OCS Inventory
Free GPL inventory software from France, with agents, SNMP discovery and package deployment
Quick Overview
| Company | FactorFX (main contributor and publisher) |
|---|---|
| Category | IT Asset Management Software |
| Headquarters | Granville, France |
| Founded | Not stated |
| EU Presence | Yes - France (EU) |
| Data Location | Your own servers |
| Open Source | GPLv2 |
| GDPR Compliant | Yes |
| Self-Hosting | Yes |
| Main Features | Hardware and software inventory by agent, network discovery, SNMP scans, package deployment over HTTP/HTTPS, plugins, SOAP web service and APIs, web console |
| Pricing | Free software; OCS Professional offer on request |
| Best For | Teams with admin time who want a free, self-hosted inventory |
| Replaces | Flexera (inventory side), commercial inventory agents |
Detailed Review
OCS Inventory collects hardware and software inventory from agents installed on computers and servers, and uses SNMP scans for devices that cannot run an agent, such as printers and switches. It can also deploy packages and run scripts or commands on machines, and supports plugins.
The project site names FactorFX, a French company in Granville, as main contributor and publisher, and as the company that integrates and supports the software. The project announces version 3.0 as a complete technological redesign, currently a release candidate for testing and not for production.
Free, With Your Own Time
The software is free under GPLv2 and runs on your servers, so inventory data never leaves your network. The vendor's own pitch for its paid services is candid: using the free product needs advanced development and system and network administration skills, which is where the OCS Professional offer comes in.
That offer's pricing is not shown on the pages checked.
Version 3 Redesign
Version 3 replaces the Perl and PHP stack with a Python Django backend and a Vue.js web console, and the agent is a single cross-platform codebase written in Dart. The release is labelled 3.0.0-rc2, so a new installation should weigh the stable 2.x line against the redesign.
Wide Agent Coverage
Supported systems include Windows, Linux, BSD, Solaris, AIX, HP-UX, macOS and Android, which is unusual breadth for a free tool.
Limitations to Consider
Version 3 is a release candidate not meant for production, and the project asks for testers. It is an inventory tool, so it has no license reconciliation or contract tracking comparable to USU or Xensam. The interface and administration need technical skills, and professional support is a separate offer with no price on the pages checked. For inventory with a service desk see GLPI.
Who Should Use OCS Inventory
IT administrators in organisations that want a free, self-hosted inventory covering many operating systems and network devices, and can run it themselves or buy support from FactorFX.
Pros and Cons
Pros
- Free under GPLv2
- Self-hosted, data stays on your servers
- Agents for a wide range of operating systems
- SNMP scans for printers and switches
- Package deployment built in
Cons
- Version 3 is still a release candidate
- Needs administration skills
- No license reconciliation features
- Paid support has no published price
Alternatives to OCS Inventory
Other European it asset management software worth comparing before you decide:
GLPI
France · Open-source asset inventory and service desk in one product
Matrix42
Germany · Asset management joined to service and endpoint management
baramundi
Germany · Augsburg endpoint suite with inventory and license modules
Lansweeper
Belgium · Network discovery of IT, OT and IoT assets, with a free plan
See all European it asset management software or compare them directly against Flexera (inventory side) on our alternatives page.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. The software is released under GPLv2. FactorFX offers paid integration, support and an OCS Professional offer.
Yes, through SNMP scans for devices that cannot run an agent.
The project describes 3.0.0-rc2 as a release candidate for testing, not production.