ISC Stork review
A focused, free control and monitoring layer for administrators running Kea DHCP.
Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026
ISC Stork is a self-hosted, web-based management system for network administrators managing multiple Kea DHCP or DNS servers. It centralizes DHCP server status, DHCPv4 and DHCPv6 pool utilization, high-availability information, leases, host reservations, subnets, shared networks, DHCP options, logs, and configuration files. The platform runs on Linux and macOS, provides a web interface, and is distributed as open-source software with an on-premises deployment model.
The published offering is free and open source, giving teams access to DHCP monitoring and control without a paid software tier. Its feature depth is strongest around Kea: administrators can create, edit, view, and delete host reservations; search DHCP and declined leases; manage pools and options; and monitor Kea high-availability relationships and failover status. Prometheus export supports Grafana visualization for DHCP and DNS statistics, while the documented RESTful API provides an integration path for automation. Some configuration capabilities require Kea hook libraries, so the available management surface depends partly on the Kea environment.
ISC Stork fits organizations that want a centralized web interface for Kea DHCP operations, with LDAP authentication and authorization integration and connections to PostgreSQL, BIND 9, PowerDNS, Prometheus, and Grafana. BIND 9 and PowerDNS are supported for read-oriented monitoring, while Kea receives the deeper configuration and operational controls. Teams needing a Kea-focused, open-source tool for reservations, pools, leases, and high-availability visibility should find the scope aligned with their needs. Organizations seeking broader multi-platform DHCP management or deeper control of non-Kea DNS services should consider a tool with a wider administrative focus.
ISC Stork pros and cons
- Where it wins
- Manages DHCPv4/v6 pools, reservations, subnets, options, and leases
- Monitors Kea high availability and failover status
- Connects with Prometheus, Grafana, LDAP, and a documented REST API
- Where it doesn't
- Some configuration features require Kea hook libraries
- Its management scope is centered on Kea DHCP
- BIND 9 and PowerDNS support is focused on read-oriented monitoring
ISC Stork fact sheet, pricing and score →
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