Essential Open‑Source Tools for Backup, Cloud, DevOps, and IT Operations

Backup Software

Amanda – client‑server model backup tool

Bacula – another client‑server model backup tool

Backupninja – lightweight, extensible metadata backup system

Backuppc – client‑server backup tool and file sharing solution

Burp – network backup and restore program

Duplicity – bandwidth‑efficient encrypted backup using rsync algorithm

Lsyncd – monitors local directory changes and syncs them, defaulting to rsync

Rsnapshot – filesystem snapshot tool

SafeKeep – centralized, pull‑based backup using rdiff‑backup

TarSnap – secure backup service with an open‑source client

UrBackup – another client‑server backup system

DREBS – AWS EBS‑supporting backup script

Cloning Software

Clonezilla – partition and disk imaging/cloning program

Fog – another computer cloning solution

Redo Backup – simple backup, restore, and recovery tool

Cloud Computing

AppScale – open‑source cloud software compatible with Google App Engine

Archipel – manages and monitors VMs using Libvirt

CloudStack – creates, manages, and deploys basic cloud services

Cobbler – Linux installation server for rapid network install environments

Eucalyptus – open‑source private cloud compatible with AWS

Mesos – develops and runs energy‑efficient distributed systems

OpenNebula – user‑driven cloud management platform for sysadmins and R&D ops

OpenStack – open‑source software for building private and public clouds

The Foreman – full‑lifecycle management tool for physical and virtual servers (FOSS)

Cloud Business Processes

BOSH – IaaS business‑process platform originally for PaaS deployment and management, also used for generic distributed systems

Cloudify – open‑source TOSCA‑based cloud workflow platform written in Python and YAML

Juju – cloud workflow tool for managing services via charms, YAML configs, and deployment scripts

MCollective – Ruby framework from Puppet Labs for managing server workflows and development

Overcast – deploys VMs across multiple cloud providers and runs parallel SSH commands or scripts

Rundeck – simple workflow tool

Salt – written in Python

Distributed File Systems

Ceph – distributed object storage and file system

DRBD – distributed block device replication

LeoFS – unstructured object/data storage with high availability, distribution, and eventual consistency

GlusterFS – scalable network‑attached storage file system

HDFS – Java‑based distributed, scalable, portable file system for Hadoop

Lustre – parallel distributed file system commonly used in large‑scale cluster computing

MooseFS – fault‑tolerant network distributed file system

MogileFS – application‑level network distributed file system

OpenAFS – read‑only replica, multi‑OS supporting distributed network file system

TahoeLAFS – secure, decentralized, fault‑tolerant, peer‑to‑peer distributed storage and file system

XtreemFS – fault‑tolerant distributed file system for storage needs

Cloud Storage

git‑annex assistant – synchronizes folders across macOS, Linux, Android, removable drives, NAS, and cloud services

ownCloud – provides unified file access via web, desktop, and mobile devices

Seafile – another open‑source cloud storage solution

SparkleShare – cloud storage and file sync service using Git as backend

Swift – highly available, distributed, eventually consistent object/big‑data storage

Syncthing – open‑source system for private, encrypted, authenticated data synchronization

Code Review

Gerrit – Git‑based tool that facilitates source‑code review, approval, or rejection

Review Board – free software under the MIT License for code review

Collaboration Software

Citadel/UX – collaborative suite (messaging and groupware) derived from the Citadel family

EGroupware – groupware written in PHP

Horde Groupware – PHP‑based collaboration suite including mail, calendar, wiki, time tracking, and file management

Kolab – another groupware suite

SOGo – collaboration server focused on simplicity and scalability

Zimbra – collaboration suite with mail services and web client

Configuration Management Database (CMDB)

i‑doit – open‑source IT documentation and CMDB

iTop – fully open‑source, ITIL‑based web service management tool

Ralph – asset management, DCIM, and CMDB system for large data centers or smaller networks

Clusto – tracks inventory, location, connections, and provides an abstract interface to infrastructure elements

Configuration Management Tools

Ansible – Python‑based, SSH‑driven node management

CFEngine – lightweight agent system using declarative language for state configuration

Chef – written in Ruby and Erlang, uses pure Ruby DSL

Fabric – Python library and CLI tool simplifying SSH usage for app deployment or system tasks

Pallet – architecture definition, configuration, and management via Clojure DSL

Puppet – Ruby‑based, uses Puppet declarative language or Ruby DSL

Salt – written in Python

Slaughter – written in Perl

Continuous Integration and Continuous Deployment

Buildbot – Python‑based CI tool

Drone – Docker‑based CI server configured with YAML files

GitLab CI – Ruby‑based, also provides GitLab for repository management

Go – open‑source CD server

Jenkins – extensible open‑source CI server

Vlad the Deployer – automated deployment tool

DNS

Bind – most widely used DNS software

djbdns – DNS suite including tinydns

Designate – DNS REST API supporting multiple DNS backends

dnsmasq – lightweight DNS, DHCP, and TFTP for small networks

Knot – high‑performance authoritative DNS server

NSD – authoritative, high‑performance, simple name server

PowerDNS – DNS server with various data‑store backends and load‑balancing

Unbound – validating, recursive, caching DNS resolver

Yadifa – lightweight authoritative DNS server with DNSSEC support, suitable for .eu TLD

Host Control Panels

Ajenti – Linux and BSD control panel

Feathur – VPS provisioning and management software

ISPConfig – Linux hosting control panel

VestaCP – control panel for Linux and Nginx

Virtualmin – web‑based control panel built on Webmin

ZPanel – control panel for Linux, BSD, and Windows

IT Asset Management

GLPI – information resource manager with additional management interfaces

OCS Inventory NG – allows users to inventory IT assets

RackTables – documents data‑center and server‑room assets, hardware, network addresses, rack space, and network configurations

Ralph – asset management, DCIM, and CMDB for large data centers and small LANs

Snipe‑IT – asset and license management software

LDAP

389 Directory Server – deployed via Red Hat

Apache Directory Server – Java‑based project from Apache Software Foundation

Fusion Directory – improves management of services and corporate directories based on OpenLDAP

OpenDJ – fork of OpenDS

OpenDS – Java‑based directory server

OpenLDAP – developed by the OpenLDAP project