The 7 Best IP Address Manager Tools

Managing IP addresses can be a daunting task. IP addresses are fundamental components of contemporary networks and for their optimal operation, a certain level of organization is required.

The goal of IP address management is to maintain an orderly arrangement of IP addresses, ensure there are no duplicates, and guarantee a constant supply of IP addresses for new devices connecting to the network. While this may seem complex, there are tools available to simplify the process. Today, we will explore some of the best IP address manager tools, including SolarWinds IP Address Manager, ManageEngine OpUtils IP Address Manager, Infoblox IPAM & DHCP, and Blue Cat Address Manager.

Firstly, let’s delve into the concept of IP addresses. We will examine what they are and how they function. Despite seeming intricate, the concept is quite straightforward. Next, we will introduce DNS (Domain Name Service), a technology that simplifies the use of IP addresses for us. It’s worth noting that IP addressing and DNS are so closely intertwined that most IP address manager tools handle both.

Following this, we will delve into IP address management, exploring its definition and what it involves. As most IP address manager tools aim to automate the management of IP addresses, we will discuss this aspect next. Lastly, before we review some of the best IP address manager tools, we will briefly touch on DHCP (Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol), another technology closely related to IP addressing and its management.

IP Addresses – The What And The How

IP addresses are used to uniquely identify each and every device connected to an IP network. This IP network could be your home WiFi network, the network at your place of work or the Internet. Although each of these may be interconnected, they are individual networks. An IP address is, in many ways, similar to a street address. Its primary purpose is to help in transporting data from an origin to a destination.

IP addresses are huge 32-bit long binary numbers. Obviously, it could be impractical and error-prone to write them in binary or even using their decimal equivalent. They are, therefore, split into four chunks of 8 bits each which we usually represent as a suite of 4 decimal numbers between 0 and 255 separated by dots. For instance, the IP address 11000000101010000000000000000001 becomes 192.168.0.1, a much easier to read format.

An IP address consists of two parts, the host and the network or, more precisely, the sub-network. This has to do with IP routing which is used when sending data to an IP address on a different network—typically in a different location. Which part of an IP address represents the host and which part represents the network is the most complicated aspect of IP addressing. It is complicated because it left to network designers and administrators to determine it. The boundary between the subnet, as it is often called, and the host can be at any bit within the address’ thirty-two.

Communicating what part is subnet and what part is host is another complicated matter. In the beginning of IP networking, we used what was called classful addressing where certain predefined address ranges had predefined boundaries. For instance, any address starting with 192.168 had 24 bits for the subnet and 8 bits for the host. That worked well but it was not flexible enough so classless addressing started to be used where the boundary can be anywhere.

In order to indicate what part of an IP address is the subnet and what part is the host, two different notation schemes have emerged. The first way is to specify a subnet mask along with the IP address. This is another dotted-decimal number in which each 1 indicates a subnet position and each zero indicate a host position. For example, the 255.255.255.0 subnet mask indicates 24 bits for the network and 8 for the host. Another notation which is often referred to as classless addressing requires adding a forward slash followed by the number of subnet bits to an IP address. For example, one would write 192.168.0.2 /24.

DNS To The Rescue

IP addresses are great for computers to use to locate each other and exchange data but they are not really user-friendly and they tend to be hard to remember. At the beginning of IP networking, each computer had a “hosts” file where the correspondence between IP addresses and hostnames were listed. That enabled a user who wanted to connect to a remote computer to use its hostname rather than its IP address, provided that there was a corresponding entry in his computer’s hosts file.

The Domain Name Service was later created to enable a distributed database of hostname to IP address correspondences. Instead of looking up an address in its local “hosts” file, a computer would query a DNS server which, through a rather simple yet elaborate process, would eventually—within a matter of a few tenths of a second—return the corresponding IP address. IP addresses and DNS work together at enabling computers and their users to easily locate remote systems.

