Cribl Reviews

Name: Cribl
Brand: Cribl
Rating: 4.2 (10 reviews)

Vendor: Cribl

4.2 out of 5

10 reviews
90% willing to recommend

What is Cribl?

Cribl optimizes log collection, data processing, and migration to Splunk Cloud, ensuring efficient data ingestion and management for improved operational efficiency.

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Cribl is the #4 ranked solution in top Data Preparation Tools, #15 ranked solution in top Cloud Data Integration solutions, #18 ranked solution in Log Management Software, #23 ranked solution in APM tools, and #23 ranked solution in top Data Integration Tools. PeerSpot users give Cribl an average rating of 8.4 out of 10. Based on the analysis of the 10 most recent Cribl reviews, the overall sentiment is positive, with a sentiment score of 7.9. (The highest in the category). Cribl is most commonly compared to Dynatrace: Cribl vs Dynatrace. Cribl is popular among the large enterprise segment, accounting for 66% of users researching this solution on PeerSpot. The top industry researching this solution are professionals from a financial services firm, accounting for 18% of all views.

Helped 816,406 peers since 2012

Featured reviews

Hariram G

Lead Engineer at a tech vendor with 1-10 employees

Cribl has simplified many aspects of the onboarding process, but there's still room for improvement. Currently, no other tools in the market truly compete with Cribl in its niche. Splunk is trying to retain customers by developing ingest actions to reduce licensing costs, hoping to prevent them from switching to Cribl. There is no alerting mechanism for the leader/worker nodes status. Since Cribl plays a major role in the mid-layer between the source and destination, there's a slight risk of losing data at some points while receiving real time data. It would be helpful if Cribl could temporarily store or index the data for a specific time range. This would prevent data loss during downtime. Additionally, there's room for improvement in how Cribl handles historical data. Currently, I can't view trends beyond a week, and even then, it’s often limited to just 24 hours. Since Cribl doesn’t index the data but only forwards it, extending the period for viewing statistics and monitoring trends would be a valuable enhancement.

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Phanindra Ponnada

Splunk SME at Sbase Technologies India PVT Lmtd

As of now, there are some environments where some organizations are still on legacy infrastructure, so they are still in virtual environments and are using old versions of devices. Some companies bought Splunk, while others bought Cribl for a very low-priced license. There are some protocols to connect from Cribl to Splunk. I understand Cribl has come into the market very recently, but the tool might have had a picture in its mind where organizations might also have some legacy infrastructure. In the future, with our protocols or our level of architecture, Cribl should not come and say that it is not compatible with them. If Cribl is the reason because I have to change my environment, then I will have to end up investing more. There are some organizations where the end machines have forwarders that forward the data to Cribl, and from it, the data is forwarded to Splunk. This is how general architecture works. There are two methods of connection between Cribl and Splunk. One is the S2S protocol, which collects logs from Cribl or sends data between Cribl and Splunk. There is another method called HTTP Event Collector (HEC) and HTTPS protocol. With Cribl, connecting to Splunk mostly uses the S2S protocol. The tool supports all the latest devices and platform devices, like all the latest operating systems. There are some organizations where there is legacy infrastructure or if they are still on the old platforms. Companies using old platforms have to consider HTTP Event Collector (HEC), and then they have to change their infrastructure setup in order to fulfill that setup. In order to have Google and Splunk set up in my organization, if I have to change my existing infrastructure connectivity or setup, that might incur more cost or more investment for me to have Cribl and Splunk. Cribl should provide compatibility, or else the tool's developers should speak to the people of such organizations and understand the challenges. Cribl could have developed some version that can give backward compatibility.

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Feroz Khan Peer Mohamed

Splunk / Cribl Consultant at HynoonTech LLC

The platform's most valuable feature is the ability to transform data in real-time within the pipeline without sending it to a destination. This flexibility allows me to make necessary changes to the data in real time. Additionally, it offers powerful functionalities for data reduction, masking, and adding intelligence. The inbuilt packs also ease the work by providing ready-to-use functions.

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Valuable Features

Cribl's valuable features include data transformation in real-time within pipelines, simplifying log collection from multiple sources, and reducing log sizes effectively. Users appreciate the platform's ability to make necessary changes to data without a test environment. Its internal management of events, powerful data reduction functionalities, and easy routing capabilities with Cribl Stream and LogStream are highlighted. The ability to direct data to multiple destinations and user-friendly interface also stand out.

"I'd rate the solution ten out of ten."
"My favorite option in Cribl is the Stream product."
"The capability to reduce logs in a user-friendly manner is a standout feature. Cribl allows us to view logs live as they are being processed, giving us quick feedback on the changes made."

Room for Improvement

Cribl needs to improve its compatibility with legacy infrastructure to avoid costly setups. Users find the logging and debugging capabilities limited and the user interface less flexible for customization. Administrative issues and an unintuitive versioning system present challenges. Documentation inconsistencies between Cribl Cloud and on-premises versions add to the confusion. Easier integration with enterprise products and broader feature applicability to smaller firms are also areas needing attention. Enhancing Cribl's ability to handle data trends and storage would be beneficial.

"Perhaps more flexibility in terms of metrics would be helpful."
"There is room for improvement in the documentation and knowledge base, particularly regarding configurations like sources where logs are being ingested"
"Cribl should consider adding more features that are applicable to smaller firms, allowing broader access to their data migration through Cribl."

