Canonical Landscape vs OpenDSC
Canonical Landscape
landscape.is.canonical.comOpenDSC
opendsc.devSide by side
| Figure | Canonical Landscape | OpenDSC |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | $571.75/mo | — |
| Free plan | Yes | — |
| Free trial | — | — |
| Open source | — | — |
| Web | Yes | Yes |
| Windows | — | Yes |
| macOS | — | Yes |
| Linux | Yes | Yes |
| API | Yes | Yes |
| Self-hosted | Yes | Yes |
| Plans published | 4 | 0 |
| Spec score · Configuration Management Tools | 8.8 (#3) | 7.5 (#18) |
| Identity integrations | Managed Landscape supports OpenID Connect and enterprise identity providers including Azure AD, Google, Okta, and IBM. | The pull server supports OpenID Connect providers including Microsoft Entra ID, Okta, and Auth0, with JWT bearer tokens for API clients. |
| Integrations | Landscape has a scriptable API and can integrate with existing configuration management, monitoring, and ticketing systems. | The Pull Server supports OpenID Connect providers including Microsoft Entra ID, Okta, and Auth0, as well as standards-compliant OIDC providers. |
| Intended users | Landscape is presented for teams administering large or growing Ubuntu estates across desktops, servers, clouds, and embedded devices. | The documentation describes use for teams managing configurations across infrastructure nodes, including disconnected scenarios and centralized deployments. |
| Management | From one portal, administrators can manage software updates, run scripts remotely, manage packages and repositories, configure role-based access control, and monitor client machines. | The Pull Server includes a Blazor web dashboard and REST API for node management, configuration assignment, and compliance reporting. |
| Purpose | Landscape is Canonical’s systems management solution for managing Ubuntu desktops, servers, cloud instances, IoT devices, and other Ubuntu systems. | OpenDSC is a configuration management platform for Microsoft Desired State Configuration (DSC). |
| Security | Landscape SaaS data in transit uses HTTPS with TLS and data at rest is encrypted using AES-128. | Nodes authenticate with a registration key during initial registration and use client certificates afterward; the documentation describes mTLS authentication. |
Plans
Canonical Landscape
- Landscape SaaS (Ubuntu Pro)Free
- Managed Landscape on public clouds, VMware, OpenStack or LXD$6,861 a year
- Managed Landscape on bare metal$9,470 a year
- Self-hosted LandscapePriced on request
In their own words
Canonical Landscape
Canonical Landscape manages Ubuntu desktops, servers, cloud instances, IoT devices, and other Ubuntu systems from a central portal. Administrators can handle updates, packages and repositories, run scripts remotely, set role-based access, and monitor machines. It can alert on updates and graph temperature, disk and memory use, system load, and custom metrics. One instance can manage up to 40,000 machines, with options to scale further. Deployment choices are Canonical-hosted SaaS, Managed Landscape, and self-hosted software; SaaS is bundled with Ubuntu Pro. A free SaaS account with Ubuntu Pro covers up to five machines. Managed Landscape costs $6,861 a year per physical machine on public clouds, VMware, OpenStack, or LXD, or $9,470 a year per physical machine on bare metal. No self-hosted price is listed; Ubuntu Pro is its main licensing mechanism. Landscape has a scriptable API and can integrate with configuration management, monitoring, and ticketing systems. Self-hosting requires the organization to install, host, and maintain it. SaaS does not currently offer repository mirroring or custom external identity-provider configuration.
OpenDSC
OpenDSC is a configuration management platform for Microsoft Desired State Configuration, intended for teams managing settings across infrastructure nodes. Its Local Configuration Manager monitors system state and can automatically correct configuration drift. For centralized management, the pull server registers nodes, distributes configurations, and provides compliance reporting through a web dashboard and REST API. Configurations can be versioned, assembled into composite deployments, and parameterized by region, environment, or node. Local file-based configurations support disconnected use as well as server-driven pulls. The resource library covers Windows administration, SQL Server, and file, JSON, XML, and archive tasks across Windows, Linux, and macOS. The Resource Development Kit provides .NET libraries and tools for developing custom resources. The pull server supports OpenID Connect providers, client-certificate mutual TLS, role-based access control, and retention policies. SQLite is supported for development, while production deployments can use SQL Server or PostgreSQL. The project is MIT licensed and self-hosted. Its roadmap lists native Linux and macOS LCM services, distribution packages, and official Docker deployment as planned work.