pfSense vs OpenContrail

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

pfSense is a Network & Admin solution with tags like firewall, router, networking, open-source.

It boasts features such as Stateful packet filtering firewall, Network Address Translation (NAT), Virtual Private Network (VPN) capabilities, Traffic shaping and quotas, Captive portal, High availability with CARP, Package system for adding functionality and pros including Free and open source, Wide range of features, Extensible through packages, Runs on commodity hardware, Regular security updates.

On the other hand, OpenContrail is a Network & Admin product tagged with sdn, nfv, networking.

Its standout features include Network virtualization, SDN controller, Overlay networks, Multi-tenancy, Traffic monitoring, Analytics, Load balancing, and it shines with pros like Open source, Scalable, Integrates with OpenStack, Provides network visualization, Supports policy-based configuration.

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.

pfSense

pfSense

pfSense is a free, open source firewall and router platform based on FreeBSD. It has a wide range of features including traffic shaping, captive portal, VPN capabilities, and packages that add functionality.

Categories:
Network & Admin Firewall
firewall router networking open-source

PfSense Features

  1. Stateful packet filtering firewall
  2. Network Address Translation (NAT)
  3. Virtual Private Network (VPN) capabilities
  4. Traffic shaping and quotas
  5. Captive portal
  6. High availability with CARP
  7. Package system for adding functionality

Pricing

  • Open Source

Pros

Free and open source

Wide range of features

Extensible through packages

Runs on commodity hardware

Regular security updates

Cons

Complex interface for beginners

Requires technical knowledge to setup and manage

Limited official support options

OpenContrail

OpenContrail

OpenContrail is an open-source network virtualization platform for cloud data centers. It provides SDN and NFV features like virtual networks, DHCP/DNS servers, load balancers, gateways, etc.

Categories:
Network & Admin Virtualization & Cloud
sdn nfv networking

OpenContrail Features

  1. Network virtualization
  2. SDN controller
  3. Overlay networks
  4. Multi-tenancy
  5. Traffic monitoring
  6. Analytics
  7. Load balancing

Pricing

  • Open Source

Pros

Open source

Scalable

Integrates with OpenStack

Provides network visualization

Supports policy-based configuration

Cons

Steep learning curve

Limited support options

Not as feature rich as some proprietary solutions