LCFG vs Quattor
LCFG
lcfg.orgQuattor
quattor.orgSide by side
| Figure | LCFG | Quattor |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | Free | Free |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Free trial | — | — |
| Open source | — | — |
| Linux | Yes | Yes |
| Self-hosted | Yes | Yes |
| Plans published | 1 | 1 |
| Spec score · Configuration Management Tools | 8.2 (#10) | 7.8 (#13) |
| License | The LCFG software is freely available under the GPL. | Quattor is open-source software provided under the Apache 2.0 license and the EU DataGrid Software License. |
| Purpose | LCFG automatically installs and manages configurations for large numbers of Unix systems, particularly at sites with diverse and rapidly changing configurations. | Quattor is a system administration toolkit for automated installation, configuration, and management of clusters, farms, grids, and clouds. |
| Support | LCFG provides an archived mailing list for discussion and announcements, and its package documentation directs bug reports and feedback to [email protected]. | Quattor is developed and supported by its user community, with discussion through a mailing group and issue or pull request reporting on GitHub. |
Plans
In their own words
LCFG
LCFG is a free, GPL-licensed system for automatically installing and managing configurations across large groups of Unix machines. It targets sites where systems differ and change frequently. Administrators keep source settings on a central server; LCFG compiles them into XML profiles that clients download when changes occur. Client components react to resource changes by generating configuration files and reconfiguring related daemons. A package component aligns installed software with each machine’s profile. New machines can be installed over a network file system after source files are created, using a boot floppy or PXE. LCFG is self-hosted and agent-based, with patch management and HTTP resource transport. Listed supported platforms include Ubuntu 20.04, 22.04, and 24.04; FAQ material also names Fedora Core 3, 5, and 6 and Scientific Linux 5. Solaris support is weaker and un-packaged, Mac OS X is experimental, and the demonstration Windows client lacks real components. Documentation covers configuration, dynamic networking, and build tools.
Quattor
Quattor is free, open-source Linux software for automating installation, configuration, and lifecycle management across clusters, farms, grids, and clouds. Its self-hosted architecture uses a configuration-management database server, an Automated Installation Infrastructure server, and managed clients; the two servers may share one machine. AII plugins handle DHCP and PXE setup and create Kickstart files for Enterprise Linux-derived systems. Client components retrieve and validate profiles, then run configuration components. Quattor validates system descriptions before deployment, and its Pan compiler converts declarative configuration into nested structures including XML and JSON. Modular interfaces allow replacement implementations and site-specific tools, with components for core and grid services. The site describes deployments ranging from tens of systems to more than 30,000. It supports Enterprise Linux, including Rocky Linux and AlmaLinux, and is licensed under Apache 2.0 and the EU DataGrid Software License. Community users provide development and support.