ReView
A Terrific IPAM Auditing Tool
IP address management (IPAM) is a crucial investment for organizations with growing network ecosystems. An expanding network likely means network managers are routinely keeping track of anywhere from hundreds to many thousands of IP addresses and the devices connected to these addresses.
Why are IPAM Audits Useful?
If poorly managed, a busy IP address infrastructure can result in network chaos and deepen network inefficiencies. With the right IPAM tools, any organization can successfully improve network visibility, save IP address space, and implement stricter privacy and security control over network traffic.
ReView, a recently released IPv4.Global product, stands out in the IPAM space for its robust IP address visibility. ReView simplifies the assignment and allocation of IP addresses, streamlining network management for operators and administrators. Unlike most cloud-based IPAM tools, ReView is a local application, meaning users have more control over data sharing and privacy.
This brings us to the question: just how does ReView streamline IP address management and enhance your IPAM tools?
The Need for Efficient IP Address Management
To understand the importance of efficient IP address management, imagine tracking all the IP addresses assigned to devices on a network daily. That’s all the workstations, laptops, mobile devices, IoT devices, and web servers connected to the networks in a company’s infrastructure. In any enterprise setting, this process is too cumbersome to remain effective in the long term. Before IPAM tools, network managers were tasked with organizing and tracking all of this using spreadsheets and text files, which was an overwhelmingly cumbersome and inefficient process that could become so deeply established as a management routine it was nearly-impossible to pull away from.
How does IPAM work?
Enter IPAM systems, which automate this process by integrating with the Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) to assign devices static or dynamic IP addresses, tracking each of these assignments to minimize network chaos.
As each device connects to a network, the DHCP provides a static or dynamic IP address, enabling network administrators or operators to track devices until they disconnect from a network. Using IPAM to map an entire, up-to-date network infrastructure is helpful if an enterprise’s network is rapidly growing, with users routinely accessing the internet via their networks.
ReView: The First Free IP Address Audit Tool
Even with a growing number of IPAM tools on the market today, network inefficiency related to IP address management remains a concern. Many organizations still track IP addresses manually, creating a high potential for service interruption, security risks, and time-consuming network updates.
ReView was developed in partnership with 6connect to resolve these concerns. It provides users with audit-based visibility of their IP address holdings, revealing inefficiencies such as unused IPv4 address blocks that can be monetized for additional revenue. Beyond improving network visibility, ReView enables faster IP address block segmentation and streamlines network expansion.
What ReView Does for IPAM
Broadly speaking, ReView does what one would expect an IP address audit tool to do: identify inefficiencies in IP address management and offer potential solutions. Looking at the bigger picture, ReView optimizes network management strategy and provides long-term cost savings through sheer transparency. There is no other tool that exists which can audit and provide a completely accurate inventory of IP address blocks to the extent ReView can.
Let’s dive into how ReView empowers IPAM:
Streamlining IP Address Visibility and Management
For a network administrator, it’s crucial to understand how their organization assigns or allocates IP addresses, especially as it pertains to security and operational efficiency. ReView’s address visibility and management features simplify IP address recordkeeping, helping network admins to visualize network dynamics—especially as they evolve.
Whereas a 10-person startup can operate effectively with a single network admin keeping track of IP addresses, chances are this person will be overwhelmed when the organization grows to 100 people. Even with a dedicated team of network operators manually managing IP addresses, this 100-person company might encounter challenges when:
- Entering IP addresses into spreadsheets correctly
- Managing access control to the manual IPAM spreadsheets
- Writing and developing code to automate address assignment
A tool like ReView can address these IPAM challenges head-on, minimizing time, operational, transparency, and financial constraints.
Financial Benefits through ReView’s Address Audit
When conducted routinely, an audit of an IP address management infrastructure will spotlight inefficiencies and unused or underused IP address blocks that could save money or provide revenue from these hidden, dormant assets.
In many cases, hidden IP address blocks can be uncovered in this way and sold for significant returns in today’s competitive market. Likewise, if an organization is aware of, and doesn’t anticipate using, its unused IPv4 addresses, it can sell or lease them to minimize any additional operational costs it currently incurs.
Whether it’s a growing organization looking for new IP addresses or a company interested in unique IP addresses compatible with older devices, chances are there is a ready buyer or renter. In 2022, single IP addresses could be sold at $50+ each—a dramatic increase from $20 in 2019.
Optimizing Network Efficiency and Cost Savings
Ultimately, well-organized IP blocks will save time and money in the short and long term. That said, it is challenging to achieve maximal network efficiency without the help of an IPAM audit tool like ReView.
Here, companies can realize cost savings when consolidating IP addresses. For instance, a growing company looking to purchase new IP addresses in order to meet the demands of its next expansion phase might actually discover there’s sufficient network space post-IPAM audit—saving on potentially significant capital expenditure.
IP address consolidation is also more efficient with ReView’s network visibility features. Network admins and operators can extensively review their current IP address allocations and determine the feasibility of purchasing new space or divesting unneeded blocks.
The Automation Advantage: Simplifying IP Address Discovery
As the internet grows, speed matters. Whether it’s faster networks or security scans, automation makes a difference when optimizing IPAM operational efficiency.
Unlike manual IPAM processes for discovering networks, automated IPAM tools are efficient and provide real-time information about IP address block usage. Conveniently, one can import configuration details into ReView to ensure they meet network discovery needs.
ReView: Fast, Reliable IPAM Audit for the Future
On top of being a fast, automated network scanner, ReView takes IP address management to the next level by improving IP address visibility across enterprise networks, increasing network efficiency, and identifying cost savings opportunities. It’s also a local app, meaning there’s no need to worry about cloud security risks or the privacy intrusions that come with data sharing.
Download ReView (free) and discover the scope of its auditing abilities.