Software Alternatives, Accelerators & Startups

Device42 VS NetBox

Compare Device42 VS NetBox and see what are their differences

Device42 logo Device42

Automatically maintain an up-to-date inventory of your physical, virtual, and cloud servers and containers, network components, software/services/applications, and their inter-relationships and inter-dependencies.

NetBox logo NetBox

NetBox is an open source web application designed to help manage and document computer networks. NetBox was developed specifically to address the needs of network and infrastructure engineers.
  • Device42 Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-03-14
  • NetBox Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-09-15

It encompasses the following aspects of network management:

IP address management (IPAM) - IP networks and addresses, VRFs, and VLANs Equipment racks - Organized by group and site Devices - Types of devices and where they are installed Connections - Network, console, and power connections among devices Virtualization - Virtual machines and clusters Data circuits - Long-haul communications circuits and providers Secrets - Encrypted storage of sensitive credentials

Device42 features and specs

  • Comprehensive Asset Management
    Device42 offers a robust platform for managing a wide range of IT assets, including servers, network devices, software licenses, and more, making it ideal for complex IT environments.
  • Automated Discovery
    The platform features automated discovery of network devices and other IT assets, which can save significant time and reduce the potential for human error.
  • Integration Capabilities
    Device42 integrates well with other popular IT management tools and platforms, such as ServiceNow, Jira, and SolarWinds, providing a cohesive IT ecosystem.
  • Visualization Tools
    It includes powerful visualization tools, such as network maps and hierarchical views, aiding in easier and more effective IT infrastructure management.
  • Scalability
    Device42 is scalable and can handle environments of all sizes, from small businesses to large enterprises, making it a flexible solution.

Possible disadvantages of Device42

  • Complex Initial Setup
    Users often find the initial setup of Device42 to be complex and time-consuming, which may require substantial effort to configure properly.
  • Cost
    The platform can be expensive, especially for smaller organizations or those with limited budgets, creating a barrier to entry.
  • Learning Curve
    Due to its comprehensive features, there is a steep learning curve, and users may need significant training to utilize the software effectively.
  • Performance Issues
    Some users have reported performance issues, particularly in large-scale environments, which can hinder the management process.
  • Limited Customization
    While it integrates well with other tools, some users feel that the customization options within Device42 itself are limited compared to competitors.

NetBox features and specs

  • Open Source
    NetBox is open-source software, which means you can use and modify it freely without having to pay for a license. This can significantly reduce costs and allows for customization according to specific needs.
  • Comprehensive IPAM and DCIM
    NetBox includes both IP Address Management (IPAM) and Data Center Infrastructure Management (DCIM) functionalities, offering a single platform to manage diverse aspects of network infrastructure.
  • Extensible via API
    NetBox provides a robust API that allows integration with other tools and systems, enabling automation and enhanced functionality through scripting and third-party applications.
  • User-Friendly Interface
    The web-based user interface is intuitive and easy to use, even for those who may not have extensive experience with network management tools.
  • Active Community and Support
    NetBox has an active community of users and contributors, which helps in quickly addressing issues, sharing knowledge, and contributing to the continuous improvement of the software.

Possible disadvantages of NetBox

  • Initial Setup Complexity
    The initial installation and configuration of NetBox can be complex and time-consuming, potentially requiring a good understanding of Python, PostgreSQL, and other dependencies.
  • Resource Intensive
    As a web-based application, NetBox can be resource-intensive, requiring a capable server environment to run efficiently, which might not be suitable for very small-scale deployments.
  • Steeper Learning Curve
    Despite its intuitive interface, the broad set of features and functionalities might overwhelm new users, leading to a steeper learning curve.
  • Limited Built-in Reporting
    NetBox has limited built-in reporting capabilities, which might necessitate additional tools or custom reports to meet specific reporting needs.
  • No Built-in Alerting
    NetBox does not have built-in alerting mechanisms for tracking changes or unusual activities, so additional monitoring and alerting systems may be required.

