The usual trigger for this comparison is an audit finding or a budget line. The company runs Microsoft DHCP and DNS on a pair of domain controllers, the IP record is a spreadsheet plus the DHCP console, and management has approved “a proper commercial IPAM” with vendor support. Two names keep coming up because both read Windows DHCP and DNS directly and both scan subnets on a schedule: SolarWinds IP Address Manager and ManageEngine OpUtils. They overlap more than most pairs on this site, yet they are built around different ideas of what an IPAM sits next to.
At a glance
| SolarWinds IPAM | ManageEngine OpUtils | |
|---|---|---|
| Vendor | SolarWinds | ManageEngine (Zoho) |
| Delivery | Module of SolarWinds Observability Self-Hosted (Orion platform heritage) | Standalone web application |
| Server OS | Windows Server (as part of the SolarWinds platform) | Windows Server 2016–2025 or Linux (Ubuntu, RHEL, Debian and others) |
| Database | Microsoft SQL Server or Azure SQL on a separate server (platform requirement) | Bundled PostgreSQL or Microsoft SQL Server |
| DHCP/DNS integration | Microsoft, Cisco, ISC, Kea, Infoblox | Microsoft DHCP/DNS (via WinRM); DHCP on Linux ISC, Infoblox, Palo Alto; DNS on Infoblox, Cisco |
| Switch port mapping | Not in IPAM itself; other SolarWinds modules cover it | Built in (switch port mapper) |
| Rogue device detection | Via alerts on unknown addresses | Dedicated rogue detection with DHCP MAC filtering |
| Free edition | No; 30-day trial | Yes, limited to one Class C subnet and one switch |
| Pricing | Quote-based | Published entry prices per edition; subscription or perpetual |
| Best fit | Organizations already on the SolarWinds platform | Teams wanting IPAM plus switch-port visibility at a modest price |
Platform: module versus product
This is the difference that decides most evaluations.
SolarWinds IPAM is one module of the SolarWinds self-hosted observability platform, the product line long known as Orion. If you already run SolarWinds network or server monitoring, IPAM plugs into the same web console, polling engines, alerting and reporting. Address conflicts can become alerts in the same queue as interface errors, and subnet utilization sits next to device health. If you don’t run the platform, you are installing and maintaining that platform (Windows server, SQL Server database, polling engine) to get the IPAM.
ManageEngine OpUtils is a standalone application that installs on Windows or Linux with a bundled PostgreSQL database. It can integrate with ManageEngine OpManager and NetFlow Analyzer, but it doesn’t need them. For a team that just wants an IPAM with a scanner, that is less infrastructure to own.
How each keeps the record honest
Both tools scan the subnets you register, track which addresses respond and flag conflicts.
SolarWinds IPAM leans on its DHCP and DNS integrations: it reads scopes, leases and reservations from supported servers and can manage scopes and DNS records from the same interface. The vendor highlights conflict detection and utilization history, so you can see a scope trending toward exhaustion before users call.
OpUtils adds a Layer 2 view. Its switch port mapper shows which MAC and IP sit on which physical port, and the rogue device detection compares what appears on the network against what you have approved, with DHCP MAC filtering to deny unknown devices on supported servers. For a team whose “reconciliation” question is often “where is this device plugged in?”, that combination saves a walk to the wiring closet.
Whatever you choose, scan only networks you own or are authorized to manage, and agree scan windows with the security team; both tools generate steady ICMP and SNMP traffic.
Licensing and cost
At the time of writing, SolarWinds does not publish IPAM prices; you request a quote or use its self-hosted quote builder, and a fully functional 30-day trial is available. Expect the total to reflect the platform as well as the module if you are new to SolarWinds.
ManageEngine publishes entry prices on the OpUtils page. At the time of writing it lists a free edition (one Class C subnet and one switch), a Professional edition from about $138 for 250 IPs and switch ports, and a higher Management edition from about $159, with both subscription and perpetual options and a 30-day trial. Always confirm current figures on each vendor’s pricing page; bundles, tiers and currency change.
Where each falls short
- SolarWinds IPAM makes most sense inside the SolarWinds ecosystem; standalone, the platform overhead and quote-based pricing are hard to justify for a small team. Windows and SQL Server are part of the deal.
- OpUtils is broader but shallower in places: it covers IPs, switch ports and a toolbox of network utilities, and larger networks may need higher tiers quickly because licences scale with IPs and switch ports. Its interface packs many tools into one console, which some admins find busy.
Verdict
Pick SolarWinds IPAM if you already run SolarWinds monitoring, want IP events in the same alerting pipeline as the rest of your infrastructure, and need management of mixed DHCP and DNS servers (Microsoft plus ISC/Kea, Cisco or Infoblox) from one console.
Pick ManageEngine OpUtils if you want a standalone IPAM that also maps switch ports and detects rogue devices, prefer a Linux or Windows install with a bundled database, and want published pricing plus a free edition to start small.
For smaller teams that don’t need vendor support, the open-source route in phpIPAM vs NetBox is worth a look before either purchase.