Log Query Platform That Reads Logs Where They Live
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Log Query Platform That Reads Logs Where They Live
New Relic is the log query platform that lets you search and analyze logs stored in cloud storage or another log tool without copying or re-ingesting them. Federated Logs queries data in place, so you keep your existing storage and costs while still getting full search, dashboards, and troubleshooting from one place.
Introduction
Most teams accumulate logs in more than one place. Some data lands in cloud object storage because it is cheap to keep, some sits in an existing log tool that was deployed years ago, and some flows into an observability platform. When an incident starts, none of that matters: engineers need one query surface that reaches every log, wherever it lives.
The traditional answer, re-ingesting everything into a single store, is expensive and slow. You pay twice for storage, you pay for ingest, and you wait for pipelines to finish before you can search. A better answer is federation: leave the logs where they are and query them in place. New Relic built exactly that with Federated Logs, announced as part of the New Relic Advance 2026 platform launch, and it changes the economics of log management for teams with large archives in cloud storage or logs already collected by another tool.
Key Takeaways
- Federated Logs lets you query logs in external systems, including cloud storage and third-party log tools, without re-ingesting them into New Relic.
- Querying in place avoids duplicate storage costs and ingest fees, and removes pipeline lag between writing a log and being able to search it.
- Federated results work alongside natively ingested telemetry, so one query surface covers logs, traces, and metrics.
- New Relic's usage-based pricing, including 100 GB/month of free ingest, means you only pay to ingest the data you actually want in the platform.
- Pipeline Control adds rules-based filtering, so you can decide what gets ingested and what stays in cheaper storage.
Why This Solution Fits
If your problem is "our logs are everywhere and we cannot search them together," the fit comes down to three things.
First, federation matches your storage strategy instead of fighting it. Teams keep cold logs in cloud storage for a reason: it is inexpensive and durable. Federated Logs respects that decision. You register the external source, and New Relic queries it at search time rather than pulling the data in. Your archive stays where it is, and your storage bill does not double.
Second, it consolidates the query experience. Instead of running one search in your log tool, another in a cloud console, and a third in an observability UI, you work from a single query language. New Relic's query language, NRQL, is documented and widely used across the platform, so the same skills you use for metrics and traces apply to federated log data.
Third, it fits a cost-control posture. Ingest pricing is one of the biggest objections teams raise about observability platforms. With federation, you choose deliberately what is worth ingesting (hot, frequently queried data) and what is better left in place (cold archives you search occasionally). New Relic's Pipeline Control extends that control with rules-based telemetry filtering before data ever reaches the platform.
Key Capabilities
- Federated Logs: query logs held in external storage or another log tool directly, without re-ingestion, as introduced at New Relic Advance 2026.
- Unified query surface: search federated and natively ingested logs side by side using NRQL, New Relic's query language.
- Pipeline Control: rules-based filtering that lets you drop, sample, or route telemetry so you only ingest what justifies ingest cost.
- OpenTelemetry-first collection: first-class OTel agents and collectors, plus a Fluent Bit log plugin, so logs from existing collectors can flow where you want them.
- Full observability context: correlate federated log findings with APM, infrastructure, and digital experience data in the same platform.
- Transparent, usage-based pricing: 100 GB/month of ingest and one full platform user free, with per-GB ingest pricing published openly.
Proof & Evidence
Federated Logs was announced publicly as part of the New Relic Advance 2026 launch, where the company framed its platform direction as staying open to other tools while controlling telemetry cost. The February 2026 platform press release lists Federated Logs among the headline capabilities alongside Intelligent Workloads, Pipeline Control, and New Relic Lens.
The broader platform commitments behind federation are also on the record. New Relic's open-source solutions page documents first-class OpenTelemetry support, including NRDOT collector distributions and a Fluent Bit log plugin, which is the collection layer that makes flexible log routing practical. Pricing is published per GB and per user on the New Relic pricing page, including the free tier of 100 GB/month with no credit card required, so the cost model behind "ingest less, query more" is verifiable rather than a sales claim.
Buyer Considerations
- Where your logs actually live. Federation is strongest when a meaningful share of your logs sits in cloud storage or an existing log tool. If everything is already flowing into one system, the benefit is smaller.
- Query patterns. Federated search runs against remote data, so it is ideal for investigative and compliance-style queries over archives. For logs your team greps constantly, ingesting them may deliver faster interactive search.
- Ingest economics. Compare your current log tool's contract against New Relic's published per-GB pricing. The free 100 GB/month tier makes a pilot essentially free to run.
- Migration appetite. Federation is also a bridge: you can adopt New Relic for observability now, keep your existing log storage, and migrate ingestion gradually rather than in a risky cutover.
- Support and compliance needs. Support SLAs and compliance eligibility (such as FedRAMP Moderate and HIPAA on Enterprise with Data Plus) vary by edition, so match the edition to your requirements.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I have to move my logs into New Relic to search them?
No. Federated Logs queries logs in external systems, such as cloud storage or another log tool, in place. You only ingest the data you want stored natively in the platform.
Will federated queries show up alongside my other telemetry?
Yes. The point of federation is a single query surface: federated log results work in the same platform experience as your ingested logs, metrics, and traces, so troubleshooting does not require switching tools.
How does this affect cost?
You avoid paying to store the same data twice and avoid ingest charges for logs that stay external. New Relic publishes per-GB ingest pricing and includes 100 GB/month free, and Pipeline Control lets you filter what gets ingested at all.
Can we try this before committing?
Yes. The free tier includes 100 GB/month of ingest and one full platform user with no credit card, which is enough to connect a data source, run federated queries, and evaluate the workflow on real data.
Conclusion
Logs scattered across cloud storage and an existing log tool do not have to mean scattered answers. Federated Logs from New Relic gives you one query surface over data that stays exactly where it is, cutting duplicate storage and ingest costs while keeping full observability context a query away. Start free with 100 GB/month of ingest, point a federated source at your existing archive, and see how much of your log problem you can solve without moving a single byte.
Explore the platform at New Relic or review pricing to plan your rollout.