What is IPAM and How to get started?

IPAM stands for IP Address Management. It refers to the process of planning, tracking, and managing the allocation and usage of IP (Internet Protocol) addresses within a network. IP addresses are unique numerical identifiers assigned to devices connected to a network, allowing them to communicate with each other over the internet. In this blog we will get to know What is IPAM and How to get started? So lets go !

IPAM is essential for large networks with a large number of IP addresses. It can help to ensure that IP addresses are used efficiently and that there are no conflicts. IPAM can also help to reduce the time and effort required to manage IP addresses.

Here are some of the benefits of using IPAM:

• Improved IP address utilization: IPAM can help you to identify and reclaim unused IP addresses, which can save you money.
• Reduced risk of IP address conflicts: IPAM can help you to track IP address usage and prevent conflicts.
• Increased efficiency: IPAM can automate many of the tasks involved in managing IP addresses, which can save you time and effort.
• Improved visibility: IPAM provides a centralized view of your IP address infrastructure, which can help you to troubleshoot problems more easily.

How IPAM Works ?

IPAM’s modular architecture incorporates two containers: a front-end user interface and a back-end engine.Additionally, a Load Balancer container running NGINX facilitates path-based routing for seamless deployment. This flexibility allows IPAM to cater to various use cases, including the following:

1. Custom User Interface: If you have specific interface requirements or prefer to develop your own, IPAM allows you to forego the pre-built user interface and seamlessly integrate your own solution. This empowers you to personalize the IPAM experience to align with your organization’s unique needs.
2. RESTful API Integration: For those who prefer working with the IPAM system solely through the RESTful API, the architecture readily accommodates this approach. You can leverage the API to interact with IPAM’s powerful functionality, enabling seamless integration with your existing network management tools and systems.
3. Lightweight Backend Engine: If you prefer a lightweight implementation of the backend engine, such as Azure Functions or Azure Container Instances, you can easily configure IPAM to meet your requirements.This ensures optimal resource utilization and scalability, making it an ideal solution for cloud-based environments.

To deploy IPAM you need to provide some permissions at different level in azure portal . You can learn in detail about this from official documentation of azure IPAM . Here is the link https://azure.github.io/ipam/#/deployment/README?id=ipam-deployment-overview .

After fulfilling all these prerequisite you can simply clone the project from github repo https://github.com/Azure/ipam , and use powershell script to deploy it but before deploying it you should first authenticate yourself with your azure account .

Connect to Azure PowerShell

# Sign in Interactively
Connect-AzAccount

Set Azure PowerShell Context

Set-AzContext -Subscription "<Target Subscription Name/GUID>"

Clone the Github Repo

# Example using PowerShell for Windows
PS C:\> git clone https://github.com/Azure/ipam.git
PS C:\> cd .\ipam\deploy
PS C:\ipam\deploy> .\deploy.ps1 <OPTIONS>

# Example using PowerShell for Linux
PS /> git clone https://github.com/Azure/ipam.git
PS /> cd /ipam/deploy
PS /ipam/deploy> .\deploy.ps1 <OPTIONS>

Full Deployment

./deploy.ps1 -Location "westus3" 

That’s the end of this blog . I will be writing more on this topic . Let me know if you have any question . Here you can explore more on blogs