Side by side
perfSONAR vs Testground
Both stand on network testing software. Which one you can start free with, which one lets you read the code, and what each costs once you pay.
Free plan APILinuxSelf-hosted
perfSONAR provides coordinated network measurement and data access for operators managing their own deployment. It is free to use, but maintaining nodes and test configuration is part of running it.
Visit perfSONAR Free plan APILinuxSelf-hosted
Testground provides broad controls for distributed-system experiments, including large-scale runners, network simulation, coordination, and metrics. Its source-build installation and planned workflows should be considered before adoption.
Visit TestgroundThe facts
| perfSONAR | Testground | |
|---|---|---|
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Open source | Not published | Not published |
| Runs on | API, Linux, Self-hosted | API, Linux, Self-hosted |
| Lowest paid plan | Free or on request | Not published |
| Plans published | 1 | None |
| Maker | Not published | Not published |
| Website | perfsonar.net | github.com |
| On network testing software | #20 of 33 | #24 of 33 |
perfSONAR: what it does well
- Free and open source under Apache License 2.0
- Coordinates tests across multiple nodes
- Stores results locally or on a central dashboard
- Provides APIs for raw data access
- Supports throughput and latency tests
What to know first
- Requires operator-managed local server infrastructure
- Users must maintain nodes and test configuration
- Concurrent tests on one interface may affect accuracy
- Distributed without warranty
Testground: what it does well
- Scales from 2 to 10,000 instances
- Supports Go, JavaScript, C, and shell plans
- Shapes latency, jitter, bandwidth, and packet behavior
- Streams metrics to InfluxDB
- Collects logs and run events
What to know first
- Requires building from source
- Needs Go 1.16 or later and Docker
- Continuous integration is listed as planned
Alternatives to perfSONAR Alternatives to Testground The whole list