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Packer VS Stackato

Compare Packer VS Stackato and see what are their differences

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Contents:
  1. ยป Base Details
  2. ยป Reviews
  3. ยป Alternatives

Packer logo Packer

Packer is an open-source software for creating identical machine images from a single source configuration.

Stackato logo Stackato

Enterprise ready private PaaS based on the Cloud Foundry open-source project and Docker.
  • Packer Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-09-15
  • Stackato Landing page
    Landing page //
    2018-09-30

Packer features and specs

  • Multi-Provider Support
    Packer supports a wide variety of providers such as AWS, Azure, Google Cloud, VMware, and more. This allows for flexibility and the ability to create machine images across different environments.
  • Automation
    Packer automates the creation of machine images, eliminating the need for manual image configuration and reducing the potential for human error.
  • Script Reusability
    Packer allows for the reuse of scripts and configuration files, enabling a consistent and repeatable process for image creation.
  • Parallel Builds
    Packer can build multiple images in parallel, which can significantly speed up the provisioning process.
  • Idempotency
    Packer ensures that the output machine image is always an identical result given the same input configuration, reducing the risk of inconsistencies.

Possible disadvantages of Packer

  • Steep Learning Curve
    The variety of features and flexibility that Packer offers can make it complex and challenging to learn, especially for beginners.
  • Limited Debugging Tools
    Packer's debugging tools are not as mature or as integrated as those found in some other DevOps tools, making troubleshooting more difficult.
  • Configuration Complexity
    Complex configurations with multiple builders and provisioners can become hard to manage and maintain, leading to potential errors.
  • No State Management
    Unlike Terraform, Packer does not manage state, which means users need to handle state management separately if required.
  • Dependency on External Tools
    Packer often relies on external scripts and tools for provisioning, which can introduce additional dependencies and complexities.

Stackato features and specs

  • Ease of Use
    Stackato provides an easy and user-friendly interface for deploying applications on the cloud, making it accessible for beginners and professionals alike.
  • Multi-language Support
    The platform supports a range of programming languages, providing flexibility for developers working in different language ecosystems.
  • Scalability
    Stackato enables seamless scaling of applications, allowing businesses to handle increased workloads without performance degradation.
  • Enterprise-grade Security
    Stackato offers robust security features to protect applications and data, which is crucial for enterprise users.
  • Private Cloud Deployment
    It allows deployment on private clouds, offering more control over the application environment compared to public cloud solutions.

Possible disadvantages of Stackato

  • Cost
    As a commercial product, Stackato can be expensive, which might not be suitable for small businesses or startups with limited budgets.
  • Complexity for Advanced Features
    While basic features are easy to use, utilizing more advanced functionalities may require a steeper learning curve.
  • Limited Community Support
    Stackato may have less community support compared to larger open-source platforms, limiting peer resources and community-driven innovation.
  • Vendor Lock-in Risk
    Using a commercial product like Stackato can lead to vendor lock-in, making it tricky to switch platforms without significant rework.
  • Potential for Obsolescence
    Given market dynamics, there's always a risk that smaller platforms may not keep pace with rapid technological advancements.

Analysis of Packer

Overall verdict

  • Packer is a valuable tool for organizations looking to streamline their image building process and maintain consistency across different environments. Its flexibility and wide range of features make it a strong asset in infrastructure automation and DevOps pipelines.

Why this product is good

  • Packer is considered a good tool because it automates the creation of machine images for multiple platforms from a single source configuration. This efficiency reduces errors and speeds up the deployment process. Packer is highly versatile and integrates well with various configuration management tools, broadening its applicability across different environments. It also supports multiple cloud providers, making it a great choice for multi-cloud strategies.

Recommended for

  • DevOps teams
  • Cloud infrastructure engineers
  • Organizations using multi-cloud strategies
  • Teams seeking automated and consistent image building processes
  • Developers looking to integrate infrastructure as code practices

Analysis of Stackato

Overall verdict

  • Stackato was a solid enterprise-grade Platform-as-a-Service (PaaS) built on Cloud Foundry and Docker, designed to help organizations deploy and manage applications across private, public, and hybrid clouds. However, it's important to note that Stackato was discontinued by HPE (which acquired it from ActiveState) around 2017, so it is no longer an actively supported product.

