NAPALM vs ONAP
NAPALM
github.comONAP
onap.orgSide by side
| Figure | NAPALM | ONAP |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | Free | Free |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Free trial | — | — |
| Open source | — | — |
| Web | — | Yes |
| macOS | Yes | — |
| Linux | Yes | Yes |
| API | Yes | Yes |
| Self-hosted | Yes | Yes |
| Plans published | 1 | 1 |
| Spec score · Network Automation Software | 7.8 (#12) | 8.2 (#5) |
| Intended users | NAPALM is aimed at people automating and validating network devices across multiple vendors through Python and automation frameworks. | The platform is intended for network, software, IT, and cloud providers and developers; the homepage also names network operators, cloud providers, and enterprises. |
| Purpose | NAPALM is a Python library for interacting with network devices from different vendors through a unified API. | ONAP provides design, orchestration, observability, and automation of network and edge services for operators, cloud providers, and enterprises. |
Plans
In their own words
NAPALM
NAPALM is a free Python library for automating network devices from multiple vendors through a shared API. It connects to devices, changes configurations, and retrieves operational data. Its core drivers cover Arista EOS, Cisco IOS, Cisco IOS-XR, Cisco NX-OS, and Juniper JunOS, with additional community drivers. Configuration methods include replace, merge, compare, commit-confirm, and rollback, although availability depends on the platform. Getters can return device facts, configurations, interface information, BGP neighbors, and environment data, with coverage varying by driver. For validation, NAPALM can compare live device state against YAML expectations and create a compliance report. The project identifies integrations with Ansible, SaltStack, and StackStorm. Installation uses `pip install napalm`, which includes the currently available core drivers. Version 5.1.0 and later supports Python 3.9 and later. It is self-hosted, licensed under Apache-2.0, and free at free. Documentation advises checking platform-specific caveats before use.
ONAP
ONAP is a free, open-source platform for designing, orchestrating, observing, and automating network and edge services. It supports lifecycle management for physical, virtual, and cloud-native network functions, with real-time, policy-driven orchestration. Design and runtime capabilities include implementation, analytics, monitoring, alarm and event correlation, and closed-loop automation for service optimization. Role-based access through the Portal Framework serves service designers and operations personnel. ONAP is modular, so users can select orchestration functions; its Operations Manager uses Kubernetes to deploy, monitor, and manage component lifecycles. Published blueprints cover 5G, virtual CPE, broadband, VoLTE, and cross-domain VPN services. A full deployment guide lists 224 GB RAM, 160 GB disk, and 112 vCores, while selected components can substantially reduce those requirements. ONAP supports deployment on Kubernetes on bare metal or environments such as OpenStack, Azure, and AWS. It runs across API, Linux, self-hosted, and web contexts. Free introductory training and a paid ONAP Fundamentals course are available.