What is Catalyst Networks?
Catalyst Networks is a managed platform for Nebula mesh overlay networks. It automates the hardest parts of running Nebula — certificate management, node provisioning, and network configuration — so you can focus on connecting your infrastructure securely.
The Problem
Nebula is a powerful open-source overlay network created by Slack, but managing it at scale is painful:
- Certificate management is manual — you need to generate, distribute, and renew certificates by hand
- Node provisioning requires copying config files and certificates to each machine
- No visibility — you can’t see which nodes are online, which certificates are expiring, or how your network is performing
- No multi-tenancy — managing multiple networks for different teams or clients requires separate tooling
What Catalyst Networks Provides
| Feature | Raw Nebula | Catalyst Networks |
|---|---|---|
| Certificate Authority | Manual nebula-cert commands | Web UI + automated lifecycle |
| Node Provisioning | Copy files manually | CLI registration or API |
| Certificate Renewal | Manual | Automatic (14-day window) |
| Network Visibility | None | Dashboard with status + analytics |
| Multi-Tenancy | None | Organizations with RBAC |
| Firewall Rules | Edit YAML config | Security Groups UI |
| Event Notifications | None | Webhooks + email alerts |
Components
Catalyst Networks consists of three client interfaces backed by a central control plane:
- Web Dashboard — Manage organizations, nodes, certificates, and security groups from your browser
- CLI (
cvpn-manager) — Register and configure nodes from the command line (Linux, macOS, Windows). The downloadable product is named catalyst-manager, but the installed command iscvpn-manager. - Linux Desktop App — GTK4 GUI for managing local Nebula services
Next Steps
- Quick Start Guide — Get your first network running
- Core Concepts — Understand the architecture
- CLI Installation — Install the command-line tool