent-pending Infoblox innovation that provides a graphical depiction of the state of all defined networks within a range. A quick look at Net Map shows available and utilized networks and utilization status of each network. The Net Map also features a slider bar that can be used to allocate new networks and resize existing networks.

The Infoblox IPAM Manager can manage two or more overlapping address ranges within the IP address management system. IP Map to view and allocate IP addresses

• View status of IP devices in a network at a glance including free addresses, network conflicts, reservations etc.
• Perform IPAM tasks e.g. allocation, reserving and adding DNS records directly from IP Map
• Manipulate addresses and their status, such as convert a dynamically assigned DHCP lease to a DHCP fixed address or Infoblox Host object.
• Deploy new devices on the network using a common workflow:
  • Let network devices such as servers, desktops, printers, and IP phones obtain IP address settings automatically using DHCP;
  • View the DHCP leases in the IP address management console, clicking on the entry, and then converting the lease to a DHCP fixed-address or Infoblox Host.

Wizards to make configuration error free
Common IPAM tasks can be performed easily by using simple wizards. This makes configuration error free and can be easily delegated to junior level employees not familiar with DNS, DHCP configuration. IPAM manager contains wizards for adding Networks, Hosts, DNS records, Reserve IP address etc.

Other Infoblox IPAM Manager Capabilities

• Workflow with role based administration streamlines delegation of IPAM tasks
• Network Discovery to Find and Manage Devices on Your Network
• IPAM Monitoring and Reporting for security, compliance and troubleshooting
• bloxTools Environment for Extending and Integrating IPAM
• Additional Ease of Management and IPAM Automation

Summary

IP address management (IPAM) functions have become essential on modern corporate networks. However, the cost and complexity of traditional IPAM software has prevented many companies from deploying such solutions. Infoblox IPAM provides a complete, easy to use solution built on the strong foundation of Infoblox NIOS operating system. Using Infoblox IPAM, enterprises can significantly reduce their network operation costs and increase services availability while focusing on more strategic projects to grow the business rather than just keeping the lights on.