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IP Assignments & Sonar

Alex Moore Updated by Alex Moore

Read Time: 2 mins

There are three main approaches in marrying Sonar to the IP assignments within your network. They are as follows:

Have Sonar IPAM act as the DHCP Server

In this approach, when an IP assignment takes place in Sonar, a static lease is triggered from Sonar to your DHCP server (or RADIUS server, LTE management platform, etc.) All management is controlled directly within Sonar.

Advantages

Disadvantages

  • if this method is used as the only way customer devices get IP addresses, IP assignment itself can easily be used as an authentication method
  • very easy to manage IPs directly within Sonar
  • not option 82 compatible
  • currently, limited options for compatible devices (MikroTik DHCP Server, RADIUS Server, Telrad and Baicells LTE)

Steps and Relevant Articles

  1. Setup IPAM
  2. Integrate with Server
    1. MikroTik: Setting Up a Sonar Controlled DHCP Server
    2. RADIUS: Build-Out & Integration with Sonar

Have the Assignment From the Server Come Into Sonar

In this approach, assignment happening from the server to a device causes the server to also send a copy of that assignment information either directly in Sonar, or in some cases to a DHCP batcher.

Advantages

Disadvantages

  • can be setup to take advantage of option 82 capable devices to auto populate customer owned routers into Sonar
  • integration is possible with almost any device as long as it is capable of firing a script when a lease is given or expired
  • Need to take into consideration how to treat devices that can get an IP but are not in Sonar
  • is more complex for the initial setup

Steps and Relevant Articles

  1. Setup IPAM
  2. Integrate with the Server
    1. Setting Up a DHCP Batcher
    2. RADIUS: Build-Out & Integration with Sonar

Set the IP Assignment Statically in the Device and Use Sonar as the IPAM Record

In this approach, Sonar and the device do not interface at all. Sonar is merely a place to keep a statement of record.

Advantages

Disadvantages

  • simplest to set up
  • can still use pools to quickly understand the next available IP
  • full IP history is still maintained
  • can be difficult to make massive IPAM changes in these ranges
  • all staff needs to be trained on IP management if they are handling devices
It is common practice to statically assign infrastructural devices on most network sites. It makes sense to keep this information in Sonar and have the full IPAM record live here.

Steps and Relevant Articles

  1. Setup IPAM

How did we do?

MikroTik: Setting Up a Sonar Controlled DHCP Server

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