About Managing IP Addresses

Managing IP addresses is among the most important tasks of network administrators. It mainly serves two purposes: making sure each device is assigned an IP address and making sure no IP addresses are duplicated within a network. Back when networks used to be small(er), manually managing IP addresses was the way to go. Administrators typically kept a text file or Excel spreadsheet where each assigned IP address was documented. As networks grew bigger, this method started to exhibit serious shortcomings. For starters, how can you assure that each and every change to the network will be reflected in the documentation? Also, how do you assure or verify that the IP addresses that are configured on devices are those that were assigned? And how do you make sure that any change in IP address assignment is reflected it the local DNS server?

Automating The Process

Automation is the key to avoid many of the issues we just mentioned. This is also why IP Address Management, or IPAM, tools were first created. These tools vary greatly in their functionality with the most basic simply being glorified versions of the text files or spreadsheets of the past while others are complete automated systems with active connections to other related systems—such as DNS and DHCP—to offer the most robust of solutions.

A Word About DHCP

The Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol, or DHCP, is also closely related to IP address management. As its name suggests, it is used to automatically configure hosts with the proper IP address and other network interface settings. Computers using the protocol will contact a DHCP server upon startup to get their IP address, subnet mask, default gateway, DNS server(s), and several more configuration parameters in a dynamic fashion. Many IP address management tools either include a DHCP server or can communicate with an existing DHCP server, ensuring that the information they contain is what is actually configured on the networked computers.

The Best IP Address Manager Tools

We’ve searched the Internet for the best IP address manager tools we could find. Some of the products we found include built-in DNS and DHCP functionality. And although others might not include DNS or DHCP functionalities, they will often integrate with many popular DNS and DCHP server such as those we typically find on Windows and Linux.

1. SolarWinds IP Address Manager (FREE TRIAL)

SolarWinds is one of the best-known names in network management. The company makes some of the best tools to assist administrators. Its flagship product, the Network Performance Monitor consistently scores among the top network monitoring tools. SolarWinds is also known for its free tools. The Kiwi Syslog server and the Advanced Subnet Calculator are two examples of these free tools.

To manage IP addresses, SolarWinds offers the IP Address Manager. This tool features built-in DHCP and DNS servers but it can also interact with DHCP and DNS server from Microsoft and Cisco so you won’t have to replace your existing infrastructure.

The SolarWinds IP Address Manager lets you allocate IP addresses in different ways. You can, for instance, use reservations for servers and other equipment and use dynamically allocated addresses for workstations. Everything gets seamlessly integrated into the DNS. Furthermore, a setup wizard is included to assist in configuring DHCP scopes.

The SolarWinds IP Address Manager lets you set up user accounts with different access levels. You could, for instance, give only partial access to some junior admins or let managers view the reports but not change anything. The tool’s logging system which records every change with a timestamp and the username of the operator making the change is more than just a nice-to-have, it can help with compliance issues.

Unsurprisingly, prices for the SolarWinds IP Address Manager are based on the number of managed IP addresses and start at $1 995 for up to 1024 addresses. If you’d rather try the software before purchasing it, a free fully functional 30-day trial version is available.

2. ManageEngine OpUtils IP Address Manager

Next, we have a tool from ManageEngine, another company that is famous for its network management tools. The OpUtils IP Address Manager provides centralized management of the IP address space and it can handle both IPv4 and IPv6 addresses. Its built-in IP manager software assists network administrators in identifying whether an IP address is available or not. The tool performs periodical scans of subnets and keeps the availability status of IP addresses in each subnet up to date.

The IP Address Manager’s tool can be used to quickly and easily verify whether a particular IP is reserved or available. The tool accepts multiple subnet inputs, which helps in scanning the entire network to get the status of all IP addresses.

Although a free version of the ManageEngine OpManager IP Address Manager is available, it is limited to managing a single subnet. While this is enough to give the product a test run, you’ll want to acquire a license to use it. Pricing can be obtained by contacting ManageEngine.

3. Infoblox IPAM & DHCP

The Infoblox IPAM & DHCP system is probably better suited for larger networks. Like other similar-sized systems, it has templates to automate routine tasks. It also comes with some excellent standard reports. And if the existing templates or reports don’t seem to offer what you’re looking for, you are free to customize them at will.

The Infoblox IPAM & DHCP lets managers track the usage of key resources. It also features tracking functions which can help manage DHCP usage more effectively. From a security standpoint, this is a great feature as it also includes the ability to identify out-of-scope addresses and isolate rogue devices. You won’t find that on other systems. It goes to show how Infoblox is as concerned with security as it is with IPAM and has built major safeguards right into its system.

