Here are the best IPAM (IP Address Management) options for cloud-first and hybrid cloud infrastructures, with short notes on strengths, typical use cases, and trade-offs to help you choose.

Top picks

• Amazon VPC IP Address Manager (AWS IPAM) — built into AWS; automates CIDR planning, allocation, cross-account/region tracking and governance for VPCs. Best if your infrastructure is primarily on AWS and you want a native, fully managed IPAM. (docs.aws.amazon.com)

• Infoblox DDI (IPAM + DNS + DHCP) — enterprise-grade DDI with strong discovery, policy-driven automation, multi-cloud integrations and vendor ecosystem (and appliance/cloud options). Best for large enterprises that need a highly resilient, secure single source-of-truth across on‑prem and multi‑cloud. (Infoblox.com)

• BlueCat (DNS, DHCP & IPAM) — commercial DDI focused on policy-driven automation and integrations with public clouds and orchestration tools. Good for enterprises that require robust change-control, auditability and integration with workflow systems. (BlueCat is comparable to Infoblox in enterprise scenarios.)

• Men & Mice Suite — lightweight commercial DDI/IPAM with strong multi‑vendor DNS/DHCP abstraction, API-first design, and suitability for hybrid-cloud environments. Good when you want vendor-agnostic control over cloud and on-prem DNS/DHCP without replacing existing services.

• EfficientIP SOLIDserver (DDI) — enterprise DDI that highlights multi-cloud support (AWS, Azure, GCP), global policy enforcement and centralized visibility. Good for organizations that want appliance or virtual DDI with broad cloud DNS/DHCP integrations. (EfficientIP.com)

• SolarWinds IP Address Manager — easier-to-deploy IPAM with integrated DHCP/DNS monitoring, solid subnet discovery and useful IP request/automation features. Often chosen by SMBs or teams that already use SolarWinds for monitoring. (SolarWinds.com)

• phpIPAM (open-source) — mature open-source IPAM with REST API, IPv4/IPv6, VLAN/VRF support and DNS integration options (PowerDNS etc.). Best if you want a low-cost, self-hosted, scriptable IPAM and can accept DIY integrations and in-house maintenance. (phpIPAM.net)

How to pick (quick guide)

• Native cloud-first (AWS-only): use AWS IPAM for simplest, lowest-friction management and cross-account governance. It’s purpose-built for VPC workflows and scales with AWS accounts/regions. (docs.aws.amazon.com)

• Multi-cloud + enterprise DDI needs (DNS/DHCP + policy + compliance): choose Infoblox, BlueCat, EfficientIP or Men & Mice. These provide robust DDI, role-based policies, audit trails and enterprise integrations (SIEM, ticketing, orchestration). (Infoblox.com)

• Cost-sensitive / self-managed / highly customizable: phpIPAM gives you feature-rich open-source IPAM with an API and community support; you’ll need to handle HA, backups, and cloud integrations yourself. (phpIPAM.net)

• SMBs or teams that already use SolarWinds monitoring: SolarWinds IPAM offers quick onboarding, good DHCP/DNS monitoring and an integrated UI for mid‑sized environments. (SolarWinds.com)

Key capabilities to check before you choose

• Cloud-native integrations: native support for AWS IPAM, Azure, GCP, or ability to sync with cloud provider APIs.
• Cross-account/tenant visibility: can it track allocations across accounts/projects/regions and prevent overlapping CIDRs?
• API/automation: REST APIs and IaC-friendly workflows for automated provisioning.
• DDI integration: does it manage or integrate tightly with DNS and DHCP (authoritative services, updates, and zones)?
• Multi-vendor support: if you keep on‑prem DNS/DHCP appliances, can it co-exist and sync?
• Scalability & HA, security/compliance (RBAC, audit logs), and operational costs (licenses vs managed services).

Typical deployment patterns

• Cloud-native: AWS IPAM (for AWS), optionally combined with a lightweight external IPAM for cross-cloud reporting.
• Hybrid enterprise: Infoblox or BlueCat as the authoritative DDI + integrations to cloud providers (or use vendor tools that offer cloud connectors).
• Dev/test / smaller orgs: phpIPAM or SolarWinds IPAM for quick time-to-value and lower cost.

Costs and procurement

• AWS IPAM: billed via AWS (check VPC pricing/IPAM docs). Infoblox/BlueCat/EfficientIP/Men & Mice are commercial products with licensing and support fees; ask vendors for enterprise quotes and proof-of-concept trials. phpIPAM is free/open-source but requires operational overhead. (aws.amazon.com)

If you want, I can:

• map a short decision matrix for your environment (cloud mix, size, compliance needs), or
• provide vendor links, sample architecture patterns (e.g., Infoblox + AWS integration or phpIPAM + PowerDNS + cloud sync), or
• summarize pros/cons for two or three finalists you name.

(Selected sources: AWS IPAM docs/announcements; Infoblox product pages; EfficientIP SOLIDserver; SolarWinds IPAM; phpIPAM project pages.) (docs.aws.amazon.com)