The observability information deluge has gotten so dangerous that the quantity of observability information generated is usually greater than the structured information organizations need to hold. As an alternative of draining your checking account to retailer all this information, what should you filtered out the pointless or extraneous information first? That was the unique premise behind Cribl, a startup co-founded by Clint Sharp, who’s considered one of BigDATAwire’s Individuals to Look ahead to 2025.
Cribl doesn’t substitute your SIEM, endpoint detection and response (EDR), prolonged detection and response (XDR), SecOps, or AIOps merchandise. It sits in entrance of Splunk, Datadog, and different instruments to tamp down the hovering prices whereas maintaining information constancy excessive.
Cribl’s success has spawned copycats, a positive signal that Sharp and his co-founders have been on to one thing. We lately caught up with Sharp to debate observability information challenges and Cribl’s market-leading method. Right here’s what he needed to say:
BigDATAwire: First, congratulations in your choice as a 2025 BigDATAwire Particular person to Watch! Observability information continues to blow up in quantity and has develop into a giant information downside in of itself. Do you assume slightly purchaser’s regret is so as?
Clint Sharp: There’s positively a realization setting in throughout the trade that extra information doesn’t all the time imply higher outcomes. Corporations have invested closely in accumulating all the things, solely to search out themselves buried in value and complexity. It’s not a lot purchaser’s regret as it’s an inflection level: groups are asking smarter questions now. What information do I actually need? How can I extra successfully accumulate and analyze it? How do I get worth from it with out breaking the financial institution? That’s the place Cribl is available in — serving to prospects analyze, accumulate, course of, and route information so that they’re not caught with an all-or-nothing method.
BDW: What’s Cribl’s perspective on observability information. How does it create worth for purchasers?
CS: Observability information is an asset — should you can management it. What we’ve finished at Cribl is give prospects the flexibleness to resolve what information to maintain, the place it goes, and in what format. Meaning higher efficiency, decreased prices, and fewer time spent managing pipelines. It’s not nearly accumulating logs and metrics. It’s about giving groups choices and empowering them to look the information to search out insights and take actions. Observability information is the spine of IT and safety, however to create worth these groups want a brand new composable administration method. In spite of everything, the information belongs to them, to not the instruments they’re compelled to make use of.
BDW: Cribl’s success has spawned a variety of imitators. What would you wish to say to them?
CS: Truthfully? Welcome. It validates the market we’ve constructed. However copying the floor is straightforward — constructing one thing that delivers actual worth to prospects is difficult. We’ve been doing this for years. We’ve made errors, discovered quick, and stayed centered on one factor: making life higher for IT and safety groups. If others can push the area ahead too, nice. However we’ll hold elevating the bar.
BDW: Cribl’s mascot is a goat named Ian. Why did you decide a goat, and why is his identify Ian?
CS: There are a couple of origin tales — some extra severe than others. One model traces again to Skanderbeg, a legendary Albanian hero whose helmet had a goat’s head. One other entails a haunted animatronic goat we discovered on-line. Goats are recognized for his or her potential to adapt, navigate tough terrains, and devour almost something, which mirrors the ethos on the coronary heart of Cribl. From navigating the complexities of IT infrastructure to consuming and processing huge information streams, our options replicate the goat’s potential to adapt and thrive. And why Ian? Ian is a nod to all of us right here at Cribl being “Criblanians.”
BDW: What are you able to inform us about your self outdoors of the skilled sphere – distinctive hobbies, favourite locations, and many others.? Is there something about you that your colleagues is likely to be shocked to study?
CS: After I’m not working, I’m an avid reader, watch all types of reveals and flicks, and gaming on my PS5 and steam deck. I additionally play guitar, take pictures, and like to prepare dinner good meals. I additionally spend plenty of time fascinated by and tinkering with our merchandise as a result of this job actually is my greatest ardour. I’m fairly energetic in our Slack channels, so most colleagues hear about my hobbies typically. However what may shock individuals is that I don’t dwell on the previous. I don’t spend time ruminating or wanting backward. I’m centered on what’s subsequent — for Cribl, our prospects, and our workforce.
You may learn the remainder of our Individuals to Watch interviews right here.
