Technology

Sumo Logic vs Splunk: Which Is Better For Big Data Log Analysis?

Analyzing logs and security incident management and (SIEM) tools have become a standard in enterprise security programs. For vigilant companies, seeing the infrastructure of the operations that happen within the shadows is crucial in maintaining a robust security position. Splunk and SumoLogic are two top platforms that can serve this vital function. Let’s go back to them to find out how their current offerings stack against each other.

Cybersecurity nowadays is a multi-faceted issue, and most companies use layers of security framework to guard their systems from attacks constantly. Although no standard set of security measures is available for stopping all threats, the appropriate combination of continuous security solutions paired with traditional methods can help in eliminating common attack vectors or the most vulnerable fruit for cybercriminals. For instance, solutions such as security firewalls or IDPS platforms block and detect criminals at the perimeter and the endpoint level; however, they are not as efficient against insider threats and advanced persistent threats (APTs). SIEMs look at the information surrounding the attack — which is stored in log files and other data storage systems–to detect dangers that other security systems could overlook.

Splunk

The more mature and focused enterprise of the two, Splunk has more than ten years of experience gathering and analyzing large amounts of machine-generated data to support business intelligence and security/compliance instances.

Splunk Enterprise can be accessed in a SaaS or on-premise service (Splunk Cloud), with much of the event information and analysis presented visually via graphs, reports, charts, and other visualizations. Join Splunk online training to learn more about splunk.

Sumo Logic

Sumo Logic is a cloud-based log management and analytics platform that allows companies to understand their logs to improve security and IT operations and compliance, and many other instances.

Like Splunk, Sumo Logic takes the machine-generated data feeds of an organization and converts them into actionable insights through simple charts, tables, and other elements of visual design.

Side-by-Side Scoring: Splunk vs. Sumo Logic

  1. Capability Set

Both platforms have a wealth of features with an emphasis on the enterprise. However, Splunk — which has been around for a decade, Sumo is a complete feature set that is more extensive. Both platforms have a wide array of content in the form of applications. However, Splunk is more robust.

  1. Easy of Use

Both have intuitive web interfaces, making getting up to speed with their respective platforms easy. Splunk specifically was designed for non-technical users. As such, the design goals are evident in the platform’s usability. But the more sophisticated options and features aren’t as intuitive as most commonly used features.

Both platforms present data visually through custom dashboards and panels; however, Splunk has both the XML and drag-and-drop-based options for customization for its visual platform. Regarding the installation process, Sumo Logic’s SaaS platform is more straightforward to set up and run, contrasted with Splunk’s on-premise platform. It is worth noting that Splunk has the SaaS variant of their platform dubbed Splunk Cloud, targeted toward AWS users. AWS users.

  1. Community Support for the Community

Splunk has distinct first-mover benefits compared to Sumo Logic, including a more extensive community base and an array of support for public users. The community forum provided by the vendor is well-organized with a lively format for questions and answers, and the platform documentation for every version of its platform can be found through its site. Being a relatively new offering, Sumo Logic has less to offer potential customers in this segment.

  1. Release Rate

Splunk is currently in version 6.4 and offers its most recent release, an interactive library of visualizations, less storage on-premise TCO, and new management tools. As a SaaS solution, Sumo Logic is continually being updated, but its history of releases is somewhat unclear compared to Splunk.

  1. Pricing and Support

The distinctions between the two options are more apparent in this area, as Splunk is more business-oriented than the other two. This is evident in the pricing of its products at $4,500 for the one gigabyte-per-day, perpetual license, and annual support fees; Splunk Enterprise is not much of a small drop, to put it mildly. Contrary to that, Sumo Logic can be purchased for just $115 per month and comes with 1GB of data capacity per day and 3-20 users. This makes it an ideal choice for smaller businesses with a tight budget.

However, Splunk has the upper hand over Sumo Logic in the documentation and support departments. Its online help options for customers leave a lot to be desired. In contrast, the platform’s web support tools are well-thought-out and straightforward to navigate/search. Check out this Splunk tutorial today to learn some basics first.

  1. API and Extensibility

Both platforms offer rich APIs that allow customizing data presentations and creating specialized applications. However, Splunk’s API can be described as more complete and includes the ability to access every feature on the platform.

  1. 3rd Party Integrations

Splunk tops the list in this regard, as it is the area where the platform is the most. It has more than 600 plugins to support an array of IT processes, security, compliance scenarios, and others. Sumo Logic also features plugins for popular third-party software platforms, such as Jenkins or New Relic, but again–its offerings aren’t as good as Splunk’s library of plugins.

  1. Businesses that use it

Both platforms are utilized by a variety of the biggest companies in the world. Splunk claims to have over 11,000 customers, ranging from Adobe and Autodesk up to Tesco and Vodafone. SumoLogic’s client list is just as impressive as it includes The BBC, Scholastic, Akamai, and Kaiser Permanente, among others.

  1. Curves of Learning Curve

Both platforms provide an intuitive interface on the web that helps make sure you are up to date with the media. However, Splunk can be difficult to gain a solid understanding of for a more thorough analysis. For instance, the platform’s Search Processing Language (SPL) is both sophisticated and powerful and requires years to understand.

Summary

In the end, the two platforms provide log analysis and SIEM solutions to complete your continuous, layered security efforts. Splunk is designed for large companies that need extensive integration/plugin libraries. However, these options are expensive. However, Sumo Logic is an affordable solution for businesses that require a SaaS-based platform that is extensible and simple to learn about.

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