Invariant vs Ostinato

Invariant validates network configurations against connectivity and security rules in a cross-vendor digital twin. It builds the model from configuration files, so direct access to routers or switches is not required. Users define policies in YAML and evaluate them against network snapshots, including proposed changes before deployment. Results can report policy violations and failures affecting critical flows. Scheduled network scans can trigger incident alerts with virtual traceroutes and virtual route-table differences. The service lists Cisco, Juniper, Palo Alto, and AWS among supported vendors, and integrations including Jenkins, GitHub Actions, LibreNMS, Netmiko, Aerleon, Capirca, IPAM, and SIEM workflows. A CLI, SDK, and API support automation. Listed protocols include BGP, OSPF, IPSec, NAT, policy-based routing, VPN, ACL, and VLAN. Invariant offers hybrid deployment and web/API access. The Basic account is free, billed as a free Basic account with effectively no usage limits. Higher tiers add SSO, larger device counts, and preview features.

Ostinato generates and customizes network traffic, or replays PCAP files, to help validate throughput, QoS, multicast, routing, switching, protocol behavior, and network performance. Users can edit supported protocol headers, set frame sizes, and create custom headers with hexdumps or scripts. PCAP replay can preserve or alter packet timing, loop traffic, or reorder packets. Native protocols include Ethernet, VLAN, QinQ, IPv4/IPv6, UDP, stateless TCP, ICMP, ARP/NDP, IGMP/MLD, and GRE; other methods can support headers such as MPLS and VXLAN. Reports show transmit and receive statistics, per-stream packet loss, and latency and jitter measured with software timestamps. A Python API supports stream and scenario creation, run control, counter collection, and CI/CD integration. Ostinato lists GNS3, EVE-NG, Cisco CML, and Containerlab as supported lab environments, and says it works on AWS and Azure cloud VMs. It runs on Linux, macOS, Windows, and self-hosted or API setups. Plans start at $12 a month billed annually; an active subscription is required.