Why this product is good

  • Built on open standards like Cloud Foundry and Docker, reducing vendor lock-in concerns
  • Supported multiple programming languages and frameworks, offering polyglot flexibility
  • Enabled deployment across private, public, and hybrid cloud environments
  • Provided enterprise-grade security, scaling, and management features
  • Simplified application deployment and lifecycle management for development teams

Recommended for

  • Enterprises that previously sought a private or hybrid PaaS solution (though now discontinued)
  • Development teams wanting Cloud Foundry-based application deployment
  • Organizations exploring container-based and multi-cloud strategies (should now consider modern alternatives like Cloud Foundry, OpenShift, or Kubernetes)

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to Packer and Stackato)

Packer

Stackato

DevOps Tools
95 95%
DevOps Tools
5% 5
Developer Tools
62 62%
Developer Tools
38% 38
Continuous Integration And Delivery
100 100%
Continuous Integration And Delivery
0% 0
Containers As A Service
0 0%
Containers As A Service
100% 100

User comments

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Reviews

These are some of the external sources and on-site user reviews we've used to compare Packer and Stackato

Packer Reviews

Introduction to Top Open Source Virtualization Tools
Packer is notably light, high performing, and operates on every major operating system. It assembles and configures all the necessary components for a virtual machine then creates images that run on multiple platforms. Packer doesnโ€™t replace configuration management tools like Puppet or Chef; as a matter of fact, when creating images, Packer can utilize tools like Puppet or...
Source: www.getfilecloud.com

Stackato Reviews

We have no reviews of Stackato yet.
Be the first one to post

Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, Packer seems to be more popular. It has been mentiond 9 times since March 2021. We are tracking product recommendations and mentions on various public social media platforms and blogs. They can help you identify which product is more popular and what people think of it.

Packer mentions (9)

  • Failed to connect to the host via SSH on Ubuntu 22.04
    If you have just upgraded to Ubuntu 22.04, and you suddenly experience either errors when trying to ssh into hosts, or when running ansible or again when running the ansible provisioner building a packer image, this is probably going to be useful for you. - Source: dev.to / almost 4 years ago
  • Create a minimalist OS using Docker Containers and Hashicorp Packer
    I am already using Hashicorp Packer at work and for personal projects and I wanted to test This idea out by wrapping it a single Packer Template file. This reduces the level of maintaining a lot of small scripts, Dockerfiles and configurations and the user can simply trigger a couple of Commands to get a minimalist OS at the end of the process. - Source: dev.to / almost 4 years ago
  • After self-hosting my email for twenty-three years I have thrown in the towel. The oligopoly has won.
    And while it is a slight increase in complexity, it can be an overall net gain in functionality, configurability and reliability. Much like Packer is far more reliable and practical than manually making VM images sitting in front of a terminal, even though making the initial configuration takes some time. Source: almost 4 years ago
  • Customized Ubuntu Images using Packer + QEMU + Cloud-Init & UEFI bootloading
    Hashicorp Packer provides a nice wrapper / abstraction over the QEMU in order to boot the image and use it to set it up on first-boot. Instead of writing really long commands in order to boot up the image using QEMU, Packer provided a nice Configuration Template in a more Readable fashion. - Source: dev.to / about 4 years ago
  • The journey of sharing a wired USB printer over the network
    Packer seemed like the perfect tool for the job. I have never used it before and wanted to get familiar with the tool. It doesn't come with ARM support out of the box, but there are two community projects to fill that niche. - Source: dev.to / over 4 years ago
View more

Stackato mentions (0)

We have not tracked any mentions of Stackato yet. Tracking of Stackato recommendations started around Mar 2021.

What are some alternatives?

When comparing Packer and Stackato, you can also consider the following products

Terraform - Tool for building, changing, and versioning infrastructure safely and efficiently.

Kubernetes - Kubernetes is an open source orchestration system for Docker containers

Puppet Enterprise - Get started with Puppet Enterprise, or upgrade or expand.

Rancher - Open Source Platform for Running a Private Container Service

Mesosphere DCOS - Mesosphere DCOS organizes your entire infrastructure as if it was a single computer.

Red Hat OpenShift - Application and Data, Application Hosting, and Platform as a Service

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