Recommended ways to utilize IPAM

[#1]

We currently run DHCP and ipam through infoblox.  Our dns is still on microsoft.  What is the best way to mark an IP address as used  in infoblox.  Is it recommended to utilize a Host entry and disable it in DNS, since we don't use DNS on infoblox currently, or is it recommended to mark the address as a reservation?  I understand that either way the IP address is marked as "taken", but which way is best?  

We have been marking them as a new host , and then disable them in DNS, but should we be marking them as reservations instead? 

[#2 · Accepted solution]

Any of those methods will work. If you have the IPAM for Microsoft license on a Grid member, you could also just sync the Microsoft data to your Grid and all of the IPs will be automatically managed (without you continuing to have to do anything administratively). The sync can be configured for read only or read write.

You’ll also be able to pull over your Sites and Subnets information to validate that against the subnets you manage in Infoblox to make sure that information is correct as well.

[#3]

Thank you!  we will mark them as hosts disabled in DNS and go from there!  

[#4]

When you terminate the host, how can you free/unreserve the IP? 

I was trying to add_host (failed because we don't use DNS on the appliance) and get_next_available_ip kept returning the same IP. Once we started using reserve_next_available_ip, my IP request returned an unused IP. But when I terminate/destroy the host, I want to free/release the IP. I haven't found the REST command. Does one exist? 

[#5]

I'm betting it has something to do with the "reclaim".  I haven't used the REST AT ALL.....unfortunately im' looking for a way to get into that.  But I'm guessing, once you have the host, you have to reclaim it....

[#6]

Just read that the reclaim deletes everything except the dhcp lease.....clear, does the dhcp lease.