Oxidized is the go-to open-source tool for network config backups, and for good reason — it’s a massive improvement over RANCID. But if you’ve spent time wrestling with Ruby gem conflicts, writing custom hooks for secret redaction, or explaining Git diffs to your team, you already know where it falls short. IronDiff was built to close those gaps.
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What is Oxidized?
Oxidized is the most popular open-source network configuration backup tool in active development. It replaced RANCID for most teams by swapping Perl and CVS for Ruby and Git. It supports over 130 device models, has a REST API, and is significantly easier to configure than its predecessor.
For a self-hosted, free tool, Oxidized is solid. But “free” has a cost: you manage the Ruby runtime, the host OS, the Git repos, the access control, and every integration yourself. For MSPs managing dozens of networks, that overhead adds up.
Where Oxidized Falls Short
- Ruby dependency management — Oxidized runs on Ruby with several gem dependencies. Version conflicts, broken installs after OS upgrades, and missing native extensions are common pain points.
- No secret redaction — configurations are stored exactly as pulled from the device. Passwords, community strings, and pre-shared keys sit in plain text in Git unless you write custom output hooks.
- No encryption at rest — backups live in Git repositories on disk with no built-in encryption.
- Git diffs only — reviewing changes means reading raw Git diffs. There’s no visual interface purpose-built for comparing network configs.
- Self-managed infrastructure — you’re responsible for the server, disk space, backups of the backup server, user access, and uptime monitoring.
- No SSO — Oxidized’s built-in web UI has basic or no authentication. There’s no SAML, no RBAC, no audit trail.
- No documentation sync — diffs happen in Oxidized, documentation lives in Hudu or OneNote, and the two never talk to each other.
How IronDiff Compares to Oxidized
| Feature | IronDiff | Oxidized |
|---|---|---|
| Deployment | ✅ Docker or Windows agent | ⚠️ Ruby + gem dependencies |
| Visual Diff Dashboard | ✅ Red/green cloud portal | ❌ Git-based text diffs |
| Automatic Secret Redaction | ✅ Vendor-aware engine | ❌ Manual hooks/regex only |
| Encryption at Rest | ✅ Post-quantum zero-knowledge | ❌ None built-in |
| Auto-Updates | ✅ Built-in via Watchtower | ❌ Manual gem/OS updates |
| Inbound Firewall Rules | ✅ Zero required | ⚠️ Depends on setup |
| Web UI | ✅ Full cloud portal | ⚠️ Basic built-in |
| SAML SSO | ✅ Azure AD, Okta, Google | ❌ No |
| Multi-Vendor Support | ✅ Cisco, Aruba, pfSense, Fortigate, MikroTik, Juniper, Netgear | ✅ 130+ models |
| Version Control | Cloud-hosted with full history | Git |
| Cost | Free tier available, paid plans | Free (open-source) |
| Actively Maintained | ✅ Yes | ✅ Community |
See the Difference
Here’s what config drift looks like in IronDiff — a clean visual diff instead of a raw git diff:
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What IronDiff Does Differently
IronDiff was purpose-built for MSPs and network teams who need configuration backup to be secure by default and zero-maintenance.
Security is Not an Afterthought
Every configuration is run through a vendor-aware redaction engine before it ever leaves your network. Optionally, raw backups are encrypted with post-quantum zero-knowledge encryption — meaning even IronDiff cannot read your data.
Deploy in Minutes, Not Hours
A single docker run command or a Windows exe gets you up and running. No Ruby gems, no Perl modules, no CVS repositories, no cron jobs to manage. Auto-updates keep your agent current without intervention.
Diffs That Actually Make Sense
IronDiff's cloud portal shows you a clean, visual red/green diff of exactly what changed — not a raw Git diff buried in a terminal. Your whole team can see changes without needing SSH access to a server.
Who’s Using IronDiff
IronDiff is built by an MSP for MSPs. It’s currently managing config backups across production networks for managed service providers who got tired of maintaining Oxidized and RANCID instances alongside their actual client work.
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