Archived - IPv4 and IPv6 device management

To edit the IP protocol used to manage a device

When you add a device or edit its management via the Device Inventory page, you can specify the IP protocol used to manage it.

IPv4 is the most widely-deployed internet protocol. It is available on the majority of devices that ENA manages, and when available Entuity Support recommends you manage those devices through their IPv4 management address.

IPv4 is the default option and provides access to the full ENA management toolset. However, for devices with IPv6 support, you can instruct ENA to manage them through their IPv6 management address. Management of IPv6 devices is fully integrated within ENA, but there are some differences:

• when taking devices under management, Auto Discovery is IPv4-specific. The large number of addresses possible with IPv6 means that it is more appropriate to individually add IPv6 devices to ENA, or import them through a device file.
• when all IP addresses on the device are IPv4, ENA uses the availability (or otherwise) of all IPv4 addresses.
• when all IP addresses on the device are IPv6, ENA uses the availability (or otherwise) of the management IPv6 address only.
• when there is a mix of IPv4 and IPv6 addresses on the device, ENA uses the availability (or otherwise) of all the IPv4 addresses and the management IPv6 address.
• IPv6-managed devices that also have IPv4 deployed and accessible to ENA, return a greater depth of data, e.g. on port availability. They can also work with application monitoring and (where there is IPv4 access back to the Entuity server) the Configuration Monitor module.
• trap handling of IPv6 addresses, and especially in relation to third-party integrations, may require more customizations than trap handling of IPv4 addresses.

Activating the IPv6 module extends support in the following manner:

• support for finding IPv6 addresses, for both IPv4 and IPv6-managed devices.
• support to utilize the IPv6 Neighbor Discovery (ND) protocol, with Maps including the IPv6 ND link type.

To edit the IP protocol used in device management:

You can edit the IP protocol used to manage a device when you add it to the Device Inventory, or after it has been added:

1. Click Main Menu and then Administration. This will open the Administration page.
2. Click Device Inventory. This will open the Device Inventory page.
3. Find and select the device that you would like to edit. Click Modify at the bottom of the window.
   
   
   
   
4. This will open the Modify Devices window.
5. In the IP Protocol radio buttons, select either IPv4 or IPv6 as you wish.
   
   
   
   
6. Click OK to save your changes, otherwise click Cancel.