IPAM entails the application of network management discipline to three core interrelated IP network functions:
- IP address inventory - the allocation, tracking and maintenance of IPV4 and IPV6 address space, from public or private blocks, allocated hierarchically down through the subnet level to the individual IP address assignment. Effective IP address inventory practice assures hierarchical block allocations, managed overlaping allocations, and unique IP address assignments.
- DHCP - among addresses assigned from subnets, some may be assigned by DHCP servers, which are configured with corresponding IP address pools and associated client configuration information. DHCP management involves appropriate pool sizing and option value assignment to enable the DHCP server to assign IP address and configuration parameters to laptops, IP phones, and wireless devices, among others.
- DNS - though IP devices communicate using IP addresses, DNS facilitates more palatable navigation by names instead of addresses, DNS facilitates more palatable navigation by names instead of addresses. DNS performs the lookup function, translation website addresses for example into IP addresses.
Each of these three foundational IPAM cornerstones are tightly inter-related. A DHCP address pool must align with a provisioned subnet from the IP address plan and a DNS name must map to the correct IP address as defined in the IP address plan and DHCP server. The practice of IPAM then requires cohesive management of these three IP network functions.
