Incognito Software Systems has updated its Address Commander software with features that automate more IP address management tasks.
The company’s Address Commander, introduced in 2006, is a set of software tools that service providers use to manage tens of thousands to millions of public IP addresses for business customers and subscribers.
New features and benefits start with streamlined IP assignment, which automates the entire IP request process, with the expectation that eliminating manual entry will reduce assignment errors.
Once blocks of IPs have been allocated for specific purposes, Address Commander automatically assigns addresses from the appropriate free pool to fulfill IP address requests. IP request forms can be customized to show only the available options for each network type, further minimizing errors in the request and assignment process, the company said.
The new version of the tools also includes what the company is calling intelligent network-wide device discovery and problematic assignment management. Through device discovery scans, Address Commander obtains and displays the real-world deployment details of a service provider’s network, Incognito explained. The scans examine millions of IP addresses within hours without impacting other IPAM operations. After a scan, potential IP conflicts and inconsistencies are summarized in reports and to-do lists to help the IP administration or operations teams quickly resolve any identified issues. The to-do list automatically updates at the next scan and resolved issues are removed from the list, the company said.
“IP Address Management for service providers is no longer about finding an available IP and marking it as used in a spreadsheet. Due to the scarcity of IPv4 addresses, the popularity of IP-based services, and the increased complexity of provider networks, IP planners and administrators are now focused on optimizing their resources and streamlining their processes,” said Stephane Bourque, president and CEO of Incognito Software Systems. “Address Commander provides a comprehensive network view at both a macro and device-specific level to help service providers identify and resolve IP-related issues quickly and easily so they can focus on delivering more services to their subscribers.”
Managing networks with potentially millions of subscribers and connected devices, service provider IP administrators face unique challenges compared to their enterprise counterparts, including multi-vendor DHCP architecture, cross-department IPAM software users, business customer assignments, hundreds of network types, and more, Incognito said. These complex service delivery environments require a solution that gives them a comprehensive view of the network, meets Regional Internet Registry requirements, supports multiple types of users, and streamlines the IP request and assignment process.
