Search
Cribl Search is a vendor-agnostic search and investigation tool designed for security and observability teams that need to query data across multiple silos without moving it first.
Publisher review
Cribl Search is a vendor-agnostic search and investigation tool designed for security and observability teams that need to query data across multiple silos without moving it first. It was built from customer feedback requesting a better way to search numerous data sources, and it targets organizations that want to reduce dependency on a single platform like Splunk or Datadog for log analysis. The product is part of Cribl’s broader data observability platform, which also includes Cribl Stream for pipeline processing and Cribl Edge for edge data collection. Cribl Search is especially suited for teams that have outgrown traditional SIEMs or log management tools and need faster, more cost-effective investigations across hybrid and multi-cloud environments.
Cribl Search enables users to run searches across live and historical data in object stores, cloud buckets, and existing observability backends without requiring data ingestion or indexing first. It uses AI-assisted workflows and automatic parsing to reduce the learning curve for ad-hoc queries, and it supports advanced data transformation and routing through plugin configurations. The platform claims to deliver 10x faster investigations by allowing analysts to search data in place, cutting log management costs by reducing the need for duplicate storage and licensing fees. Cribl Search also provides data reduction capabilities, log collection from diverse sources, and supports various deployment models including on-premises, cloud, and hybrid setups.
In the competitive landscape, Cribl Search positions itself against established log analytics and SIEM platforms such as Splunk, Datadog, CrowdStrike Falcon, IBM Security QRadar, NetWitness Platform, OpenText SiteScope, and Site24x7. Unlike these tools, which often require data to be ingested into their proprietary storage before searching, Cribl Search’s vendor-agnostic approach allows users to query data directly from existing storage backends, reducing vendor lock-in and egress costs. Cribl has a strong presence in the financial services industry and is frequently cited by customers as a way to resolve licensing issues and route data to multiple locations simultaneously.
The honest trade-offs with Cribl Search include its relative newness compared to mature SIEMs like Splunk, which means fewer out-of-the-box correlation rules and a smaller community of experts. It also requires users to have a solid understanding of their data architecture to configure searches effectively, and while it reduces costs for some use cases, the total cost can increase if organizations need to maintain both Cribl Search and their existing observability stack. Additionally, Cribl Search’s reliance on object storage for data-in-place queries may introduce latency for real-time alerting compared to in-memory SIEMs.
How it works
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Fast time to value
Admins often see value within an hour of deployment, with one customer reporting significant improvements in log management within 30 days.
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Cut log management costs
By searching data in place without ingesting it, Cribl Search reduces duplicate storage and licensing fees, helping teams cut costs.
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10x faster investigations
The platform enables analysts to query live and historical data directly from object stores, accelerating forensic searches and incident response.
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AI-assisted workflows
Automatic parsing and AI-driven suggestions simplify query construction, reducing the need for deep expertise in complex query languages.
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Advanced data transformation
Plugin configurations and routing rules allow users to reshape, filter, and send data to multiple destinations simultaneously.
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Data reduction
Cribl Search can reduce data volume by filtering out noise before storage, lowering overall observability costs.
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Log collection
Supports collection from diverse sources including cloud buckets, syslog, and APIs, with built-in parsing for common formats.
Strengths and trade-offs
Strengths
- Cribl Search delivers fast time to value, with one customer reporting significant improvements in log management within 30 days of deployment.
- The platform reduces log management costs by allowing users to search data in place, eliminating the need for duplicate ingestion and storage.
- AI-assisted workflows and automatic parsing enable 10x faster investigations compared to traditional query-language-heavy tools.
- Cribl Search is vendor-agnostic, letting teams query data across multiple backends without being locked into a single observability stack.
Trade-offs
- Cribl Search is relatively new compared to mature SIEMs like Splunk, resulting in fewer pre-built correlation rules and a smaller community.
- Configuring searches effectively requires a solid understanding of the underlying data architecture, which can be a barrier for less technical teams.
- Data-in-place queries may introduce higher latency for real-time alerting compared to in-memory SIEMs that index data on arrival.