ROI

Users have highlighted significant improvements in data handling efficiency and cost savings. Many have noted faster data processing and reduced storage expenses. Users mention increased flexibility and control over data streams. Several users expressed satisfaction with Cribl's ability to integrate seamlessly into existing infrastructures, which led to time savings and reduced operational costs. This combination of benefits resulted in a positive return on investment for many users.

Pricing

Cribl's pricing is considered budget-friendly and cost-effective, especially compared to solutions like Splunk. Many organizations highlight its reasonable cost, offering value through savings on other licenses. While not the cheapest option, Cribl is praised for its fair pricing model that scales efficiently with data volume. A reduction in pricing up to thirty percent is noted, and billing uses a credit format, providing flexibility for enterprise users evaluating data solutions.

"I would not say it is a cheaply priced tool as it has been doing wonders in the market. The tool has been budget-friendly for organizations."
"The product pricing is reasonable compared to other solutions."

Popular Use Cases

Companies frequently use Cribl for log management, including data reduction, enriching, and routing between various sources and destinations. It helps save on Splunk licensing costs by optimizing data ingestion and is used for migrating logs to cloud services. Cribl also supports data normalization, sanitization, and replay capabilities, facilitating efficient log management in hybrid environments. Many leverage it for centralized data collection and streaming to platforms like AWS and Splunk Cloud.

Service and Support

Cribl's customer service and support are often prompt, responsive, and knowledgeable. They respond quickly to issues, raising them internally when necessary, and are dedicated to resolving them. Support is generally effective, although there is room for improvement in understanding customer needs. While a Customer Success Manager is provided for assistance, many find the community on Slack supportive. Setup can be challenging, but the support team is consistently helpful, contributing significantly to positive experiences.

Deployment

Users find Cribl's initial setup straightforward, especially with guidance from comprehensive documentation. Similar to Splunk, Cribl's installation takes around 30 minutes, though customization can complicate integration. Cloud and on-premises setups offer flexibility, with ease in upgrading. Enterprise setups face documentation hurdles and require support. QuickConnect streamlines deployment, but routing and pipelines offer better control. Hybrid approaches balance data processing efficiently, with external factors influencing timelines. Free training and existing materials aid effective deployment.

Scalability

Cribl is praised for its scalability, enabling performance enhancement via workload distribution and seamless deployment. Users appreciate the ease of adding cloud worker groups and the quick deployment of nodes. Many cite an effortless experience with scalability management, facilitated by CI/CD pipelines and load balancers. Cribl caters to both small-medium businesses and large enterprises. Testing confirms its adequacy, allowing multiple users to operate both locally and remotely without restrictions. Users express confidence in its continuous improvement capabilities.

Stability

Cribl is generally considered stable, with ratings ranging from six to eight out of ten. Users experience reliability in most operations, thanks to mechanisms handling queuing and issues swiftly addressed in updates. Some encounter bugs, especially with advanced uses, but these do not significantly impact performance. Continuous development ensures improvement, and many appreciate Cribl's resilience, even with complex requirements. Feedback indicates experiences vary, with some reporting no stability problems while others note occasional challenges.

These insights are based on the in-depth reviews provided by peers to help you make a better buying decision.

Download our Cribl Buyer's Guide for additional reliable information.

Review data by company size

By reviewers

By visitors reading reviews

Top industries

By visitors reading reviews

Financial Services Firm

18%

Computer Software Company

11%

Healthcare Company

Government

Manufacturing Company

Energy/Utilities Company

Retailer

Non Profit

Insurance Company

Comms Service Provider

Legal Firm

Educational Organization

University

Wholesaler/Distributor

Media Company

Photography Company

Outsourcing Company

Construction Company

Performing Arts

Aerospace/Defense Firm

Hospitality Company

Recreational Facilities/Services Company

Marketing Services Firm

Consumer Goods Company

Engineering Company

Compare Cribl with alternative products

Learn more about Cribl

Cribl offers seamless log collection directly from cloud sources, allowing users to visually extract necessary data and replay specific events for in-depth analysis. It provides robust management of events, parsing, and enrichment of data, along with effective log size reduction. Cribl is particularly beneficial for migrating enterprise logs, optimizing usage, and reducing costs while streamlining the transition between different log management tools.

What are Cribl's most important features?

Real-Time Data Transformation: Enables immediate data processing for accurate insights.
Simplified Log Collection: Gathers data from diverse sources effortlessly.
Powerful Data Reduction: Reduces log size without losing critical information.
Inbuilt Packs: Ready-to-use functions simplify complex tasks.
Live Testing: Allows testing before production deployment for reliability.
Master Node Updates: Manages worker groups efficiently for consistent performance.
Advanced Data Processing: Offers robust data serialization and coding perspectives.
Easy Plugin Configurations: Facilitates direct integration with reduced setup time.

What benefits and ROI should users look for?

Optimized Usage: Ensures effective resource management and cost reduction.
Streamlined Migration: Simplifies the transition between log management tools.
Enhanced Data Management: Improves data quality and processing efficiency.
Reduced Time and Effort: Direct-to-production capabilities save operational time.

Cribl is widely implemented in industries requiring extensive data management, such as technology and finance. Users leverage Cribl to handle log collection, processing, and migration efficiently, ensuring smooth operation and effective data analysis. It aids in managing temporary data storage during downtimes and better handling historical data, preventing data loss and allowing extended periods for viewing statistics and monitoring trends.