Sawmills: The New Frontier in Observability Cost Management
February 19, 2025, 10:35 pm
Location: Ireland, Dublin
Employees: 1001-5000
Founded date: 2008
Total raised: $329.5M
In the digital age, data is the lifeblood of enterprises. But like a river swollen with rain, too much data can drown a company. Enter Sawmills, a startup that has emerged from stealth mode with a mission: to trim the fat from observability costs. With a fresh $10 million in seed funding, Sawmills is poised to reshape how organizations manage telemetry data.
Telemetry data management is no longer a luxury; it’s a necessity. As businesses grow, so does their reliance on observability tools. These tools help monitor software performance, ensuring everything runs smoothly. However, they come with a hefty price tag. Companies are often left grappling with unexpected costs, leading to a crisis of confidence in their data management strategies.
Sawmills aims to change that narrative. Founded by a trio of tech veterans, the company focuses on reducing the volume of unnecessary data that enterprises send to observability platforms like Datadog and Splunk. The founders realized that most organizations were paying for data that provided little to no value. In fact, many companies reported that up to 90% of their telemetry data was essentially junk. This is where Sawmills steps in, acting as a filter that optimizes data before it reaches the vendor.
The startup’s platform leverages advanced artificial intelligence and machine learning to analyze logs, metrics, and traces in real-time. It identifies redundancies and inconsistencies, ensuring that only the most relevant data is processed. This not only cuts costs but also enhances the quality of insights derived from the data. Imagine a gardener pruning a tree; Sawmills trims away the excess, allowing the most vital branches to flourish.
Sawmills’ approach is built on the OpenTelemetry Collector, an open-source standard for telemetry data collection. However, it enhances this foundation with proprietary algorithms that automate data management. The result? A system that not only saves money but also empowers organizations to take control of their data. Companies can now manage their telemetry data at petabyte scale without breaking the bank.
The financial implications are significant. As organizations grapple with rising observability costs—often the second-largest expense after cloud services—Sawmills offers a lifeline. By filtering data before it reaches observability tools, companies can avoid paying for unnecessary data ingestion. This is akin to a chef who carefully selects only the freshest ingredients, ensuring that every dish is both delicious and cost-effective.
Sawmills’ founders engaged with over 100 engineering leaders to understand their pain points. The feedback was clear: the cost of observability solutions was a pressing concern. Many companies were drowning in data, struggling to manage the influx while keeping expenses in check. Sawmills’ solution is not just about cost-cutting; it’s about enhancing the overall effectiveness of observability systems.
The platform features several key capabilities. It provides full visibility into data flows, helping organizations understand how telemetry data impacts their expenses. It also enables log and metric optimization, allowing for sampling, deduplication, and enrichment. With one-click actions, engineers can implement AI-driven recommendations instantly, streamlining the data management process.
But Sawmills doesn’t just stop at cost reduction. It also emphasizes data sovereignty. In an era where data privacy is paramount, Sawmills believes that telemetry data should be owned by the customer, not the vendor. This empowers organizations to retain control over their data, making it easier to manage and utilize effectively.
As the market for observability tools continues to grow, Sawmills faces competition from established players and other startups. However, its unique approach positions it as a key player in the telemetry data management space. By focusing on intelligent data management, Sawmills aims to carve out a niche that addresses the specific needs of modern enterprises.
Early adopters of Sawmills have already reported positive outcomes. Companies like Via.com have experienced streamlined costs and improved data governance. This early success underscores the potential for Sawmills to become a game-changer in the industry.
Looking ahead, Sawmills is targeting mid-to-large enterprises, particularly those heavily invested in cloud infrastructure. As software architectures grow more complex, the need for smarter telemetry data management becomes increasingly critical. Sawmills is not just a tool; it’s a partner in navigating the complexities of modern data management.
