Here’s a concise guide to automated IP address management (IPAM) tools — what they do, leading commercial and open‑source options, how they differ, and how to pick one.

What automated IPAM tools do (short)

• Keep a centralized, authoritative inventory of IPv4/IPv6 address space, subnets, leases and reverse/forward DNS records.
• Integrate DNS and DHCP (DDI) so address changes update DNS/DHCP automatically and prevent conflicts.
• Offer discovery, scanning, auditing, role‑based access control, APIs for automation, and reporting to support planning, troubleshooting and compliance. (Infoblox.com)

Commercial / enterprise IPAM vendors (representative)

• Infoblox — enterprise DDI platform with strong automated discovery, policy-based automation, DNS/DHCP integration and cloud/hybrid support for large deployments. Good for organizations needing an authoritative, highly scalable DDI stack and strong security/compliance features. (Infoblox.com)
• BlueCat (including Men&Mice capabilities since acquisition) — centralized IPAM/DDI with API‑first automation, multi‑cloud synchronization, RBAC and overlays for multi‑vendor environments. Good for hybrid/multi‑cloud and environments needing flexible orchestration. (bluecatnetworks.com)
• SolarWinds IP Address Manager — integrates DHCP/DNS/IPAM, automated scanning and IP request workflows; often chosen by mid‑market IT teams who want an on‑prem UI and integrations with other SolarWinds products. (SolarWinds.com)
• Men&Mice (Micetro) — overlay/orchestration DDI that emphasizes API automation, multi‑vendor and Microsoft integration; now part of BlueCat’s portfolio. Useful when you need an overlay that can orchestrate existing DNS/DHCP services. (menandmice.com)

Open‑source and lighter solutions

• phpIPAM — popular open‑source, PHP/MySQL IPAM with subnet visualization, REST API, DNS (PowerDNS) integration, VLAN/VRF support and good for small-to-medium networks or labs. Good when you want low cost and full control (self‑hosted). (phpIPAM.com)
• GestioIP and others — other open or low‑cost options exist (GestioIP, NetBox for IPAM within broader DCIM/asset management workflows), each with different strengths (UI, API, plugin ecosystem). (See vendor pages for specifics.)

Key automation features to look for

• API first (full CRUD via REST/SDKs) to integrate with IaC/CI pipelines and orchestration. (menandmice.com)
• Automatic discovery and subnet scanning to keep records accurate. (SolarWinds.com)
• Tight DNS + DHCP synchronization (DDI) to avoid stale records and conflicts. (Infoblox.com)
• Role‑based access control, audit logs and change history for compliance. (menandmice.com)
• Cloud/provider integrations (Azure, AWS Route 53, etc.) if you run hybrid/multi‑cloud. (bluecatnetworks.com)

How to choose (quick checklist)

• Scale & reliability: enterprise DDI (Infoblox/BlueCat) for thousands of sites/devices; phpIPAM or NetBox for smaller deployments. (Infoblox.com)
• Automation & API needs: pick an API‑first product if you’ll integrate with DevOps or provisioning workflows (Men&Mice, BlueCat, Infoblox, phpIPAM). (menandmice.com)
• DNS/DHCP mix: if you need full managed DNS/DHCP with IPAM, prefer DDI suites (Infoblox, BlueCat, SolarWinds, Men&Mice). (Infoblox.com)
• Budget & ops model: open‑source/self‑hosted vs. licensed appliances or SaaS. Consider support, SLAs and security requirements. (phpIPAM.com)

Typical deployment patterns

• Full DDI replacement: enterprises use Infoblox or BlueCat for on‑prem and cloud DDI consolidation. (Infoblox.com)
• Overlay/orchestration: use Men&Mice/Micetro to orchestrate existing DNS/DHCP servers without rip‑and‑replace. (menandmice.com)
• Lightweight/self‑managed: phpIPAM or NetBox for engineering teams who want APIs and low-cost control. (phpIPAM.com)

Next steps (practical)

1. Inventory current pain points: scale, conflicts, stale DNS, cloud integration, audit needs.
2. Shortlist 2–3 candidates (one enterprise DDI, one overlay/orchestration, one open‑source if budget matters).
3. Trial or PoC with real network data: test discovery, DHCP/DNS sync, API automation and failure scenarios.
4. Validate operational needs: RBAC, backups, HA, upgrade path, vendor support (or community support for OSS).

If you want, I can:

• produce a short vendor comparison matrix (features vs. requirements), or
• create a tailored shortlist based on your environment (size, cloud providers, number of subnets, compliance needs).

Which would you prefer?