Do I need IP Address Management (IPAM)?

Any experience of what is the tipping point for deciding when to deploy an IPAM solution (to replace Excel spreadsheet) ?

I note that integrated DDI (DNS, DHCP, IPAM) solutions are deployed in large enterprises but I’m interested in hearing any experience of when smaller business should start using IPAM ?

I’m thinking about using one of the open source IPAM solutions like Netbox, NIPAP, or PHPIpam.

Thanks

Depends how many thing are DHCP and how many are static or reserved IP’s. There are ways to yank them all out of the system, things like Angry IP Scanner if you just need a list once in a while.

After that, “playing” with one of the opensource tools might be a good idea just so you have experience with that tool. I’ve been thinking of getting something just so I can have experience with it, not because I need it. But if it makes my life easier it might be worth having.

Unless I’m missing something, I can’t see the need for something like this, unless there are a ton of static IPs you’re trying to manage.

Where I work, we have about 50 different networks that use some static IPs, and still just use a spreadsheet. Seems that effort would be better spent on different projects rather than IP management, especially if its just a smaller business.