grafana labs launches observability stack for enterprise customers
Grafana Labs Launches Enterprise Observability Stack
Grafana Labs has developed a comprehensive, open-source observability solution encompassing Prometheus for monitoring, Loki for log aggregation, and Tempo for distributed tracing. The company recently announced the release of enterprise-grade versions of these projects, packaged as a unified stack tailored to the requirements of large organizations.
Targeting Large-Scale Users
According to CEO Raj Dutt, this offering is specifically designed for the most substantial enterprises seeking greater control over their software infrastructure. “Our focus is on users operating at scale who desire a state-of-the-art observability platform built upon leading open-source technologies,” Dutt stated. “We are also incorporating significant feature enhancements in the enterprise edition, alongside round-the-clock support from the original software creators.”
Enhanced Integration and Security
A key feature of the Enterprise Stack is a suite of plugins enabling seamless data ingestion from prominent enterprise software vendors. These include integrations with platforms like Splunk, New Relic, MongoDB, and Snowflake. Furthermore, the stack delivers improved authentication protocols and robust security measures.
Self-Managed Deployment Option
Dutt emphasizes that this product is a self-managed solution, differentiating it from the company’s existing managed cloud offerings. “We provide two primary products: Grafana Cloud and the Grafana Enterprise Stack. Grafana Cloud represents our hosted deployment model, while the Enterprise Stack is licensed software that customers can deploy as they see fit.”
Hybrid Deployment Flexibility
Customers have the freedom to deploy the software on-premises, within colocation facilities such as Equinix, or on their preferred cloud provider. This flexibility extends to hybrid deployments, allowing organizations to strategically distribute components across different environments. “This allows for hybridization, where metrics might reside in the cloud, but sensitive log data is kept on-premise,” Dutt explained. “The composable nature of the stack facilitates these mixed deployments.”
Revenue Potential and Open-Source Adoption
The introduction of the enterprise version, alongside the existing cloud offering, creates a substantial new revenue stream for Grafana Labs. The popularity of the open-source projects serves as a powerful acquisition tool, providing a pathway into numerous organizations. Currently, Grafana is aware of over 700,000 instances of its open-source tools in operation globally.
Investor Confidence
While a relatively small percentage of open-source users typically convert to paying customers, the large existing user base provides a significant advantage and has attracted considerable investor interest. To date, the company has secured over $75 million in funding, including a $24 million Series A round in 2019 and a $50 million Series B round in 2020.
Ron Miller
Ron Miller's Background in Technology Journalism
Ron Miller has a distinguished career as a journalist specializing in the technology sector. He most recently served as an enterprise reporter for TechCrunch, covering significant developments within the industry.
Early Career and Editorial Roles
Prior to his role at TechCrunch, Miller dedicated a substantial period as a Contributing Editor for EContent Magazine. His expertise was regularly featured in this publication.
Throughout his career, he has also contributed consistently to several other prominent technology publications.
- CITEworld was among the platforms where his insights were regularly published.
- He was a frequent contributor to DaniWeb, offering valuable perspectives on web development and technology.
- TechTarget also benefited from his reporting and analysis.
- Miller’s work appeared in Internet Evolution, focusing on the changing landscape of internet technologies.
- Furthermore, he contributed to FierceContentManagement, a resource for content management professionals.
Previous Corporate Blogging Engagements
Miller’s professional experience extends to corporate communications as well. He previously held the position of corporate blogger for Intronis, where he published weekly articles addressing relevant IT concerns.
He has also provided content contributions to a variety of corporate blogs over the years.
- These included contributions to the blog of Ness.
- He was involved with content creation for Novell’s corporate blog.
- Miller also participated in the IBM Mid-market Blogger Program, sharing insights targeted towards mid-sized businesses.