Puppet
What it is
Puppet Enterprise provides policy-driven configuration management and infrastructure automation for enterprise environments. It uses policy as code to continuously enforce desired state and identify configuration drift. Teams can use agent-based or agentless management across complex cloud and hybrid environments, through a web interface with role-based access control. Puppet lists agents for Linux, Windows and macOS.
Puppet Enterprise Advanced adds continuous CIS Benchmark and DISA STIG enforcement, self-service automation, AI features, observability integrations and advanced patching. It can integrate with third-party vulnerability scanners, including Nessus, for remediation. Listed integrations also include GitHub, AWS, Microsoft Azure, Google Cloud Platform, HashiCorp Vault and ServiceNow. A free trial runs on up to 10 nodes with no commitment or time limit; pricing is custom. Network and edge device management is optional, and licensing for those devices requires contacting sales. Puppet describes the product as suited to medium and large organizations managing complex environments that need centralized automation, security and compliance.
For and against
For
- Continuously enforces desired state through policy as code.
- Supports agent-based and agentless management.
- Free trial covers up to 10 nodes.
- Advanced adds CIS and DISA STIG enforcement.
- Integrates with major cloud platforms and tools.
Against
- Pricing is custom.
- Network and edge device management is optional.
- Licensing optional network and edge devices requires contacting sales.
- Free trial is limited to 10 nodes.
The verdict
Puppet Enterprise focuses on policy-based infrastructure control, with an Advanced tier adding compliance enforcement and other capabilities. Organizations should clarify custom pricing and any device licensing needs before choosing it.
Who it suits
Puppet Enterprise is aimed at medium and large organizations managing complex cloud or hybrid environments. It may suit teams that need policy-based configuration enforcement, compliance controls and centralized automation.
Plans and prices
Puppet Core
open-source Puppet Core · download available
Read 15 Oct 2026 · puppet.com
Puppet Enterprise free trial
10 nodes · no commitment
Read 15 Oct 2026 · puppet.com
Puppet Enterprise listing price
third-party directory starting price; vendor pricing available on request
Read 15 Oct 2026 · getapp.com
Puppet Enterprise
continuous desired-state enforcement · agent or agentless automation · web console · Linux, Windows and macOS agents
Read 15 Oct 2026 · puppet.com
Puppet Enterprise Advanced
CIS/DISA STIG enforcement · vulnerability remediation · impact analysis · observability connectors
Read 15 Oct 2026 · puppet.com
On the record
- Acquisition
- Perforce completed its acquisition of Puppet on May 18, 2022; transaction terms were not disclosed.perforce.com · read 15 Oct 2026
- Advanced capabilities
- Puppet Enterprise Advanced adds continuous CIS Benchmark and DISA STIG enforcement, self-service automation, AI features, observability integrations, and advanced patching.puppet.com · read 29 Sep 2026
- Agent models
- Deployments can use agent-based or agentless architecture and can combine declarative workflows with imperative tasks.puppet.com · read 15 Oct 2026
- API
- Puppet and Puppet Enterprise expose HTTP APIs for application integrations, including inventory and orchestration services.puppet.com · read 15 Oct 2026
- Company founding
- Puppet was founded in 2005 in Portland, Oregon.news.crunchbase.com · read 15 Oct 2026
- Company headquarters
- Puppet’s historical headquarters was Portland, Oregon; current Perforce company information lists Minneapolis as head office.gartner.com · read 15 Oct 2026
- Company legal name
- Crunchbase identifies the legal entity as Puppet, Inc., also known as Reductive Labs.crunchbase.com · read 15 Oct 2026
- Configuration management
- The platform continuously enforces declared configuration state and records audit and correction information.puppet.com · read 15 Oct 2026
- Deployment
- It supports agent-based and agentless automation and management of complex cloud and hybrid environments.puppet.com · read 29 Sep 2026
- Desired state
- It continuously enforces desired state through policy as code.puppet.com · read 29 Sep 2026
- Documentation
- Documentation covers Enterprise, Continuous Delivery, security compliance and Bolt task execution, with versioned installation and administration material.puppet.com · read 15 Oct 2026
- Extensibility
- The product supports an extensible scanner architecture and open API framework, while Puppet Forge provides more than 7,000 reusable modules.puppet.com · read 15 Oct 2026
- Funding
- A 2018 Series F raised $42 million led by Cisco, bringing reported aggregate venture funding to $127.5 million at that time.news.crunchbase.com · read 15 Oct 2026
- Impact analysis
- Enterprise Advanced previews the infrastructure impact of Puppet code before deployment.puppet.com · read 15 Oct 2026
- Integrations
- Official integration listings include ServiceNow, VMware, Argo CD, Jenkins, Dynatrace, Datadog, New Relic, Splunk, Tenable Nessus and CIS Benchmarks.puppet.com · read 15 Oct 2026
- Intended users
- Puppet describes Puppet Enterprise as best suited to medium and large organizations managing complex hybrid environments that require security, compliance, and centralized automation.puppet.com · read 29 Sep 2026
- Interface and access
- The platform includes a web-based interface and role-based access control.puppet.com · read 29 Sep 2026
- License
- Open-source Puppet is released under Apache-2.0, while Puppet Enterprise adds proprietary commercial components, orchestration, console and support.github.com · read 15 Oct 2026
