How it works
VirtualMetric vs Cribl
The fundamental difference is the operating model. DataStream eliminates manual effort at every stage: collection, normalization, and reduction all run automatically, without scripting or ongoing tuning.
| VirtualMetric DataStream | Cribl Stream | |
|---|---|---|
| Collection | Automated — agentless Zero-touch via WinRM / SSH with read-only credentials. No software on target systems. | Manual — agent-based Deploy, update, troubleshoot — ongoing agent management overhead. |
| Normalization | Automated — deterministic Automatic field mapping to all schemas. Predictable output, no per-source tuning. | Manual — parsing + mapping rules Regex / grok + manual tuning per source. Requires ongoing pipeline maintenance. |
| Reduction | Automated — risk-free Irrelevant fields removed, all events preserved. No detection gaps. | Manual — sampling / event drops Entire events can be dropped. Blind spots possible. |
Features
How VirtualMetric DataStream compares to Cribl Stream
A detailed breakdown across the dimensions that matter most to security operations teams and architects.
|
VirtualMetric DataStream
|
Cribl Stream
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Security-first platform designed for SOC & SIEM | ||
| Collector & agent-based collection | ||
| Agentless collection (no software on target systems) | ||
| Automatic security-aware filtering (no scripting required) | ||
| Automatic field-level reduction (no events dropped) | ||
| Automated data transformation (no scripting required) | ||
| Automatic multi-schema normalization (ASIM, ECS, OCSF, CIM, UDM) | ||
| Configurable pipeline processing | ||
| Real-time processing | ||
| Intelligent data routing | ||
| Compliance & tiered storage routing | ||
| Zero data loss guarantee | ||
| Native threat intelligence enrichment | ||
| Contextual enrichment (user, asset, environment metadata) | ||
| Detection-ready log output | ||
| Customer-controlled data residency | ||
| Full air-gap / offline deployment support | ||
| Flexible deployment (on-prem, cloud, hybrid) | ||
| SaaS control plane | ||
| Distributed / scalable pipeline architecture | ||
| Active-active high availability | ||
| Role-based access control (RBAC) | Granular | Basic |
| Multi-factor authentication (MFA) | ||
| Single sign-on (SSO) | ||
| Native multi-tenant architecture (MSSP support) | ||
| Field-level masking & redaction | Deterministic, fully auditable | AI-based scanning, non-auditable |
| Pipeline processing metrics | ||
| Telemetry volume analytics | ||
| Destination-level metrics | ||
| Content / vendor pack management | Pre-validated security packs | Community/configuration templates |
| Platform health monitoring with alerting |
Why security teams choose DataStream
Your data never leaves your environment
DataStream enforces a strict separation between data plane and control plane. The Director processes all log data locally within your infrastructure — VirtualMetric Cloud handles only management metadata. Zero customer logs processed or stored externally. Single outbound HTTPS on port 443, no inbound connections, full air-gap support.
170+ no-code processors vs ~50 Cribl functions
DataStream ships with 170+ processors in a declarative, no-code syntax security engineers already know. Cribl offers ~50 built-in Functions — anything beyond that requires custom JavaScript, adding developer dependency and ongoing maintenance overhead.
10x speed, no Kafka — and 40x less memory
A vectorized engine delivers 10x faster processing with up to 99% VMF compression and a built-in WAL for 100% delivery guarantee. For a 2 TB/day workload: 2 cores and 256 MB RAM versus Cribl’s 5 cores and 10 GB — no Kafka or external message broker required.
Deterministic optimization, fully auditable
DataStream’s Risk-Free Reduction achieves 50–90% data volume reduction using deterministic, expert-validated rules based on real Sentinel parsers and detection content. No AI, no model training on customer data, no non-auditable decisions. Every reduction is fully traceable.
