Review of SolarWinds Free IP Address Tracker Also Orion IPAM (advanced)
Here are two utilities to help you locate IP addresses on your network. They will help you keep track of IP addresses on your network without needing a spreadsheet.
- Comparison Between SolarWinds IPAT and IPAM
- SolarWinds IP Address Tracker Video
- Subnet Calculator
- Guy’s Review of the IPAT Install
Download the free Solarwinds IP Address Tracker.
Aren’t acronyms are funny things? Catchy names such as IPAT and IPAM can promote a positive image even before you try the product. I find that the acronym IPAT (IP Address Tracker) is both memorable and intriguing.
Calculating IP Address ranges is a black art, which many network managers solve by creating custom Excel spreadsheets. Dotty-dot recording that took hours complete can now be automated in minutes.
The IPAT software cracks the problem of allocating IP addresses in networks in two ways; for Mr Organized there is a nifty subnet calculator, you enter the network address and the subnet mask, then IPAT works out the usable addresses and their ranges. For Mr Lazy IPAT discovers and then displays the IP addresses of existing computers.
Comparison Between SolarWinds IPAT and IPAM
The first thing to realize is that SolarWinds offer two utilities, IPAT is the freeware IP Address Tracker, while Orion IPAM is the all bells and whistles version. I recommend that you start by going to the SolarWinds website and download the IP Address Tracker. Only progress to the Orion IPAM once you have a grounding in the basic model.
Remember that the Orion IPAM has ALL the elements, whereas IPAT, the free ‘IP Address Tracker’, only contains the basic features. One factor that may sway you to install IPAM is that you already have other utilities in the ORION suite.
Assuming you are using the IPAM software, and not the IP Address Tracker, seek out the ‘Manage Subnets and IP Addresses’ tab. It’s incredible the way you can organise the subnets, you can even create supernets by dragging and dropping the elements.
IP4 and IP6 reports are created by default, create own, changing state Add top 10 lists.
Subnet Calculator
Many have spent longer than we care to admit in customizing an Excel Spreadsheet to manage our IP addresses allocations. Thus it’s worth getting a copy of IPAM just to save time tracking which server has been allocated to which IP address, or which building uses a particular subnet. Best of all, the subnet allocation wizard works out the address ranges for you.
Guy’s Review of the IPAT Install
I have a crusade, even an obsession that software should be easy to install. Say what you will, about Microsoft, their products are always setup. Actually, with IPAT there is no problem with the install. Despite setting a tough challenge of setting up the IP Address Monitor on a 64-bit Windows Server 2008, even Guy the arch-critic could not fault the setup routine.
Using the IP Address Tracker is straightforward and intuitive. Launch the utility and just press the buttons! ‘Scan Now’ and see if the utility detects the IP address just as you predicted – or will there be a surprise computer or two? ‘New Subnet’ launches the famous Subnet Calculator, if you have ever had to study for IP exams, or had to configure networks for real, then you will enjoy this nifty utility.
Summary of SolarWinds IP Address Tracker IPAT
This IP locator will track all your IP addresses, as a result you get a unified view of your address space. On thing you can see at a glance is which IP addresses are in use, and thus reduce assignment errors.
A good IP Address locator removes the reliance on spreadsheet for recording the dotty dot numbers. With IPAT and IPAM you get a top-down perspective of your IP address scheme.
The difference? IPAM is the all singing all dancing version, while the IP Address Tracker (IPAT) is the basic freeware version.
Additional Free and Trial SolarWinds Network Software
Here are nifty gadgets which I have evaluating on my network. Some are completely free, while other downloads are trial versions of the full product. I think SolarWinds have a great strategy, namely, supplying a free utility, yet providing a big-brother suite of programs for larger organizations.
• SolarWinds Permissions Analyzer • Review PC Engineers Toolset • LanSurveyor • Home
• SolarWinds Netflow • Review SolarWinds TFTP Server • Review of Network Topology Mapper
• Mobile IT Admin App • Netflow Monitoring • Free NetFlow Analyzer • CSVDE Import Tool