- Organizations may face increased total cost if they need to maintain Cribl Search alongside their existing observability stack rather than replacing it.
Pricing context
Cribl does not publicly list specific pricing tiers; the product is described as 'cost-efficient' and is typically priced based on data volume and deployment model. Prospective users must contact sales for a quote.
Getting started with Search
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Sign up for Cribl Search
Visit the Cribl website and request a demo or trial by filling out the contact form. A sales representative will provide access credentials and deployment instructions tailored to your environment.
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Connect your data sources
Configure connections to your object stores, cloud buckets, or existing observability backends. Use the provided setup wizard to specify endpoints, authentication keys, and data paths for live or historical data.
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Define search configurations
Set up search profiles by specifying data sources, time ranges, and filtering rules. Use the AI-assisted query builder to create initial searches with automatic parsing for common log formats.
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Run your first investigation
Execute a search across connected data sources to test query performance. Review results in the dashboard, apply filters, and refine the query using the AI suggestions to narrow down relevant events.
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Schedule recurring searches
Set up automated search schedules for routine monitoring or compliance checks. Configure alerts to notify your team when specific patterns or anomalies are detected in the search results.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Cribl Search and how does it work?
Cribl Search is a vendor-agnostic search tool for security and observability teams. It lets you query data across multiple silos without moving it first, using AI-assisted workflows and automatic parsing to speed up investigations and reduce costs.
How does Cribl Search reduce log management costs?
Cribl Search cuts costs by searching data in place without requiring ingestion or indexing. This eliminates duplicate storage and licensing fees, helping teams reduce overall log management expenses while still accessing live and historical data.
What are the key features of Cribl Search?
Key features include fast time to value, 10x faster investigations, AI-assisted workflows, advanced data transformation, data reduction, and log collection from diverse sources. It supports on-premises, cloud, and hybrid deployments.
How does Cribl Search compare to Splunk?
Unlike Splunk, which requires data ingestion into proprietary storage, Cribl Search queries data directly from existing backends. This reduces vendor lock-in and egress costs, but it has fewer pre-built correlation rules and a smaller community.
What are the weaknesses of Cribl Search?
Cribl Search is relatively new, so it has fewer pre-built rules and a smaller expert community. It requires solid data architecture knowledge for effective searches, and data-in-place queries may introduce latency for real-time alerting compared to in-memory SIEMs.
How much does Cribl Search cost?
Cribl does not publicly list pricing tiers. The product is described as cost-efficient and typically priced based on data volume and deployment model. Prospective users must contact sales for a specific quote.
Alternatives
How Search compares
Direct head-to-head against 3 competitors. Picked by 7wData.
Search
- Pricing
- Cribl does not publicly list specific pricing tiers; the product is described as 'cost-efficient' and is typically priced based on data volume and deployment model. Prospective users must contact sales for a quote.
- Target
- Cribl Search is a vendor-agnostic search and investigation tool designed for security and observability teams that need to query data across multiple silos without moving
- Strength
- Cribl Search delivers fast time to value, with one customer reporting significant improvements in log management within 30 days of deployment.
- Watch for
- Cribl Search is relatively new compared to mature SIEMs like Splunk, resulting in fewer pre-built correlation rules and a smaller community.
DuckDuckGo
- Pricing
- Free
- Target
- Privacy-focused general web search
- Deployment
- Web, browser extension, mobile app
- Strength
- Strict no-tracking policy with built-in tracker blocking
- Watch for
- Results rely on Bing index, limiting independence
Brave Search
- Pricing
- Free, optional Brave Search API paid plans
- Target
- Privacy-first search with independent index
- Deployment
- Web, browser, API
- Strength
- Operates its own search index, reducing reliance on Bing/Google
- Watch for
- Smaller index than Google, occasional gaps in long-tail queries
Kagi Search
- Pricing
- Free tier limited; paid plans from $10/month
- Target
- Ad-free, customizable search for power users
- Deployment
- Web, browser extension
- Strength
- User-adjustable ranking and personalization without ads
- Watch for
- Subscription model may deter casual users
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Sources
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