Solarflare vs. static IP databases

Two data models, two clocks

A static IP database is a point-in-time compilation: registry, routing, and licensed data assembled into an edition and refreshed on a publication cycle. That model is exactly right for attributes that change slowly — where an address geolocates, which network operates it. An observed proxy dataset is built the other way around: measurement infrastructure continuously tests proxy networks and records which addresses are actually relaying traffic, so every record carries its own evidence trail — first_seen, last_seen, network type, and a confidence level. Neither model substitutes for the other, because the facts they describe move at different speeds. The full argument is in static vs. continuously updated proxy data.

When is a static IP database the right tool?

Whenever the question is about stable attributes. Geolocation for compliance and content rules, ASN and ownership for network context — static IP databases are built for exactly this, and Solarflare does not attempt to reproduce them. MaxMind and IPinfo are the established names most teams already run on this side of the divide — the same vendors our positioning has always called complementary. If your risk stack has no IP enrichment at all, a static database is still the sensible first layer: it answers more questions per record, and its facts age well.

When do you need observed proxy data?

When the fact you care about churns. Proxy tenancy rotates as devices join and leave residential pools and ISPs reassign addresses, so an edition-based record of proxy status ages in both directions — it misses exits that appeared after publication and keeps flagging addresses whose proxy tenant is long gone. Observed data shrinks both failure modes and, critically, shows its work: per-record timestamps let your rules decay evidence by age, and the confidence level (low / medium / high) tells you whether a match is ready for a hard block or belongs in step-up verification. How to act on those fields is covered in the proxy detection guide.

Why most teams run both

Both datasets are IP-keyed, so they join trivially in a warehouse, fraud platform, or SIEM — ownership and geography from the static layer, observed proxy status with confidence and recency from Solarflare. The static layer explains the network around an address; the observed layer reports what the address has been doing. The dataset features page documents the schema, and pricing starts with a free evaluation sample.

Frequently asked questions

Is Solarflare a replacement for MaxMind or IPinfo?

No — it's complementary, not a replacement. Solarflare adds a fresh observed-behaviour dimension (has this IP recently appeared in proxy infrastructure?) that static IP databases tend to lag on. Most teams run both alongside each other.

Can I join Solarflare with a static IP database?

Yes, and that is the intended pattern: both are IP-keyed, so you can join them in a warehouse, fraud platform, or SIEM. Ownership and geolocation provide the stable context; observed proxy status, confidence, and recency provide the fast-moving signal.

Why does proxy status need different data than geolocation?

Because it changes on a different clock. A country allocation or network owner is stable for years; proxy tenancy on a residential address can change within days as devices join and leave proxy pools. Data models built for slow-moving facts structurally lag facts that churn.