Gateway-first PAM when SSH-only is not enough
Teleport pioneered identity-native infrastructure access. Wardengate extends that model across RDP, databases, and vendor workflows — with audit evidence built for regulated environments.
to first brokered session
Helm or Compose deploy — not a six-month agent rollout
gateway for every protocol
SSH, RDP, databases, and Kubernetes through one policy engine
audit export bundles
Evidence your GRC team can hand to auditors without reconstruction
control plane option
Run on your infrastructure — no mandatory SaaS lock-in
Multi-protocol gateway vs. identity-native access
Teams evaluating Teleport often need the same identity story for Windows, databases, and third parties — without stitching together parallel tools.
| Capability | Wardengate | Teleport |
|---|---|---|
| Protocol coverage | SSH, RDP, VNC, databases, and Kubernetes in one gateway | Strong on SSH and K8s; RDP and legacy DB paths often need workarounds |
| Recording model | Gateway-native keystroke, screen, and file capture | Session recordings vary by protocol; desktop coverage differs |
| Audit exports | Signed evidence bundles for GRC and auditor handoff | Event logs and session metadata; GRC packaging often manual |
| Deployment | Self-hosted Helm/Compose or managed — your infrastructure | Self-hosted or Teleport Cloud — identity store is central |
| Third-party access | Approval-gated vendor flows with time-bound entitlements | Role-based access with short-lived certs; vendor workflows vary |
| MFA and step-up | Adaptive MFA on every privileged path including RDP | WebAuthn and SSO integration; protocol-specific gaps |
When teams switch
When teams choose Wardengate over Teleport
- You evaluated Teleport for SSH but still need RDP and database paths in the same control plane.
- Auditors want signed, exportable session evidence — not just structured logs.
- Your estate is hybrid and you want one gateway story, not separate tools per protocol.
- Compliance scope includes PCI or HIPAA workloads that need full-fidelity playback.
Frequently asked questions
- Is Wardengate like Teleport?
- Both are gateway-first and identity-bound. Wardengate emphasizes multi-protocol brokering, gateway-native recording with signed exports, and a PAM-grade approval workflow — especially for RDP, databases, and vendor access.
- Can we run Wardengate self-hosted like Teleport?
- Yes. Wardengate ships as open source under GPL-3.0 with Helm and Docker Compose installers. Enterprise support and managed deployment are optional.
Evaluating Teleport?
See multi-protocol brokering in your stack
Walk through SSH, RDP, and database paths in one policy engine — with the recording and export model your auditors expect.