Overview

Kea Pilot brings address and name-service administration into one platform, with DHCP-linked DNS updates, monitoring and configuration rollback. That combination can reduce the need to manage routine Kea and BIND9 tasks across separate tools. Multi-tenant data isolation and granular role permissions make it relevant where multiple teams or customers share the environment.

This is software to deploy and operate, not a hosted service. The documented stack includes Kea, PostgreSQL, Docker and Nginx; BIND9 is optional in the minimal installation. Linux installation and Docker deployment are supported, with Ubuntu 20.04+, CentOS 8+, RHEL 8+ and Debian 11+ named as supported systems. The minimum of 2 CPU cores, 4 GB RAM and 20 GB SSD is a tangible infrastructure requirement, and production deployments call for more. The default admin/admin login is an immediate production risk unless changed.

Key features

DHCP and DNS management

DHCPv4 and DHCPv6 controls cover subnets, address pools, host reservations, leases and options, as well as Kea high availability. That breadth suits operators managing both address assignment and failover in one interface. BIND9 zone and record management, RFC2136 dynamic updates and synchronization with DHCP lease events connect address changes to DNS without separating those workflows.

Monitoring, access and configuration

A live health dashboard, WebSocket updates, service status tracking, performance metrics, analytics and audit logging provide operational visibility. REST endpoints for DHCP and DNS operations, plus WebSocket events, give teams integration paths beyond the web interface. Multi-tenant isolation, role-based permissions and user management support shared administration, while backup, restore, versioning and rollback help manage configuration changes.

The project lists CSRF protection, input validation, secure sessions, SQL injection prevention, XSS protections, rate limiting and audit logging. It also describes TOTP and hardware-token multi-factor authentication as an enterprise feature. Together these controls address common administrative risks, but they do not remove the need to secure deployment and replace the documented default credentials.

Pricing

MIT-licensed software: free. The free plan is the software itself, with commercial use, modification and distribution permitted under the MIT license. No paid tiers or usage limits are stated, so the trade-off is operational rather than a subscription tier: teams must supply and maintain the infrastructure. The software is provided without warranty. GitHub Issues, documentation and community discussions are support routes; commercial support is available for enterprise deployments and custom integrations.

Platforms

Kea Pilot is listed for API, Linux, self-hosted and web use. Its deployment documentation names Linux and Docker, with the supported operating systems and minimum hardware requirements setting a clear baseline for operators planning capacity. This is a fit for teams able to run infrastructure themselves, not those seeking a managed service.

Who it's for

Choose Kea Pilot if your team already operates Kea DHCP and wants DHCPv4/v6, reservations, high availability, BIND9 DNS, lease-driven updates and monitoring in a single self-hosted management platform. Its API, multi-tenant controls and configuration rollback add value for teams integrating network operations into existing processes.

Look elsewhere if you need a hosted deployment, cannot take on Linux or Docker operations, or require warranty-backed software. Plan for the stated minimum resources and a larger production footprint, and treat credential rotation as a deployment prerequisite.

Pros and cons

Pros: Broad DHCPv4/v6 and DNS coverage, including high availability and lease-event synchronization, keeps closely related network-service tasks together.
Pros: REST and WebSocket interfaces, tenant isolation, granular roles and audit logging support integration and shared operations.
Pros: MIT licensing allows commercial use and modification without a software charge or stated usage cap.
Cons: Self-hosting brings infrastructure and maintenance responsibility, with a minimum 2 CPU cores, 4 GB RAM and 20 GB SSD before production headroom.
Cons: The documented admin/admin initial credentials must be changed before production, making credential setup a non-negotiable first step.
Cons: The software is provided without warranty; teams needing vendor-backed assurance should weigh that against the available commercial support.

Alternatives

Compare DHCP management software if you want to survey the wider category before settling on a platform.

Subnetly is worth considering if you prefer a freemium offering with a stated monthly free allowance covering 256 IPAM addresses, 10 subnets and limited DHCP and DNS zones.
Danbyte is another free, open-source self-hosted option with all features included and no seat license or enterprise tier.
teemIP may suit teams looking for a community edition with free installation, open-source code and community resources.
OpenIPAM is another free option, with browser-only or self-hosted-backend use.
SpatiumDDI is another free self-hosted option from an infrastructure software maker.
Infoblox Cloud Network Automation may suit teams considering token-based licensing and a paid commercial product; pricing is custom pricing.
ANTlabs Tru'IP is a paid alternative with multiple capacity tiers; pricing is custom pricing.
Kubernesis DDI is a paid enterprise DDI option with assessment before licensing and custom deployment; pricing is custom pricing.

Verdict

SagaOS Kea Pilot is best for ISP and enterprise operators already committed to Kea who want DHCP, DNS, monitoring and configuration management in a free, permissively licensed self-hosted platform. Its strongest reason to choose it is the range of connected network-management functions and interfaces in one system. Look elsewhere if you need hosted operations, warranty coverage or a deployment that does not require you to own the infrastructure and secure the initial account.

	Jen Kea DHCP Management Console	SagaOS Kea Pilot
Free plan	Yes	Yes
Paid from	Free	Free
Platforms	Linux, self-hosted, Web	api, Linux, self-hosted, Web
Deployment	on-premises	on-premises
Reservation management	Yes	Yes
DHCPv6 support	Yes	Yes
DHCP failover	Yes	Yes
Audit logs	Yes	Yes
REST API		Yes

Jen Kea DHCP Management Console vs SagaOS Kea Pilot

Jen Kea DHCP Management Console

SagaOS Kea Pilot