Jen Kea DHCP Management Console vs Subnetly

Jen Kea DHCP Management Console is a free, GPL v3 web interface for managing ISC Kea DHCP Server. Operators can manage leases, reservations, subnets, and infrastructure from a browser, while the dashboard shows subnet utilization, lease activity, server status, HA state, and alerts. Lease tools include filtering active leases, releasing them, cleaning stale leases, converting dynamic leases to reservations, and CSV import or export. Subnet and pool edits are applied over SSH after Kea validation, a host-side backup, multi-server preflight, and rollback protection. Optional IPv6 support covers leases, devices, reservations, subnet pools, timers, and metrics. Alert channels include Pushover, Telegram, Slack, ntfy, Discord, email, and generic webhooks; optional plugins add network discovery, IPAM Lite, local DNS synchronization, and other functions. Jen connects through the Control Agent or direct daemon sockets, uses MySQL or MariaDB for Kea data, and uses SSH for configuration and service operations. The recommended guided installer runs on Ubuntu 22.04 or 24.04, and Docker deployment is also supported. The project targets homelab-to-small-business operators managing a handful of servers, not large fleets.

Subnetly is a hybrid SaaS DDI platform for DNS, DHCP, IP address management, network discovery, and network visibility. Its dashboard records IP use and ownership, identifies conflicts and orphaned addresses, and can export QBR data. Local agents manage authoritative DNS zones and DHCP scopes, with a SaaS console coordinating records and configurations. Agents scan active network segments using ARP, SNMP, and ICMP to build a hardware asset registry. Subnetly says its AI insights can identify capacity risks and configuration gaps as well as address issues. Deployment options include Docker, Kubernetes/Helm, Windows Server, and a Linux daemon. The company says agents communicate outbound over HTTPS or TLS without open inbound ports or VPN tunnels. REST APIs and monitoring webhooks support third-party automation, though access varies by paid tier. MSP controls cover customer and site separation, technician roles, and audit records. A free plan is available; paid plans start at $49 a month. Starter and Pro include 14-day trials, Business has a 21-day trial, and signup requires no credit card.