In conclusion, Sawmills is at the forefront of a new wave in observability cost management. By leveraging AI and machine learning, it transforms the way organizations handle telemetry data. As companies continue to grapple with rising costs and data overload, Sawmills offers a beacon of hope. It’s not just about cutting costs; it’s about empowering businesses to harness the full potential of their data. In a world where data is king, Sawmills is the royal advisor, guiding enterprises toward smarter, more efficient data management practices.
Telemetry data management is no longer a luxury; it’s a necessity. As businesses grow, so does their reliance on observability tools. These tools help monitor software performance, ensuring everything runs smoothly. However, they come with a hefty price tag. Companies are often left grappling with unexpected costs, leading to a crisis of confidence in their data management strategies.
Sawmills aims to change that narrative. Founded by a trio of tech veterans, the company focuses on reducing the volume of unnecessary data that enterprises send to observability platforms like Datadog and Splunk. The founders realized that most organizations were paying for data that provided little to no value. In fact, many companies reported that up to 90% of their telemetry data was essentially junk. This is where Sawmills steps in, acting as a filter that optimizes data before it reaches the vendor.
The startup’s platform leverages advanced artificial intelligence and machine learning to analyze logs, metrics, and traces in real-time. It identifies redundancies and inconsistencies, ensuring that only the most relevant data is processed. This not only cuts costs but also enhances the quality of insights derived from the data. Imagine a gardener pruning a tree; Sawmills trims away the excess, allowing the most vital branches to flourish.
Sawmills’ approach is built on the OpenTelemetry Collector, an open-source standard for telemetry data collection. However, it enhances this foundation with proprietary algorithms that automate data management. The result? A system that not only saves money but also empowers organizations to take control of their data. Companies can now manage their telemetry data at petabyte scale without breaking the bank.
The financial implications are significant. As organizations grapple with rising observability costs—often the second-largest expense after cloud services—Sawmills offers a lifeline. By filtering data before it reaches observability tools, companies can avoid paying for unnecessary data ingestion. This is akin to a chef who carefully selects only the freshest ingredients, ensuring that every dish is both delicious and cost-effective.
Sawmills’ founders engaged with over 100 engineering leaders to understand their pain points. The feedback was clear: the cost of observability solutions was a pressing concern. Many companies were drowning in data, struggling to manage the influx while keeping expenses in check. Sawmills’ solution is not just about cost-cutting; it’s about enhancing the overall effectiveness of observability systems.
The platform features several key capabilities. It provides full visibility into data flows, helping organizations understand how telemetry data impacts their expenses. It also enables log and metric optimization, allowing for sampling, deduplication, and enrichment. With one-click actions, engineers can implement AI-driven recommendations instantly, streamlining the data management process.
But Sawmills doesn’t just stop at cost reduction. It also emphasizes data sovereignty. In an era where data privacy is paramount, Sawmills believes that telemetry data should be owned by the customer, not the vendor. This empowers organizations to retain control over their data, making it easier to manage and utilize effectively.
As the market for observability tools continues to grow, Sawmills faces competition from established players and other startups. However, its unique approach positions it as a key player in the telemetry data management space. By focusing on intelligent data management, Sawmills aims to carve out a niche that addresses the specific needs of modern enterprises.
Early adopters of Sawmills have already reported positive outcomes. Companies like Via.com have experienced streamlined costs and improved data governance. This early success underscores the potential for Sawmills to become a game-changer in the industry.
Looking ahead, Sawmills is targeting mid-to-large enterprises, particularly those heavily invested in cloud infrastructure. As software architectures grow more complex, the need for smarter telemetry data management becomes increasingly critical. Sawmills is not just a tool; it’s a partner in navigating the complexities of modern data management.
In conclusion, Sawmills is at the forefront of a new wave in observability cost management. By leveraging AI and machine learning, it transforms the way organizations handle telemetry data. As companies continue to grapple with rising costs and data overload, Sawmills offers a beacon of hope. It’s not just about cutting costs; it’s about empowering businesses to harness the full potential of their data. In a world where data is king, Sawmills is the royal advisor, guiding enterprises toward smarter, more efficient data management practices.