Effective IP Address Management: Best Practices for Network Connectivity

Internet Protocol Address Management (IPAM) is a process of effectively implementing network connectivity with additional focus on properly establishing IP addresses on all devices connected within the network. Businesses, no matter the size, have to be fully aware of this process as connectivity is paramount to ensuring smoother transaction and data sharing.

According to Incognito.com IPAM also “simplifies and automates the administration of many tasks involved in IP space management, including configuring DNS (Domain Name System) and DHCP (Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol) settings.”

Best Practices for Better IPAM Deployment

Managing your network’s IP addresses is more than just connecting devices to the central network. There are best practices every network specialist should be fully aware of to ensure better network deployment especially in utilization of IP addresses.

Proper Set-up and Future Proofing

Setting up a network should never be complicated as long as the network administrator is fully aware of every device that should be part of the network. Proper planning and set-up should be established before any LAN cable is laid out. Every network connected device should be identified and physically located.

But aside from proper planning, the infrastructure should be established with preparation for additional upgrades. As connectivity increases its capabilities, hardware changes and improvements should be accommodated.

Better Management Tools and Security

Connecting your network with proper IP address management is one thing - securing it is another challenge a network administrator has to observe. Management and security tools should be in place to ensure every connected device and incoming network transaction from outside resources are screened for possible attacks.

One of the best practices in IPAM when it comes to management and security is the use of proper IP address scheming such as assigning IP address blocks to groups of computers or devices. This allows network specialists to easily identify devices connected to the network and implement a quick fix.

Network Auditing

After the network is set-up, monitored and secured, IPAM also requires auditing. According to Microsoft.com, IPAM auditing “enables you to view potential configuration problems on DHCP servers by actively tracking and reporting all administrative actions.” IPAM auditing requires the use of tools to check the network connectivity and report on which connection could be optimized.

Proper planning and set-up, monitoring, security and auditing are the best practices that should be observed when implementing IPAM. It’s always an easy process but it ensures network connection is optimized and protected.