Introduction
Cisco Prime Network Registrar is a comprehensive DHCP, DNS, IPAM (DDI) application suite. It supports network administrators interested in providing a consistent implementation of policies, client classes, and scope templates via a command line or web based cluster management interface. Using integrated real-time reporting features, administrators can access subnet usage and IP lease history data from both Regional and Local clusters. Cisco Prime Network Registrar includes support for dual stack IPv4 and IPv6 deployment on a single server and critical DHCP and DNS features which are needed by customers interested in managing a successful transition from IPv4 to IPv6. DHCPv6 services include basic address assignment, prefix delegation, and stateless and stateful auto configuration. With support for DNSv6, Network Registrar provides direct updates and queries of IPv6 clients, including full support for AAAA and PTR resource records for IPv6 addresses. A DNS caching server supports DNS Security Extensions (DNSSEC) and is designed to prevent cache poisoning and other attacks. Additional functionality includes support for multi-tenancy and virtual machines, important for cloud computing opportunities, while lowering cost of ownership and server counts in many network implementations. Cisco Prime Network Registrar 8.0 introduced a full featured IP address management application (IPAM) which allows users to set thresholds and alerts for impending address depletion. Additional IPAM functionality includes graphical reports, granular administrative policies, and audit reporting.
Benefits
Performance - Network Registrar is a high performance solution which can assign more than 47,000 DHCP leases per second. This exceptional performance ensures that the DHCP server can handle particularly heavy loads, including the surge of demand that typically follows a power failure.
Reliability - In a situation where a disruption of service occurs, our patent pending Discriminating Rate Limiter identifies and prioritizes returning clients so that their services are restored prior to new client requests thereby reducing network downtime. Network Registrar also extends server protection with its DHCP Safe Failover Protocol and DNS High Availability (HA).
Scalability - Network Registrar is a proven solution used in networks supporting over 50 million devices.
Extensibility – Network Registrar extensions can be used to classify client types, to add/remove/modify options in packets, to query or update an external database and much more. Extensions can be written in TCL or C/C++ and are supported on all Network Registrar supported operating platforms.
Technology Details
Many labor-intensive processes, such as IP address assignment and updating, are automated within Network Registrar. The DHCP application can fully customize address and parameters based on device Media Access Control (MAC) address, device type, user class, vendor class, and other defined criteria. IP addresses can be automatically recycled when devices move or leave the network, minimizing the administrative workload and eliminating error-prone manual processes.
