Ingext vs CrowdStrike Onum
Detailed Analysis
CrowdStrike Onum emerged when CrowdStrike acquired a data-fabric technology intended to replace third-party tools such as Cribl Stream.
Onum now powers Falcon-scale streaming, routing, and transformation inside the CrowdStrike ecosystem.
Ingext, by contrast, was built from the ground up as a vendor-agnostic streaming data fabric for SIEM and observability telemetry.
Learn more: For a comprehensive explanation of data fabrics and their role in SIEM architecture:
Read: Why We Need a Data FabricThis page analyzes how both solutions perform against the SIEM Data Fabric Evaluation Framework, covering the two must-have gates and five technical criteria that define a true streaming data fabric.
Evaluation Framework Recap
Stage 1 – Gate Requirements
Products failing either requirement are not considered streaming data fabrics.
Transformation (Parsing)
Inline parsing, normalization, timestamp correction, and enrichment before storage. Ensures data becomes usable as it flows, not after ingestion.
Learn about SIEM architectureStreaming Continuity
Continuous, unpaused flow with buffering, retries, and rolling upgrades. Guarantees reliability and low latency even during bursts or outages.
Stage 2 – Technical Criteria
Routing
Conditional, multi-destination routing to SIEMs, archives, and data lakes. Enables tiered data delivery and cost-efficient control.
Learn more: Understanding the strategic decision between SIEM storage and data lakes directly impacts routing strategies.
Read: SIEM vs Data LakeFiltering / Dropping
Inline filtering or sampling to remove redundant telemetry. Reduces downstream cost and noise.
Output Versatility
Direct output to metrics systems, data lakes, and SIEMs. Allows one fabric to serve multiple analytic domains.
Processing Logic
Declarative or rule-based inline computation and enrichment. Adds real-time intelligence without post-processing.
Agnostic Deployment
Operates across cloud, hybrid, or on-prem with open interfaces. Prevents vendor lock-in and supports enterprise diversity.
Gate Evaluation
| Gate | Ingext | CrowdStrike Onum | Commentary |
|---|---|---|---|
| Transformation (Parsing) | Full inline parsing and enrichment using a declarative pipeline. | Performs inline transformation of Falcon telemetry; schema awareness limited to CrowdStrike formats. | Both meet transformation gate, but Ingext supports heterogeneous sources (network, cloud, app, security). |
| Streaming Continuity | True streaming architecture with buffering, retries, and zero-downtime updates. | Maintains continuous flow for Falcon events with backpressure and recovery built into Falcon Data Replicator / Onum pipeline. | Both maintain continuity; Onum's flow is optimized for the Falcon stack only. |
Gate Result: Both pass. However, Onum's transformation layer is schema-restricted and therefore less adaptable to multi-vendor telemetry.
Stage 2 Criteria Analysis
| Criterion | Ingext | CrowdStrike Onum | Summary |
|---|---|---|---|
| Routing | Conditional multi-sink routing (SIEM, archive, lake, metrics). | Multi-tenant routing inside Falcon platform; limited external destinations. | Ingext supports open routing; Onum focuses on internal Falcon pipelines. |
| Filtering / Dropping | Inline filtering and sampling with rule-based discard logic. | Supports inline reduction and normalization within Falcon Data Replicator. | Comparable filtering capability, but Ingext allows user-defined filters per tenant or feed. |
| Output Versatility | Direct output to Splunk, Elastic, Sentinel, S3, Parquet, Prometheus. | Outputs mainly to Falcon Insight, Falcon LogScale, and internal storage. | Ingext offers multi-vendor output; Onum remains ecosystem-locked. |
| Processing Logic | Declarative FPL-style syntax for transformations, enrichments, and computed fields. | Limited rule logic; relies on pre-defined pipelines rather than user scripting. | Ingext provides richer inline logic for field-level operations. |
| Agnostic Deployment | Runs cloud, hybrid, or on-prem; open APIs (HTTP, HEC, Kafka). | Falcon-only SaaS integration; cannot operate standalone. | Ingext is vendor-agnostic; Onum is proprietary. |
Derived Cost Efficiency
| Factor | Ingext | CrowdStrike Onum | Insight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Data Reduction Ratio | 3–10 : 1 typical via routing + filtering. | 2–3 : 1 typical; limited external filtering control. | Ingext achieves higher reduction through open rule sets. |
| Processing Efficiency | Linear scalability ≤ 5× burst; multi-threaded streaming. | Scales with Falcon cluster; limited external visibility. | Both efficient; Ingext offers transparent scaling metrics. |
| Effective Cost per Processed GB | Lower TCO via selective routing and tiering. | Bundled within Falcon subscription; less cost visibility. | Ingext enables predictable budgeting across multi-vendor SIEMs. |
Summary of Findings
Ingext
- Meets all Gate and Stage 2 criteria.
- Performs full inline parsing, enrichment, routing, and filtering in a continuous stream.
- Open architecture enables integration with any SIEM, data lake, or metrics platform.
- Designed for hybrid and multi-tenant deployments where telemetry originates from diverse systems.
- Provides predictable cost efficiency through pre-ingest reduction and intelligent tiering.
Ideal for: Enterprises operating mixed security environments or MSSPs seeking centralized telemetry control.
CrowdStrike Onum
- Passes both Gate requirements — Onum truly streams and transforms in real time.
- Purpose-built for Falcon telemetry, providing efficient internal routing, filtering, and reduction.
- Closed ecosystem: cannot ingest or export outside the Falcon stack.
- Limited user-defined processing logic and restricted external outputs.
- Functions best as an internal optimization layer rather than an open data fabric.
Ideal for: Organizations already standardized on the CrowdStrike Falcon platform seeking internal efficiency rather than cross-vendor integration.
Verdict
| Aspect | Ingext | CrowdStrike Onum |
|---|---|---|
| Gate Compliance | ||
| Routing Flexibility | ||
| Filtering Control | ||
| Output Versatility | ||
| Processing Logic | ||
| Agnosticism | ||
| Overall Fit for SIEM Data Fabric |
Conclusion
Both Ingext and CrowdStrike Onum satisfy the fundamental streaming and transformation gates.
The difference lies in scope and openness:
Learn more: For insights on operationalizing data fabric capabilities effectively in your SOC:
Read: Run Your SOC like an MSSP- Onum provides a reliable internal fabric for the Falcon ecosystem.
- Ingext extends that concept into an open, multi-destination, vendor-neutral data fabric — capable of feeding any SIEM, data lake, or analytics layer while maintaining continuous streaming and predictable performance.