MSP IT Documentation

Hudu vs Obelinf

MSP Documentation vs. Network Infrastructure Management

Hudu is built around documenting clients, credentials, and processes. Obelinf is built around modeling and managing network infrastructure.

Obelinf is a cloud managed source of truth for network infrastructure, combining IPAM, DCIM, device inventory, network topology, rack management, cable tracking, VLAN/VRF management, and infrastructure audit history. For teams evaluating Hudu alternatives, the difference is structural: Hudu has strong network documentation inside a documentation platform, while Obelinf is built around the network infrastructure model. In Obelinf, subnets, devices, racks, cables, and circuits exist as connected data you can query, and every change to them lands in one automatic history.

Deployment & Operations

Who operates what.

Hudu is offered in two deployment models at the same per user price. With Hudu Cloud, Hudu maintains the environment, including updates and backups. With Hudu Self Hosted, running in Docker on your own server, your team operates the instance: updates, security patches, backups, and uptime.

Obelinf has one deployment model, and the platform team operates it. You sign up in a browser and your infrastructure records are live in minutes, with updates and backups handled for you.

Nothing to deploy or maintain
No Docker host, no database, no version upgrades to schedule. The platform runs itself.
No per user cost as you grow
Infrastructure data stays flat priced per organization, not per seat or per client.
Always current
Security patches and feature releases land automatically, with no maintenance windows to schedule.
IP Address Management

Address records versus an address model.

Hudu tracks networks, nested subnets, individual addresses, VLANs, and VLAN zones as part of its documentation platform, which gives technicians useful context when they open a client record.

Obelinf treats the address space as a model. Subnets nest in a hierarchy, utilization rolls up from a /32 to a /16, IPv6 and VRFs are first class, and every address is connected to the device and interface that use it. You are not reading a page; you are querying the address space.

IPv4 and IPv6
Obelinf models both address families natively, with the same hierarchy and utilization tracking.
VRFs included
Keep separate routing domains in the same platform, not as a workaround.
Utilization at every level
See how full a /24 is, how full its parent /16 is, and where the next allocation should come from.
DCIM & Topology

Documented racks versus modeled racks.

Hudu manages racks and devices as part of its documentation model, with asset layouts, linked passwords, and relationship mapping between records. That is genuine rack management inside a documentation platform, and Radar discovery can populate devices and network maps automatically.

Obelinf is built around the infrastructure model. A rack sits in a site, carries devices with interfaces and serials, connects through cables and circuits, and renders in an interactive topology that stays in sync with the data.

Interactive topology
Cables and circuits render as edges between modeled devices, so the diagram reflects the infrastructure records.
Device inventory
Every physical and virtual device with interfaces, serial numbers, asset tags, and ownership.
Circuits and WAN links
Track providers, contracts, and links in the same system that documents the rest.
Change Tracking

Different models, different history.

Hudu keeps immutable audit logs and revision history for its records, which is a strong accountability trail for documentation changes.

Obelinf records every change to the model automatically with the user, timestamp, and field level diffs. The same history spans devices, interfaces, addresses, racks, cables, and circuits, and it is retained from 7 days to custom periods depending on plan.

Field level diffs
See which field changed on a device, interface, or address, from what to what, and who did it.
One history for the whole model
Devices, interfaces, addresses, racks, cables, and circuits share the same automatic changelog, no configuration required.
Retention you choose
From 7 days on the free plan to custom retention on Enterprise, matched to your compliance needs.
The Honest Comparison

What Hudu does that Obelinf does not.

Hudu is excellent at what it was built for: documentation for managed service providers. Encrypted credential vaults with autofill, knowledge bases, SOPs and checklists, a client portal, expiration tracking, and deep integrations with PSA and RMM tools such as ConnectWise, Autotask, and NinjaOne. If your team depends on those workflows, Hudu is the tool for them.

Obelinf does not compete on credentials, knowledge bases, or client portals. That work lives next to infrastructure in the MSP stack, and Obelinf models the network layer inside it.

Complementary, not overlapping
Hudu records what the MSP does with the client. Obelinf models what the network is.
Records versus model
A documentation system describes infrastructure in pages. Obelinf represents it in a connected, queryable model.
Integrations welcome
Obelinf exposes a full REST API and MCP server so it can sit inside an MSP stack, not replace it.
Pricing & Total Cost

Flat per user versus flat per organization.

Hudu is $27 per user per month billed annually, or $30 monthly, hosted or self hosted. The base subscription includes all core features; Hudu Radar (network discovery and monitoring) is the paid add on, at $9 per company per month billed annually or $10 monthly.

Obelinf is free for Personal use, $99 per month for Teams, and $299 per month for Scale, priced by organization rather than per seat. No user minimums and no paid add ons.

Free Personal plan
1 organization, up to 30 devices, rack elevations, basic IPAM, and a topology diagram.
Teams at $99/mo
Circuits, VMs and clusters, API access, and team management with admin and member roles.
Scale at $299/mo
SSO/OIDC, custom roles, up to 50 members, and 6 months of changelog retention.

Who should choose Hudu?

Choose Hudu if:

  • You run an MSP and need standardized client documentation
  • You need an encrypted credential vault and a client portal
  • Your stack depends on PSA and RMM integrations
  • You want network records inside your existing documentation workflow

Choose Obelinf if:

  • You need deep IPAM, DCIM, and topology documentation
  • You want automatic field level change history
  • You want a cloud managed source of truth for the network layer
  • You need a model of the network, not a page describing it
Migration

Moving from Hudu to Obelinf

1
Export your network data

Hudu exposes a REST API and CSV exports. Export your networks, IP addresses, VLANs, and device data before you change anything.

2
Import into Obelinf

Import the supported records through the REST API or CSV import, then verify the imported data before switching.

3
Keep Hudu for what it is best at

Credentials, the knowledge base, and the client portal stay in place. Obelinf becomes the infrastructure source of truth inside the same stack.

4
Invite your team

Set up your organization and roles so everyone lands with the right permissions from day one.

FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

How much does Hudu cost?
Hudu is a flat $27 per user per month billed annually, or $30 monthly, whether you use the hosted cloud or self host it. Hudu Radar, the network discovery add on, is $9 per company per month billed annually, or $10 monthly. Obelinf is free for personal use, with paid plans starting at $99 per month per organization.
Does Hudu have IP address management?
Yes. Hudu tracks networks, nested subnets, individual addresses, VLANs, and VLAN zones as part of its documentation platform. Obelinf models addressing as infrastructure data, with IPv6, VRFs, subnet hierarchies, and utilization at every level.
Can Obelinf replace Hudu's password vault and knowledge base?
No, and it is not meant to. Obelinf is the source of truth for network infrastructure, not for credentials, SOPs, or client portals. Teams that run Hudu for documentation and Obelinf for IPAM and DCIM get the best of both.
Is Hudu self hosted?
Yes. Hudu runs in the cloud or self hosted in Docker at the same price, but you operate the self hosted instance, including updates, patches, and backups. Obelinf is cloud managed and has no self hosted edition to maintain.
Can I migrate from Hudu to Obelinf?
Yes. Hudu exposes a REST API and CSV exports; export your networks, IP addresses, VLANs, and device data and import the supported records into Obelinf through its REST API or CSV import. Verify the data after the import.

Ready to model your network instead of documenting it in a wiki?