IPAM standalone installation

Question

We have an Orion IPAM 4.9.0 HF1 instance that is running as a module on our Orion Platform 2019.2 HF2 server, along with Orion NPM 12.5, WPM 3.0.0, VNQM 4.6.0, NCM 8.0, NPM 12.5, DPAIM 11.2.0, UDT 3.4.0 HF1, SAM 6.9.1, and NetPath 1.1.

We want to scale Orion and make Orion HA cluster, that's why we are going to 1)update platform and modules to the latest, 2)make MPE HA and one APE HA (to scale our NPM) and 3)moving IPAM to a standalone VM server instance (we have very wide network with many of subnets), spreading the load.

And what docs we have about IPAM standalone? Legacy page "Install a standalone licensed copy of SolarWinds IPAM" https://documentation.solarwinds.com/en/success_center/ipam/Content/Install-stand-alone-IPAM.htm and nothing about standalone installation in "SolarWinds Orion Installer".

So, I would like to know...

1. IPAM standalone requires separate server and separate DB. Am I right?

2. Does it require Main Poller Engine installed on this separate server? Or IPAM have it's own poller and can be installed on empty server without Orion platform? When deploying the IPAM standalone, It needs only one license (we already have ipam IPX licence but it is orion-integrated)?

3. What type of poller do standalone IPAM use, when discovering (for example)?

4. What about HA solution for IPAM standalone?

5. What are hardware requirements for IPAM separate installation? Any requirements I have seen are for orion-integrated installations, not for standalone.

6. Can IPAM standalone use my Orion web console or IPAM requires it's own?

Thanks in advance

tigger2 · Answer

I took IPAM out of my "integrated" Orion system this a long time ago because of load on my main Orion system.  It really helped out on the load (and back then, having to plan upgrades). Basically, just think of it as "I now have a separate application that is IPAM that is completely independent of my Orion NPM application".  Nothing is shared or integrated.  It requires separate VM servers and database....well, I have my IPAM database and Orion database(s) on *inside* the same SQL server...but they are "separate" databases from each other, application wise.

I was able to actually use my old IPAM database by doing some things (forgot how I did it) and with some support help, so the "new install" was using a separate copy of my database. it left a lot of 'junk" tables in my new IPAM install, but its not like it causes any issues.  Also, in my old Orion database as the old IPAM tables, also junk but not causing any issues (so far).

Other than having multiple apps and servers to maintain, a "bonus" I have found when separating the systems is that when upgrading, I upgrade the smaller, standalone IPAM first to "test" the basic upgrade of the Orion platform that is common to the Orion products. Then after that looks good for a few weeks I feel more confident when upgrading my larger (more complex) Orion system as I've at least ran through the steps.

donrobert5 · Answer

All Orion products require to have the DB installed seperately from the Application Server becaue of the Nature of the SQL Server. With that being said, IPAM is part of the Orion Based Platform.

IPAM is qualified for HA, and IPAM can be installed seperately from other Orion Module. It will simply be accessed via it's own Webconsole if that is your plan. As for the requirements, you can always check the IPAM System Requirements.

https://documentation.solarwinds.com/en/Success_Center/IPAM/Content/System_Requirements/IPAM_2019-4_system_requirements.htm