rConfig

rConfig is a Network Configuration Management platform for managing network device configurations. V8 supports backups, historical change tracking, drift validation, automated rollbacks, and compliance-ready reports. Its listed controls include role-based access, audit trails, encryption, and compliance reporting. V8 Pro adds SAML SSO, immutable audit logs, encryption at rest, and optional air-gapped deployment. The maker says V8 supports any device, vendor, and protocol. Listed integrations include device synchronization with Zabbix, NetBox, Nautobot, Statseeker, AKIPS, Checkmk, PRTG, and Infrahub, plus HashiCorp Vault credentials and SAML/OIDC identity. Core is free, open source, and runs on customer hardware. Starter costs $3,900, paid once and supports up to 300 devices. V8 Pro costs €3,999 a year, with a perpetual licence after Year 1 and first-year updates and priority support. Pro, Enterprise, and Vector are tailored deployments rather than downloads. The founder began building rConfig in 2010 and released it publicly as an open-source project in 2012.

rConfig brings configuration backup, change tracking, and compliance controls together for network management. Compare Core and paid options against device counts and deployment requirements before choosing a plan.

rConfig may suit IT teams managing network configurations, including teams in regulated networks. The maker describes Enterprise as designed for large, distributed, regulated networks and MSPs.

rConfig is a network configuration management platform for teams that must preserve, audit, and restore device configurations. It suits organizations comfortable running infrastructure themselves, as well as regulated IT groups that need policy controls and vendor support. The right tier depends on device volume, deployment expectations, and whether paid security and integration features are required.

Overview

rConfig grew from an open-source project into a tiered product. Core is MIT-licensed and runs on the customer’s hardware, while paid editions add device allowances, support commitments, and operational features. The maker says V8 works with any device, vendor, and protocol, an appealing position for mixed networks, although connector and deployment requirements still vary by edition.

Its central workflow covers scheduled configuration backups, comparisons, historical change tracking, drift validation, automated rollback, and compliance-ready reporting. That combination makes rConfig more than a repository of device files: teams can investigate changes, detect divergence from policy, and return equipment to a known state.

Key features

Configuration control

Backup and comparison functions provide the foundation for recovery and review. Historical tracking supplies an audit trail around changes, while drift validation highlights devices that no longer match an intended configuration. Automated rollbacks are particularly useful when a deployment introduces an error and operations staff need a controlled reversal rather than a manual reconstruction.

Security and compliance

Role-based access control, audit trails, encryption, and compliance reporting are built in to V8. Pro adds SAML SSO, immutable audit logs, encryption at rest, and optional air-gapped deployment, making that tier better suited to regulated environments with stricter identity and evidence requirements. Starter and Standard include policy checks and compliance; Core does not promise the same paid support or feature scope.

Integrations and API

Device synchronization is offered for Zabbix, NetBox, Nautobot, Statseeker, AKIPS, Checkmk, PRTG, and Infrahub, with HashiCorp Vault credentials and SAML/OIDC identity integrations. Production connectors are included in V8 Pro, Enterprise, and Vector without per-connector licenses or extra modules. LibreNMS and Observium are planned connectors, while CyberArk and Delinea Secret Server are on the bench, so teams dependent on those systems should verify fit before committing. V8 Pro exposes every platform action through its REST API and is the clearest choice for automation-heavy operations.

Pricing

Core: Free, with no device limit, MIT licensing, and operation on your hardware. It is the strongest value for teams able to self-manage deployment and support, but it does not carry the paid editions’ stated support and advanced security commitments.

Starter: $$3,900 once for up to 300 devices. It adds restore and deployment of configuration changes, policy checks and compliance, plus five business days of support. This is a practical entry point for smaller networks that need governed changes without a recurring fee, though the 300-device ceiling is firm.

V8 Pro: €3,999 per year, billed at €3,999/year, for up to 1,000 devices. Year 1 includes updates and priority support; the license becomes perpetual afterward, with renewal needed for continued support and updates. Pro is the better fit for IT teams and regulated networks needing SSO, immutable logs, API access, and production connectors, but its annual first-year price and ongoing support renewals require budget planning.

Standard: $$6,500 once for up to 1,000 devices. It includes restore and deployment, policy checks, compliance, built-in AI and script automation, and 8x5 next-business-day support. It suits organizations prioritizing automation and a one-time license, while Pro offers the more explicit identity, audit, and integration advantages.

Enterprise / MSP: Custom pricing beyond 1,000 devices, with per-device pricing, 24x7 support, and a four-hour response. Large distributed, regulated networks and managed service providers are the intended audience.

Platforms

rConfig is offered through API, Linux, self-hosted, and web environments. Core runs on customer hardware; Pro, Enterprise, and Vector are tailored deployments rather than downloads. The hybrid model favors organizations that want control over hosting while still purchasing vendor-backed capabilities.

Who it's for

Choose rConfig when configuration recovery, drift control, and compliance evidence are operational priorities, especially across heterogeneous or regulated networks. Core fits teams with in-house Linux and self-hosting capability. Starter is aimed at smaller deployments, Pro at IT and regulated environments up to 1,000 devices, and Enterprise/MSP at larger distributed estates. It is less suitable for buyers seeking a simple downloadable product or a clearly published price above 1,000 devices.

Pros and cons

• Pros: Free Core has no device limit; backup, comparison, rollback, drift, and compliance workflows cover the full configuration lifecycle; broad stated device compatibility; strong Pro security controls; production connectors included in higher tiers.
• Cons: Paid editions have sharply different limits and deployment formats; Starter and Standard lack Pro’s stated SSO and immutable-log package; paid plans cap devices at 300 or 1,000 before custom pricing; several desired connectors remain planned or under consideration.

Alternatives

Network Configuration Management Software is the broader category list for comparing products.

ManageEngine Network Configuration Manager is worth choosing for a wider platform footprint and a free edition capped at two devices, with a free trial and a published Professional Edition at $238 a year.

Arista NG Firewall is an alternative when the priority is firewall security and connectivity rather than configuration-management depth.

Oxidized suits teams wanting free, Apache-2.0-licensed, self-hosted software across API, Linux, web, and related environments.

Unimus fits a small deployment needing a free, non-expiring 10-device plan; Compliance and SAML/OIDC are excluded from that tier.

Netpicker offers a free-for-life Foundation plan with unlimited network devices for a single user, plus professional features for 10 devices.

RANCID is a free, self-hosted Linux/macOS option with no paid plans or usage limits stated.

Gluware provides a one-year renewable Community Edition for up to 20 devices, with its application suite except Topology.

Mobile Net Switch is a free, fully functional, non-expiring Windows utility rather than a comparable network configuration-management platform.

Verdict

rConfig is a strong choice for network teams that need recoverable configurations, change accountability, and compliance controls while retaining self-hosted control. Core makes experimentation and broad deployment accessible at no cost, and Pro is compelling for regulated environments that need SSO, immutable auditing, API automation, and included connectors. Look elsewhere if you need a lightweight downloadable tool, a lower-cost path beyond small device counts, or a connector that remains planned rather than production-ready.