Apache CloudStack vs Cisco Catalyst Center
Apache CloudStack
cloudstack.apache.orgCisco Catalyst Center
cisco.comSide by side
| Figure | Apache CloudStack | Cisco Catalyst Center |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | Free | — |
| Free plan | Yes | — |
| Free trial | — | — |
| Open source | Yes | — |
| Web | Yes | Yes |
| Windows | — | Yes |
| macOS | — | Yes |
| Linux | Yes | Yes |
| API | Yes | Yes |
| Self-hosted | Yes | Yes |
| Plans published | 1 | 2 |
| Spec score · Virtualization Management Software | 9.0 (#1) | 7.9 (#11) |
| Spec score · Data Center Automation | 9.0 (#2) | 7.7 (#11) |
| API | CloudStack exposes a documented, extensible REST-like API and supports Amazon EC2 and S3-compatible APIs. | The platform exposes northbound REST APIs for discovery, inventory, topology, provisioning, assurance, and other network operations. |
| Deployment | Organizations use CloudStack to build public, private, and hybrid clouds. | Cisco describes hardware and virtual appliance deployments, including current guides for VMware ESXi and Ubuntu KVM. |
| Founded | 2008 | 1984 |
| Integrations | The integrations page lists Terraform, Ansible, Kubernetes, Prometheus, VMware NSX, Ceph, MinIO, and billing portal integrations. | Cisco documents integrations with ISE, ThousandEyes, Webex, Microsoft Teams, ServiceNow, Infoblox, and BlueCat, plus generic APIs for other ITSM and IPAM systems. |
| Purpose | Apache CloudStack deploys and manages large networks of virtual machines as a highly available, scalable IaaS cloud platform. | Cisco Catalyst Center is a centralized network controller and management dashboard for enterprise network operations. |
| Release support | LTS releases receive bug and security fixes for 18 months; regular releases receive only critical fixes for a shorter period. | Cisco states that Catalyst Center 2.3.7.x follows a 24-month support timeline, with support for that release listed through June 17, 2027. |
| Support | Users can seek community help through the project mailing list, and the project says some companies offer commercial support. | Cisco says Catalyst and Cisco DNA software subscriptions include embedded software support and downloads; opening a support case requires a Cisco Service Contract. |
Plans
Cisco Catalyst Center
- Cisco DNA AdvantagePriced on request
- Cisco DNA EssentialsPriced on request
In their own words
Apache CloudStack
Apache CloudStack is free, open-source software for deploying and managing networks of virtual machines as a highly available, scalable IaaS cloud platform. Organizations can use it to build public, private, or hybrid clouds. Its features include compute orchestration, network services, account management, resource accounting, a web interface, and an open API. Operators can manage clouds through a web UI, command-line tools, or REST API, with optional AWS EC2- and S3-compatible APIs. Supported hypervisors include XenServer or XCP, KVM, Hyper-V, and VMware ESXi with vSphere. Storage options include iSCSI, NFS, Ceph RBD with KVM, volume encryption, snapshots, and storage tiering. Authentication options include OAuth2 single sign-on, two-factor authentication, TOTP, SAML, and LDAP. The project says CloudStack can manage tens of thousands of physical servers across geographically distributed data centers. Long Term Support releases receive bug and security fixes for 18 months after the main release. Operators remain responsible for protections such as monitoring, host security, and defenses against DoS and brute-force attacks.
Cisco Catalyst Center
Cisco Catalyst Center has no write-up on Specifiction yet; its figures are above.