Pricing information for the Infoblox IPAM & DHCP software can be obtained by contacting Infoblox. And if you want to try the product and see all it an do, a free evaluation version of the product is available from Infoblox.

4. Blue Cat Address Manager

Although BlueCat might not be as famous as SolarWinds, it is still one of the industry leaders in its field. The Blue Cat Address Manager is another software that’s better suited for larger organizations with a network management team. The company’s IPAM system also includes DHCP and DNS functionality but it can also interoperate with DHCP and DNS servers from Microsoft.

The BlueCat Address Manager can work with both IPv4 and IPv6 addresses at the same time. It’s a great tool to use when migrating from one version to the other. The system has workflows and approval chains as well as user accounts with hierarchical rights for the best possible security.

This tool uses a concept called network templates. They enable the administrator to use information layouts that ensure essential tasks cannot be overlooked and that every important data is present. In summary, the BlueCat address manager automates as many network administration tasks as possible. As a result, the risk of a problem caused by human error is reduced.

The BlueCat Address Manager is a premium package so you can expect to pay premium prices but if you’re managing a large network, it is well worth the investment. Detailed pricing information can be obtained by contacting BlueCat.

5. GestióIP

Our next tool might be from a company that is not as famous as some other on our list but don’t let that fool you. GestióIP is an excellent piece of software. And it is free and open-source. The website states that “GestióIP is an automated, web-based IPv4/IPv6 address management (IPAM) software. It features powerful network discovery functions and offers search and filter functions for both networks and host, permitting Internet Search Engine equivalent expressions. This lets you find the information that administrators frequently need easily and quickly.”

What can be added to such an eloquent description? Concretely, this is an excellent system, especially for smaller businesses that might not be able to afford the larger systems such as those from Infoblox or BlueCat. Despite being free, this is a feature-rich tool which has all the functionalities a network administrator might need without the high price tag. And it does come with a few unique features such as a built-in IP subnet calculator and an IP address plan builder. This is certainly a package worth looking into.

6. Diamond IP

BT (AKA British Telecom) probably needs no introduction. But what not everyone knows is that the company makes network administration tools. One of them is the Diamond IP, an IP address management tool. It can facilitate multi-cloud IPAM with virtual appliances for AWS, Azure, Oracle VM, VMware, Hyper-V and others. The tool’s cloud automation feature dynamically automates the assignment and tracking of private and public cloud instance IP addresses and DNS names.

This is a unique tool in that it is available as an appliance, as a software to install on your own hardware or as a cloud-based, fully-staffed managed solution making it ideal for companies with a small IT department or those who don’t have a centralized IT staff. Whichever version you choose, the tool integrates with existing DNS and DHCP services on your network. Pricing for the BT Diamond IP software can be obtained by contacting the vendor.

7. LightMesh IPAM

Last on our list is this lesser-known product called LightMesh IPAM. This product offers the same basic functionality as many other IP address management tools. However, its user-friendly and sophisticated GUI makes the tool stand out among the crowd. This tool not only does a very good job at presenting the data and information in a way that is intuitive and efficient but its functionality is also excellent.

The tool includes IP planning and visualization features, Network discovery, audit history, permissions management with multi-group security permissions. LightMesh IPAM can easily integrate with your existing DNS and DHCP servers to provide you with an integrated IP address management solution with a view of all your IP, DNS, and DHCP information, no matter where it resides.

LightMesh IPAM is subscription-based and prices start at just $200 per month for up to fifty subnets and ten thousand IP addresses and $500 per month for five hundred subnets and a million IP addresses. Furthermore, a free 30-day trial version is available.

In Conclusion

With the help of any of the tools we just reviewed, managing IP addresses suddenly becomes a much easier task. But not only that, using an automated IP address manager tool can also reduce the risk of human errors. The only challenge you face is picking the right tool for your needs. We strongly suggest you look at the detailed specifications of a few of the packages and, once you’ve identified those that seem to fit your need, perhaps you could try one or two. Most vendors offer a free trial.