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FOG Project
What it is
FOG Project is a free, open-source system for cloning and managing networked computers. It captures and deploys Windows, Mac OSX, and Linux images, including hardware-independent images intended for different computer models. The project also supports multi-site installations and remote management when the FOG server can be reached publicly. The server itself must run on Linux; recommended server-oriented LTS options include Ubuntu, Debian, Rocky Linux, and AlmaLinux. Configuring client computers to PXE boot first lets administrators send imaging tasks without visiting each machine. The FOG Client can register hosts, change hostnames, schedule power management, install snapins, and track users, with client documentation for Windows, Linux, and OSX. Its client-server communications use public-key infrastructure and AES-256 encryption after an RSA-4096 key exchange. Security guidance includes firewall rules and protecting the MySQL database and captured image directory. FOG is free for commercial use, with community support through forums, its wiki, and IRC. The Linux client lacks FOG Tray, Active Directory joining, and PrinterManager.
For and against
For
- Free for commercial use
- Supports hardware-independent images
- Supports multi-site installations
- Client includes host registration and scheduled power management
- Documents encrypted client-server communications
Against
- The server must run on Linux
- Remote management requires a publicly reachable server
- Linux client lacks FOG Tray and Active Directory joining
The verdict
FOG Project combines imaging and remote client management in a free system for networked computers. Teams should account for the Linux server requirement and the listed Linux client limitations.
Who it suits
FOG Project suits administrators who need to image and manage networked computers across one or more sites. It requires a Linux server, and its client functions differ on Linux.
Plans and prices
Free
commercial use · unlimited computers · community support
Read 15 Oct 2026 · fogproject.org
FOG Project
Free for commercial use · free community support
Read 5 Oct 2026 · fogproject.org
On the record
- API
- The REST API exposes host, task, multicast-session, image and system-information routes.docs.fogproject.org · read 15 Oct 2026
- API authentication
- API requests can use a server API token plus per-user tokens; HTTP Basic authentication is also documented.docs.fogproject.org · read 15 Oct 2026
- Client limitations
- The client documentation says its Linux client does not support the FOG Tray, Active Directory joining, or PrinterManager.wiki.fogproject.org · read 5 Oct 2026
- Client management
- The FOG Client supports functions including host registration, hostname changes, scheduled power management, snapin installation, and user tracking.wiki.fogproject.org · read 5 Oct 2026
- Client platforms
- The FOG Client documentation describes installation on Windows, Linux, and OSX.wiki.fogproject.org · read 5 Oct 2026
- Company leadership
- The official about page names Chuck Syperski and Jian Zhang as project founders and Tom Elliott as senior developer.fogproject.org · read 15 Oct 2026
- Deployment method
- The project recommends configuring clients to PXE boot first so imaging tasks can be deployed without visiting each client.wiki.fogproject.org · read 5 Oct 2026
- Disk tools
- Built-in tasks include memory tests, disk tests, surface scans, disk wiping, deleted-file recovery and bad-block scans.docs.fogproject.org · read 15 Oct 2026
- Documentation
- Official documentation covers installation, management, knowledge-base troubleshooting, integrations and development.docs.fogproject.org · read 15 Oct 2026
- Domain management
- The client can change hostnames and join Windows domains.docs.fogproject.org · read 15 Oct 2026
- Forum limitation
- A FOG forum discussion says support generally focuses on core Debian and RHEL-family distributions, while unusual distributions may not work.forums.fogproject.org · read 15 Oct 2026
- Hardware independent images
- The project lists hardware-independent images as a feature for deploying images across different computer models.fogproject.org · read 5 Oct 2026
- Image types
- FOG supports partition, full-disk, multiple-disk, resizable and raw images.docs.fogproject.org · read 15 Oct 2026
- Imaging
- It can capture and deploy Windows, Mac OSX, and various Linux distributions.fogproject.org · read 5 Oct 2026
- Independent assessment
- OpenMSP describes FOG as free, open-source, self-hosted software with a free tier.openmsp.ai · read 15 Oct 2026
- Installation
- Installation is performed by cloning or downloading the repository and running installfog.sh as root.github.com · read 15 Oct 2026
- Inventory
- FOG records hardware and software inventory for managed hosts.docs.fogproject.org · read 15 Oct 2026
- License
- The main project and its public repositories use GNU GPL version 3.0.github.com · read 15 Oct 2026
