FOG Project vs Serva
FOG Project
fogproject.orgServa
vercot.comSide by side
| Figure | FOG Project | Serva |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | Free | $7.67/mo |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Free trial | — | — |
| Open source | Yes | — |
| Web | Yes | — |
| Windows | Yes | Yes |
| macOS | Yes | — |
| Linux | Yes | — |
| API | Yes | — |
| Self-hosted | Yes | — |
| Plans published | 2 | 2 |
| Spec score · Bare Metal Provisioning Software | 8.8 (#2) | 7.6 (#16) |
| Spec score · OS Deployment Software | 8.7 (#4) | 7.6 (#15) |
| Operating systems | The project can capture, deploy and manage Windows, macOS and multiple Linux distributions. | Community requires up-to-date Windows XP SP3 through Windows 11 or a Windows Server version; Professional requires up-to-date Windows 7 through Windows 11 or a Windows Server version. |
| Purpose | FOG Project is a free, open-source network computer cloning and management solution. | Serva is an automated PXE server solution for network booting and installing operating systems. |
| Support | Support is provided through a public forum, documentation, Discord and community resources. | The contact page asks support requests to include the Serva type and version, and Professional users to include their license ID. |
Plans
In their own words
FOG Project
FOG Project is a free, open-source system for cloning and managing networked computers. It captures and deploys Windows, Mac OSX and Linux distributions, including hardware-independent images that can be used across different computer models. The project also lists multi-site installations and remote management, provided the FOG server is publicly reachable. That server must run on Linux; recommended options include server-oriented LTS distributions such as Ubuntu, Debian, Rocky Linux or AlmaLinux. FOG recommends configuring client machines to PXE boot first so imaging tasks can be sent without visiting each computer. The FOG Client supports host registration, hostname changes, scheduled power management, snapin installation and user tracking, with client installation described for Windows, Linux and OSX. Client-server communications use public-key infrastructure and AES-256 encryption after an RSA-4096 key exchange. The security guide recommends firewall rules and protecting the MySQL database and captured image directory. Community support is available through forums, a wiki and IRC. The Linux client lacks the FOG Tray, Active Directory joining and PrinterManager. FOG Project is free for commercial use; community support is free.
Serva
Serva is a Windows application for automated PXE network booting and operating-system installation. Its portable package bundles HTTP, FTP, TFTP, DHCP, proxyDHCP, BINL, DNS, SNTP, and SYSLOG services, plus a TFTP client. It delivers Windows and non-Windows assets to BIOS and UEFI systems, including ARM 32-bit and 64-bit UEFI. ProxyDHCP is intended to provide PXE service without changing existing DHCP infrastructure settings. For Windows deployment, Serva offers a WAIK/ADK-independent alternative to RIS and WDS and includes a Task Sequence Manager for capturing and deploying PC images. It requires no installation and does not save keys in the Windows registry. The free Community edition is for personal, non-commercial use, limits PXE/BINL service to 50 minutes and two PXE clients, and excludes WinPE booting and Task Sequence Manager. Professional costs $92 a year, permits commercial use, supports 50 PXE/BINL clients, and provides unlimited PXE/BINL service time.