Cribl Stream vs syslog-ng

Cribl Stream processes machine data such as logs, instrumentation, application data and metrics in real time, then delivers it to an analysis platform. It can add external context, redact, obfuscate or encrypt sensitive fields, and optimize data for performance and cost requirements. Pipelines built from Functions transform incoming events, while Routes direct events to Pipelines and Destinations. Cribl says Stream connects to more than 80 data sources and destinations and supports Cribl Packs for integrations. The Copilot Editor accepts plain-language prompts to help build and refine pipelines, transform and enrich data, filter noise, and route telemetry. Stream can run on Cribl-managed cloud infrastructure or on customer infrastructure, Kubernetes Pods or containers. The Free plan costs nothing and supports up to 1TB per day, unlimited Pipelines and Routes, and Community Support; the on-prem Free license requires sending anonymized telemetry to Cribl. Standard and Enterprise are billed by credits used at ingest, with no prices listed. Cribl was founded in 2018.

syslog-ng collects infrastructure logs, processes them, and routes or stores them for analysis. Its free Open Source Edition can collect, parse, classify, rewrite, and correlate logs before sending them to analysis tools or storing them. Premium Edition adds filtering and real-time pattern correlation to reduce and normalize log data, plus disk buffering, client-side failover, and application-layer acknowledgements. It supports TLS-encrypted transfer and encrypted log storage with X.509 certificates for mutual authentication. Store Box offers access-controlled search and custom reports that can help with compliance work. Listed destinations include Elasticsearch, Hadoop, Kafka, MongoDB, SQL databases, Redis, Splunk, and SIEM tools. Premium licensing is based on Log Source Hosts, with annual support available; Store Box licensing depends on Log Source Hosts and hardware configuration. Open Source Edition is GPL/LGPL licensed and community supported. Commercial customers can access certified engineers and support services; Premium Edition and Store Box offer free trials.