Production-ready in under 30 minutes
DataStream collects data over WinRM and SSH using read-only credentials — nothing installed on target systems, nothing to maintain. Pre-built vendor packs deploy out of the box, so data reaches your target in the correct schema immediately, without scripting or a dedicated pipeline engineer.
Multi-target routing from one pipeline
Route simultaneously to multiple targets, each in its native schema, from one pipeline — run parallel SIEM evaluations, migrate without downtime, or feed a data lake and SIEM at the same time, without touching a single data source.
Automatic multi-schema normalization
Native bi-directional conversion between ASIM (Sentinel), OCSF (Amazon Security Lake), ECS (Elastic), CIM (Splunk), and UDM (Google SecOps) — automatic field mapping per destination with no manual configuration. Detection content fires correctly on arrival.
Purpose-built for MSSPs
The Director Proxy enables full multi-tenant deployments: each customer installs a lightweight proxy in their own environment and shares only an endpoint and token. The MSSP operates centrally with no access to customer credentials or infrastructure. Complete tenant isolation by design.
Frequently asked questions
We’re already using Cribl. Is switching realistic?
Yes. Most teams get up and running in a day. DataStream can import existing DCR rules where applicable, and the setup process is straightforward enough that a fresh deployment is typically faster than maintaining a complex Cribl configuration.
We don’t have a dedicated pipeline engineer. Can we still use DataStream?
That’s exactly who DataStream is built for. Pre-built vendor packs and automatic normalization handle the heavy lifting — no JavaScript, no regex tuning, no ongoing pipeline maintenance. Most teams deploy and start sending clean data to their SIEM without any dedicated pipeline resource.
How does DataStream handle sources that Cribl already supports natively?
DataStream supports 200+ sources via agentless collection over WinRM and SSH, as well as agent, collector, TCP/UDP, HTTP/REST, and file monitoring. If Cribl already receives data from a source, DataStream can collect from the same source — no dependency on Cribl. For sources not yet covered, VirtualMetric can deliver a new vendor pack within a day on request.
Our data can’t leave the country. Does DataStream support that?
Yes. DataStream processes all log data inside your own infrastructure — nothing is sent to VirtualMetric’s cloud. The control plane handles only management metadata over a single outbound HTTPS connection. On-premises, customer-owned cloud, and air-gapped deployments are all supported, making data residency compliance straightforward.
We’re evaluating multiple SIEMs in parallel. Can DataStream help with that?
Yes, you can route the same data to multiple SIEM destinations simultaneously, each in its native schema, from a single pipeline. That means you can run a live parallel evaluation without touching your data sources or duplicating your collection infrastructure.
What does “deterministic” actually mean in practice?
It means the same input always produces the same output — no surprises. DataStream’s optimization rules are based on analysis of real Microsoft Sentinel parsers and detection content, validated by external security experts. Every field removal decision is documented and auditable. There’s no AI making judgment calls, so compliance teams can verify exactly what was removed and why.
We have a heavily customized Cribl setup. Would we lose that flexibility?
In practice, you’d gain it. DataStream’s 170+ built-in processors cover the vast majority of what custom JavaScript handles in Cribl — field removal, event filtering, enrichment, schema transformation — but with a fraction of the CPU and memory overhead. Custom logic based on your specific alert queries is fully supported. Teams that have spent months tuning Cribl pipelines typically find they can replicate and improve on that setup in DataStream with significantly less effort.
Is DataStream suitable for regulated environments?
Yes. Data sovereignty is built into the architecture: logs never leave your environment, and the control plane handles only management metadata. Field-level masking, redaction, and retention controls are available out of the box. Because optimization is deterministic and fully auditable, compliance teams can trace every decision. DataStream is used in environments subject to GDPR, NIS2, HIPAA, SOX, and supports full air-gap deployments for classified infrastructure.
Talk to our experts
Schedule a technical session with our engineering team to see how DataStream compares to what you’re running today.
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Route data to your SIEM in the correct schema, with automatic normalization and up to 90% data volume reduction.
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