Guides for running your network as the source of truth.
Field notes on IPAM, DCIM, automation and getting off spreadsheets, written by the people building Danbyte.
- 6 min read
When the WAN drops, who do you call and what's the circuit ID?
Stop the scavenger hunt across email and spreadsheets. Model providers, circuits, terminations, and the carrier demarc so outages resolve in minutes, not hours.
circuitsprovidersWANconnectivityDCIMRead - 5 min read
Danbyte vs NetBox: how they compare
A fair, practical comparison of Danbyte and NetBox — data model, licensing, self-hosting, extensibility and automation — to help you pick a network source of truth.
NetBoxcomparisonIPAMDCIMsource of truthRead - 3 min read
What is a network source of truth (and how to build one)
A network source of truth is the one system that defines how your network should be. Here's what belongs in it, why it beats spreadsheets, and how to stand one up.
source of truthIPAMDCIMautomationRead - 5 min read
Danbyte vs phpIPAM: choosing your IPAM
phpIPAM is a lightweight, popular open-source IP address manager. Here is how Danbyte compares on data model, DCIM scope, automation and fit — and when each is the right call.
phpIPAMcomparisonIPAMsource of truthRead - 5 min read
IPv6 address management without the headaches
IPv6 breaks spreadsheet-era habits. Here is how to plan, allocate and track IPv6 in an IPAM — prefixes, addressing plans, dual-stack, and keeping v4 and v6 in one place.
IPv6IPAMaddressingsource of truthRead - 4 min read
Danbyte vs Nautobot: two takes on a source of truth
Nautobot is a NetBox-derived network automation platform. Compare it with Danbyte on data model, automation approach, extensibility and who each one really fits.
Nautobotcomparisonsource of truthautomationRead - 3 min read
NetBox alternatives — what to look for in open-source IPAM/DCIM
NetBox set the standard for network source-of-truth tooling. If you're weighing alternatives, here are the criteria that actually matter — and where Danbyte fits.
NetBoxalternativesIPAMDCIMopen sourceRead - 5 min read
Subnetting and prefix hierarchy: a practical guide
A hands-on guide to subnetting and a clean prefix hierarchy — CIDR, aggregation, container vs. active prefixes, utilization, and how IPAM keeps it all consistent.
subnettingCIDRIPAMprefixesRead - 5 min read
How to build an Ansible dynamic inventory from your IPAM
Stop hand-maintaining hosts files. Generate an Ansible dynamic inventory straight from your IPAM API so automation always targets the real, current network.
Ansibleautomationdynamic inventoryAPIRead - 3 min read
Moving IP address management off spreadsheets
The spreadsheet works until it doesn't — a duplicate IP, a stale range, a merge conflict. Here's a low-risk path to real IPAM without a big-bang migration.
IPAMmigrationspreadsheetssource of truthRead - 5 min read
How to model racks, devices and cabling in DCIM
A practical walkthrough of modeling your physical network in DCIM — sites, racks, rack units, devices, interfaces and end-to-end cabling — so "which port?" is a lookup.
DCIMrackscablingdata centerRead