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The Analyze tab interprets the IP inventory data found during Discovery, and determines valuation of free IPv4 space based on the current network structure.

Analyze Blocks List

The Analyze tab Blocks List displays block inventory according to CIDR. It displays use status, sellable status, aggregatable status, and estimated min/max value of sellable space.

List Display options include the following:

Filter / Search List:

At the top of the list, you can select the number of blocks to view per page (default is set to 20), and search/ filter for blocks.

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Tree View:

Tree View shows child blocks in a hierarchy format. Click the +/- box next to the CIDR to expand or close the tree view hierarchy for the netblock.

List Options

List management options are available in the top header of the analyze list view:

• Refresh: Refreshes the list data from the database.

• Reinitialize: Performs a more intensive re-analysis of data and status from provided sources - this may take some time, depending on the amount of blocks in inventory and sources.

• Get Suggestions: Provides optimization strategies based on the current use and status of the netblocks. Suggestions may be saved as a named optimization plan to compare against additional suggested plans under the Planning tab.

Virtual Blocks Tab

The Virtual tab displays blocks that are not directly created or in use, but are inherited subnets under the netblocks discovered by scans. These blocks have an estimated total value based on the full netblock mask being free. Virtual blocks which have real children are not sellable.

Virtual Blocks: Example

In this example, we use a /17 at the top of the block tree, split down to eight /20s, with one /20 split down into two /24s, and another into two /26s on the other side of the tree.

In this diagram, the “real” created netblocks are displayed in black - these are the netblocks that would be displayed in the Analyze tab - Blocks list. These blocks may or may not be sellable, depending on use status and whether IPs exist under them.

The lighter grey blocks - the /19s and remaining /20s - are virtual blocks. They have not been created as “real” blocks, but can be inferred based on the ownership of the parent /18s and tree structure.

Virtual Blocks and Sellable Status

In our standard Blocks list tab, if our example /20 with the /24 from it contains 50 IPs, none of the real netblocks are considered sellable - the /20 is not a leaf and the /24 (although it is a leaf) has IPs in it. This would result in a $0 value estimation for the known existing blocks - which is not accurate when considering the entire tree structure. The /20 has many other netblocks under it which are not created or in use, and thus are free to be sold. These "not created" netblocks are displayed under the Virtual tab in ReView.

Virtual netblocks which have real children are not sellable, but those that are fully free without real children may be sellable. These show in the Virtual Blocks tab with an estimated value based on the full mask value being free.

Under our example parent block CIDR 50.100.16.0/20, the parent masks ( /21, /22, /23 ) of our /24s - 50.100.17.0/24 and 50.100.26.0/24 - are not sellable, due to the /24s being real children. The same would apply to the parent blocks between our 50.100.80.0/20 and /26s on the other side of the tree. The remaining virtual blocks without real child blocks, however, would be sellable in this example.

Working with the Analyze Tab

Before You Begin

The Analyze tab interprets the netblock information gained from the Discovery and Inventory tabs and then combines that data with current available pricing estimations to provide an as-is valuation of free blocks.

Here are some steps that should be completed to ensure the Analyze tab has the best possible data available to determine pricing.

1. Ensure that Discovery steps are complete - double check that sources, devices, ping scans, etc have been comprehensively added to discovery and cover the desired extent of your network.

2. Go through the To-Do List tab and verify listed blocks have been scanned or ignored as needed.

3. Confirm blocks under the Inventory tab have the correct use status flags (in-use, free, unknown, ignored) assigned, and that any non-discoverable netblocks under consideration have been manually added to the Inventory List.

Once the data has been confirmed, you’re ready to work under the Analyze tab!

Step 1: Review Netblock Status

The Analyze list is populated with netblocks which have been marked as unused or unknown, and are sellable or potentially sellable blocks.

Sellable blocks: Blocks are considered “sellable” if they meet one of these conditions

• are marked as “Free”

• are leaf only netblocks with “Unknown” status, and no IPs in them

In this tab, it is best to review netblock status (in-use, free, unknown, ignored) to confirm the correct status was assigned under the Inventory list.

Update Netblock Use

To make changes to the use status of a block, right click anywhere on a row to open the Action Menu and select to mark netblock use as unknown, in use, free, or ignored.

To make changes to the use status of a block, right click anywhere on a row to open the Action Menu and select to mark netblock use as unknown, in use, free, or ignored. The marked use will be considered when determining sellable status, valuation estimates, and optimization suggestions.

Step 2: Get Suggestions

Get Suggested Plan

Once netblock use status has been reviewed for accuracy, click “Get Suggestions” to see optimization strategies (Note: Depending on the size of netblock inventory, the suggested strategy may take a minute to load).

Get Suggestions displays three panels and their associated values:

• Network structure before plan - This shows the network structure as currently discovered, with pricing estimates based on keeping sellable blocks as-is at their current hierarchy location and size.

• Results (after execution) - This shows the network structure optimized to locate as many sellable blocks as possible contiguously, within the current structure strategy. This consolidates as many sellable blocks as possible, without otherwise making changes to the network structure.

  • The Optimization algorithm takes the following steps, generally:

    • Remove empty leaves

    • Shrink netblocks

    • Renumber netblocks, while preserving the number of levels as originally structured

  • If the structure - after removing empty leaves- was 4 levels, after optimization it will have 4 levels as well, with each parent containing exactly the same number of children.

  • This plan should be applicable to the existing network of the customer as we preserve parent-child relations.

• Minimal Structure - Minimal structure proposes the greatest possible consolidation of sellable blocks, including minimizing the existing network hierarchy and reallocating assignments to only use the fewest blocks needed. This allows for far greater availability of contiguous sellable blocks, larger masks, and higher profit potential, but may not be realistically applicable to some needs.

  • The Minimal Structure algorithm takes the following steps:

    • Get only the leaves with IPs in them

    • Remove all intermediary netblocks

    • Consolidate to a single parent

After getting the suggested plan, you may opt to review the Config Dif or the list of free netblocks.

Config Dif

Click the “Config Dif” tab under Get Suggestions to review a detailed list of configuration differences between the current state and suggested plan. This will assist in implementing the suggested plan.

You may save the plan, copy it to clipboard, and view free netblocks.

Free Netblocks

Click on “Free Netblocks” and select a plan strategy to view a list of free netblocks under the plan.

The Free Netblocks list will display with a list of CIDRS, and the estimated min/max values associated with them.

Save Suggested Plan(s)

Save the suggested plan by entering a plan name and clicking “Save Plan”. Saved plans are available for review and comparison under the “Planning” Tab.

Next Steps

Next, proceed to the Planning tab to review and compare saved plans.