Cfengine vs Puppet

Struggling to choose between Cfengine and Puppet? Both products offer unique advantages, making it a tough decision.

Cfengine is a Network & Admin solution with tags like automation, configuration-management, devops.

It boasts features such as Agent-based architecture for distributed configuration management, Declarative policy-based configuration language, File integrity monitoring and intrusion detection, Automated system configuration and maintenance, Built-in promise theory for modeling dependencies, Support for common OS platforms like Linux, Windows, Solaris and pros including Powerful policy framework for modeling system state, Agentless and autonomous operation, Efficient at scale for large server deployments, Robust security and access controls, Thorough file integrity monitoring capabilities, Open source with active development community.

On the other hand, Puppet is a Network & Admin product tagged with configuration-management, automation, infrastructure-automation.

Its standout features include Configuration Management, Infrastructure Automation, Continuous Delivery, and it shines with pros like Powerful DSL for infrastructure automation, Large ecosystem of modules and plugins, Agentless architecture, Cross-platform support.

To help you make an informed decision, we've compiled a comprehensive comparison of these two products, delving into their features, pros, cons, pricing, and more. Get ready to explore the nuances that set them apart and determine which one is the perfect fit for your requirements.

Cfengine

Cfengine

Cfengine is an open source configuration management software used to automate tasks like configuring servers, managing files, and deploying applications. It uses a policy-based approach allowing admins to define desired system states.

Categories:
automation configuration-management devops

Cfengine Features

  1. Agent-based architecture for distributed configuration management
  2. Declarative policy-based configuration language
  3. File integrity monitoring and intrusion detection
  4. Automated system configuration and maintenance
  5. Built-in promise theory for modeling dependencies
  6. Support for common OS platforms like Linux, Windows, Solaris

Pricing

  • Open Source
  • Commercial Editions Available

Pros

Powerful policy framework for modeling system state

Agentless and autonomous operation

Efficient at scale for large server deployments

Robust security and access controls

Thorough file integrity monitoring capabilities

Open source with active development community

Cons

Steep learning curve for policy language

Less intuitive than procedural languages like Ansible

Limited built-in modules compared to Ansible/Puppet

Complex dependency modeling requires planning

Not as widely used as other tools like Chef/Puppet


Puppet

Puppet

Puppet is an open source configuration management and automation tool. It helps system administrators manage IT infrastructure by automating repetitive tasks, enforcing desired state configuration, and increasing efficiency.

Categories:
configuration-management automation infrastructure-automation

Puppet Features

  1. Configuration Management
  2. Infrastructure Automation
  3. Continuous Delivery

Pricing

  • Open Source
  • Commercial License

Pros

Powerful DSL for infrastructure automation

Large ecosystem of modules and plugins

Agentless architecture

Cross-platform support

Cons

Steep learning curve

Can be complex to set up and manage

Limited UI and reporting capabilities

Not ideal for small environments