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Fluentd vs Dynatrace Logs

Fluentd logo

Fluentd

Software

Open Source Data Collector for Unified Logging

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Dynatrace Logs logo

Dynatrace Logs

Software

Intelligent Log Analytics and Management

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Fluentd fluentd needs more than 60 MB of memory at runtime, against roughly 450 KB for Fluent Bit; Dynatrace Logs log ingest and processing is billed at $0.20 per GiB, separately from retention and from query
  • They diverge on capability: Fluentd covers Log collection, Dynatrace Logs covers Log analysis.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Fluentd and Dynatrace Logs actually diverge.

Attributes where Fluentd and Dynatrace Logs differ
AttributeFluentdDynatrace Logs
Pricing modelopen-sourcesubscription
Founded20112005

Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), platforms (Web, Api), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Unknown).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in Fluentd

  • Log collection
  • Data parsing
  • Filtering and buffering
  • Event routing

Only in Dynatrace Logs

  • Log analysis
  • AI-powered insights
  • Metrics integration
  • Automated root cause

Both cover

  • API
  • Webhooks
  • REST
  • Web support
  • Api support

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Fluentd

  • Unified log collection and routing from many sources to many destinationsnot Dynatrace Logs
  • Parsing and transforming log records before forwardingnot Dynatrace Logs
  • Aggregating logs from containers into Elasticsearch, S3 or a SIEMnot Dynatrace Logs

Dynatrace Logs

  • Ingesting and processing application and infrastructure logsnot Fluentd
  • Querying logs alongside traces and metrics in one platformnot Fluentd
  • Log driven alerting within an existing Dynatrace deploymentnot Fluentd

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Fluentd

  • Fluentd needs more than 60 MB of memory at runtime, against roughly 450 KB for Fluent Bit
  • Fluentd is built as a Ruby gem and depends on other gems, so a Ruby runtime is required
  • Its capability comes from over 1,000 external plugins rather than built in functionality, so each added input or output is a separate dependency
  • The Fluent Bit documentation states that cloud providers have switched from Fluentd to Fluent Bit for performance and compatibility and calls Fluent Bit the next generation solution

Dynatrace Logs

  • Log ingest and processing is billed at $0.20 per GiB, separately from retention and from query
  • Querying logs is charged in addition to ingest, either pay per query or as bundled queries
  • Log analytics requires the same annual platform commitment as the rest of the Dynatrace platform

Pricing, plan by plan

Fluentd

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Log collection
    • Data parsing
    • Filtering and buffering

Dynatrace Logs

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Log analysis
    • AI-powered insights
    • Metrics integration

Which should you pick?

Choose Fluentd if

  • You need log collection.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Api.
  • You also want data parsing.
Fluentd review

Choose Dynatrace Logs if

  • You need log analysis.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Api.
  • You also want ai-powered insights.
Dynatrace Logs review

Questions people ask

Is Fluentd or Dynatrace Logs better?
Neither clearly leads. Fluentd starts at Free and Dynatrace Logs at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Fluentd or Dynatrace Logs?
Fluentd starts at Free and Dynatrace Logs at Free.
Does Fluentd or Dynatrace Logs run on more platforms?
Both run on Web, Api, so platform support will not decide this one for you.
Can I use Fluentd for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Fluentd best used for?
Fluentd is most often used for unified log collection and routing from many sources to many destinations, parsing and transforming log records before forwarding, aggregating logs from containers into elasticsearch, s3 or a siem. Of those, unified log collection and routing from many sources to many destinations and parsing and transforming log records before forwarding are not what Dynatrace Logs is typically brought in for.
What can Fluentd do that Dynatrace Logs cannot?
Fluentd covers Log collection, Data parsing, Filtering and buffering, Event routing. Dynatrace Logs covers Log analysis, AI-powered insights, Metrics integration, Automated root cause. Both handle API, Webhooks, REST, Web support.
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