IPAM

On 26.04.20.23 we have dealt with an IPAM - the IP-Address Managment - from a big event.

You can watch the complete video on our Youtube channel soon. You will find the link in this post as soon as the video is online.

You can download the used table here. Please note that the spreadsheet works with macros and you need to enable them.

What is an IPAM anyway?

IPAM stands for IP Address Management and refers to the management of IP addresses on a network. A good IPAM strategy can help improve network performance, enhance security, and simplify the management of network resources.

IPAM Process

To implement a successful IPAM strategy, it is important to understand the IP address allocation process. The process can be broken down into three steps:

1. Define devices that require IP addresses: Before IP addresses can be assigned, the devices that need them must be identified. This can be a comprehensive list of all devices on a network, or a list of devices that perform a specific function.
2. Determine the method for IP address assignment: there are two main methods for assigning IP addresses: DHCP and Static. When using DHCP, IP addresses are assigned automatically by a DHCP server, while when using static addresses, addresses are assigned manually to each device.
3. Determine the network or VLAN where devices will receive their IP addresses: Once the IP address assignment methods are determined, the networks or VLANs where the devices will receive their addresses must be defined. This is important to ensure that IP addresses are managed and distributed effectively.

Excel spreadsheet as a tool

During the livestream, we illustrated the concept of IPAM strategy through a practical implementation using an Excel spreadsheet. The spreadsheet was divided into several worksheets corresponding to the steps of the IP address allocation process.

1. In the first worksheet, we defined all the devices that needed IP addresses by listing each entry in a new row. Each row contained information such as device name, room, union, domain, and 5 possible networks.
2. In the second worksheet, we defined the IP networks and assigned the corresponding networks to the IP networks. In this way, we were able to ensure that the IP addresses were managed and distributed effectively.
3. In the third worksheet, we defined the VLANs and mapped the networks to the corresponding VLANs. This helped us to manage the network resources effectively.
4. In the fourth and fifth worksheets, we did the actual IP address assignment by copying and pasting the IPs from the prepared table into the appropriate fields in the device list.
5. Through this process, the IP addresses were automatically generated in the last table.

In doing so, this Excel spreadsheet provides an effective way to manage IP address allocation and ensure that all devices are effectively associated with a unique IP address.