As enterprises deploy new IP services and technologies, such as voice over IP (VoIP), IP video conferencing, wireless, cloud computing, and virtualization, their IP networks and traffic can quickly explode in size and complexity. Devices on the network also have proliferated - each requiring its own IP address. Management of IP address space and Domain Name System (DNS) and Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) server configurations can quickly become overwhelming.
Traditional IP address management (IPAM) tools, such as spreadsheets, homegrown systems, and even early versions of IPAM software are becoming technically obsolete and no longer reliable or scalable. New, more complex IPv6 networks call for more dynamic address management. Enterprises now require a full-featured, automated IPAM solution to plan, track, and manage the IP address space used in their networks.
Product Overview
Cisco Prime™ Network Registrar is a high-performance, scalable, reliable solution that provides integrated DNS, DHCP, and IPAM (DDI) services to simplify management of IP addresses and the transition to IPv6.
The solution includes the following integrated components and their respective services for IPv4 and IPv6:
• A single DHCP server for device network access
• A single DNS server for IP address translation and service delivery
• A DNS caching server that supports DNS Security Extensions (DNSSEC) that is designed to prevent cache poisoning and other attacks
• A powerful, comprehensive IPAM system to automate and manage all IP address requirements
Key Capabilities
Manageability: Cisco Prime Network Registrar provides an easy-to-use, reliable, and integrated IPAM solution with centralized management and control. Simplified management is achieved through automation - allowing network operators to achieve significant operational efficiencies and providing the ability to handle rapid IP and network expansion. IP conflicts and configuration errors are eliminated - reducing downtime of DHCP and DNS services and lowering network operating costs. With the ability to discover, track, allocate, and reclaim IP addresses automatically and tools to model IP data, organizations can easily move away from manual systems.
Visibility: Cisco Prime Network Registrar DNS and DHCP dashboards provide real-time visibility into IPv4 and IPv6 networks, subnet usage, and device connections for faster troubleshooting. An intuitive graphical user interface promotes ease of use. The IPAM component allows detailed IP audit reporting and diagnostics as well as operator-defined thresholds and alerts that provide notification of impending address depletion.
Flexibility and control: The high level of control offered by Cisco Prime Network Registrar IPAM allows organizations to manage their IP space according to their own policies and procedures to bring network monitoring in line with their business requirements. A patented, flexible container mechanism helps enable a user to organize IP address space according to a deployment's topology, geography, and router association for greater administrative simplicity. This flexible container model intuitively maps IP blocks to sites, customers, or departments. Well-defined administrator roles, controls, and reports promote accountability and auditability. Granular, role-based IPAM delegation allows multiple administrators to manage the system.
Eases IPv4 to IPv6 transition: The solution allows dual-stack deployments on a single server, and the IPAM system eases the transition from IPv4 to IPv6 (as well as IPv6 deployment planning) by providing:
• A single view into IPv4 and IPv6
• Options to integrate IPv4 and IPv6 and migrate seamlessly
• Automatic IP address and subnet discovery and network inventory for address planning and deployment of IPv6
DNS: Without a fast, reliable, and secure DNS service, subscribers' broadband Internet access will be compromised. Cisco Prime Network Registrar DNS is standards compliant, supports both IPv4 and IPv6, and is reliable with support for high availability DNS. High performance delivers query throughput that far exceeds competitive solutions.
DHCP: Cisco Prime Network Registrar DHCP is scalable, fast, and powerful to meet the demands of complex networks. The solution includes support for DHCP failover and a patent-pending discriminating rate limiter for avalanche protection to limit downtime after network outages. The full-featured DHCPv6 server provides support for address assignment, both stateless and stateful configuration, and prefix delegation for full IPv6 address management.
DNSSEC: A separate, extremely fast caching-only server performs DNSSEC validation helps to protect resource records against common DNS vulnerabilities.
Deployment options: Cisco Prime Network Registrar is available as a virtual appliance for fast startup and rapid time to value.
About Cisco Prime
The Cisco Prime portfolio of enterprise and service provider management offerings empowers IT organizations to more effectively manage their networks and the services they deliver. Built on a service-centered foundation, the Cisco Prime portfolio of products supports integrated lifecycle management through an intuitive workflow-oriented user experience.
Service and Support
Using the Cisco® lifecycle services approach, Cisco and its partners provide a broad portfolio of end-to-end services and support that can help increase your network's business value and return on investment. This approach defines the minimum set of activities needed, by technology and by network complexity, to help you deploy and operate Cisco technologies and optimize their performance throughout the network lifecycle.
For More Information
For more information about Cisco Prime Network Registrar, visit http://cisco.com/go/networkregistrar, contact your local account representative, or send an email to ask-networkregistrar@cisco.com.