Device42 videos

Device42 Demo

More videos:

  • Review - IP Address Management (IPAM) with Device42

NetBox videos

Accessing NAPALM via the NetBox API

More videos:

  • Review - Network to Code NetBox with Jeremy Stretch and John Anderson
  • Tutorial - Netbox Global Review- How To Earn Money Browsing The Internet

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to Device42 and NetBox)
Monitoring Tools
37 37%
63% 63
DCIM Software
57 57%
43% 43
Log Management
25 25%
75% 75
Product Deployment
100 100%
0% 0

User comments

Share your experience with using Device42 and NetBox. For example, how are they different and which one is better?
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Reviews

These are some of the external sources and on-site user reviews we've used to compare Device42 and NetBox

Device42 Reviews

20 Best IT Asset Management Software in 2023: ITAM Tools and Solutions
Device42 is a cloud-based ITAM software that provides a complete view of IT infrastructure, including hardware and software assets, network components, and applications. It offers automated discovery and inventory, real-time asset tracking, and configuration management capabilities. In addition, Device42’s customizable dashboards and reports provide insights into asset...
Source: infraon.io
Top 11 IPAM Software
Device42 is a powerful IP Address management solution that integrates server room asset management.
Source: cllax.com

NetBox Reviews

11 NetBox Alternatives
NetBox is a resource modeling application that is specially designed to automate networks and empower network engineering as well. It manages all the needs of networks and works under the license of Apache 2.
The 10 Best IP Address Management Tools for Linux
NetBox is certainly one of the best open-source IPAM solutions reviewed by our editors. It comes with a simple but elegant user interface that packs a serious punch in terms of functionalities. NetBox was initially developed by the network engineering team at DigitalOCean and has since evolved into a full-fledged IP management application. It is very popular among...
12 Open Source/Commercial Software for Data Center Infrastructure Management
NetBox is an open-source IP address management and data center infrastructure management platform, which was created by the network team at DigitalOcean to store the information about your networks, virtual machines, inventories, and many more.
Source: www.tecmint.com
Best IP Address Management Tools for Linux
NetBox is an open-source web based IP address management and data center infrastructure management application. It was developed more particulary to address the requirements of network and infrastructure engineers.
Source: www.tecmint.com

Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, NetBox seems to be a lot more popular than Device42. While we know about 21 links to NetBox, we've tracked only 1 mention of Device42. We are tracking product recommendations and mentions on various public social media platforms and blogs. They can help you identify which product is more popular and what people think of it.

Device42 mentions (1)

  • My first gig as a sys admin has made me bitter already
    This, essentially, is how you will find every single environment, in my experience. The first thing I would do is use something like device42.com to discover my environment. They have a free trial, and the license cost for 1-100 servers is only $1500. That (or any similar tool) will give you a baseline of what you're working with in a centralized database. Using that, you can get a much better idea of what's going... Source: over 1 year ago

NetBox mentions (21)

  • Share your greatest free tools
    Netbox. https://netbox.readthedocs.io/en/stable/ Your “Source of Truth” for your network. NetBox is an infrastructure resource modeling (IRM) application designed to empower network automation. Initially conceived by the network engineering team at DigitalOcean, NetBox was developed specifically to address the needs of network and infrastructure engineers. NetBox is made available as open source under the Apache... Source: over 2 years ago
  • What do you use to track disks and other hardware?
    Currently we are using [SnipeIT](https://snipeitapp.com/) to track our disks, hardware and machines, and [Netbox](https://netbox.readthedocs.io/en/stable/) to track physical layout and locations. Source: over 2 years ago
  • What does a longer career related to computing infrastructure look like?
    You might find it educational/interesting to have a look at Netbox. It's a fairly well respected piece of software that manages network hardware and configuration. Source: almost 3 years ago
  • How does proper documentation look like?
    You could take a look at netbox . It’s a little hard to set up at first but worth it in the end IMO. Source: almost 3 years ago
  • Web Application That Shows Switch Ports Mapping
    However I'd suggest that Netbox is the more modern and functional solution to this problem. Source: almost 3 years ago
View more

What are some alternatives?

When comparing Device42 and NetBox, you can also consider the following products

DCImanager - DCImanager is a platform for managing physical equipment. Connect any physical equipment to a single platform. Use the platform to manage your servers, switches, PDU as well as physical and virtual networks.

phpIPAM - phpipam is an open-source web IP address management application (IPAM).

Cisco ACI - Application Centric Infrastructure (ACI) simplifies, optimizes, and accelerates the application deployment lifecycle in next-generation data centers and clouds.

RackTables - Racktables is a nifty and robust solution for datacenter and server room asset management.

Cisco Data Center Network Manager - Cisco Data Center Network Manager offers network management system (NMS) support for traditional or multiple-tenant LAN and SAN fabrics.

ManageEngine OpManager - Monitors routers, switches, firewalls, load-balancers, wireless LAN controllers, servers, VMs, printers, storage devices, and everything that has an IP and is connected to the network.