Simplifying IP Address Management – It Doesn’t Have to be That Hard!

Managing today’s networks can be complicated, especially if you’re still using a spreadsheets, but there are some web-based tools that can make your life easier.

There’s no doubt that IP Address Management can be a major chore, but as any network engineer or administrator knows, procrastination will only make things worse. For those who are still using homegrown applications or spreadsheets to keep track of IP address space, you should know that there are tools out there that can help you stay organized.

Check out the “Geek Guide to IP Address Management” on the SolarWinds website in the “Resources” section. There are recommended readings, tutorials and videos as well as tips and best practices for making IP address management easier.  .

There’s also a webcast, “Advanced IP Address Management” from SolarWinds that provides an excellent overview of how to properly manage a network’s IP address space. Solar Winds’ Head Geek, Josh Stephens, discusses:

• The growing demand for IP address space, both public and private
• The importance of auditing and documenting your network
• What every network manager should know about IPv6, and how to handle IPv4/IPv6 hybrids.
• Tools for managing your IP address space

In addition, there’s also a quick video overview on how to use the free IP Address Tracker from Solar Winds. Just name your subnet and type in the IP and it will scan it for you. Pretty cool, and this will allow you to get rid of endless spreadsheets once and for all by giving you a tool that is dynamic and simply way more productive.

Let’s face it, with the growth and proliferation of IP based applications, IP Address management isn’t going to get any easier. There are very few resources out on the internet to learn about this aspect of networking. Fortunately, the SolarWinds Geek Speak materials can help get you started, not to mention the community resources that are available from thwack.com forums. To begin, just head over to the Geek Speak section of the SolarWinds website and check out the How To videos, free tools and other resources that are available.