What is BYODb SIEM?

Introduction: What is BYODb SIEM?

BYODb SIEM (Bring Your Own Database Security Information and Event Management) is an architectural approach where a SIEM platform connects read-only to your existing data stores-cloud data warehouses, search engines, security lakes-instead of ingesting and copying logs into vendor infrastructure. Your data stays where it is. The detection engine comes to your data.

This model flips the traditional SIEM model. Rather than "send us your logs and pay per gigabyte," BYODb SIEM says: "we'll query what you already have." The result is zero ingestion fees, eliminated data duplication, and true data sovereignty. It's a fundamental shift that makes security operations both more cost-effective and more compliant.

The Problem with Traditional SIEM

Traditional SIEM solutions require you to ship all security-relevant logs and events to their infrastructure. This creates several persistent problems:

• Data duplication: The same logs exist in your data warehouse, your log aggregator, and the SIEM vendor's storage. You pay for storage multiple times.
• Per-GB ingestion costs: Most legacy SIEMs charge by the gigabyte ingested. As your environment grows, so does your bill-often non-linearly. Security teams are forced to reduce visibility (e.g., sampling or dropping sources) to control costs.
• Vendor lock-in: Once your data is in proprietary formats inside the vendor's system, migration becomes a multi-year, high-risk project. You're effectively trapped.
• Months-long deployments: Standing up connectors, normalizing schemas, and tuning retention across vendor infrastructure takes months. Time to value is slow.

These constraints make it difficult for security teams to achieve the full visibility they need without overspending or compromising on coverage.

How BYODb SIEM Works

BYODb SIEM operates on a simple principle: move compute to data, not data to compute. The platform establishes secure, read-only connections to your databases. Detection rules are translated into native queries (e.g., SQL, Elasticsearch DSL) and executed directly against your data. Detection results and alert metadata are stored securely to power investigation, response, and audit workflows.

There is no data movement, no copy, and no second storage tier. You retain full control over retention, access policies, and geography. The SIEM becomes a thin intelligence layer on top of infrastructure you already own and operate.

Supported data sources typically include cloud data warehouses and analytics platforms (Snowflake, BigQuery), search and analytics engines (Elasticsearch, OpenSearch), security-centric lakes (AWS Security Lake, Microsoft Sentinel), and object storage (S3). Organizations already investing in these technologies can extend them for SIEM use cases without duplicating data or paying ingestion fees. Vigilense AI's BYODb SIEM platform offers native integration with these and other leading data platforms.

Cost Benefits

The economic advantages of BYODb SIEM are substantial:

• Zero ingestion fees: Since no data is ingested into vendor infrastructure, per-GB charges disappear entirely.
• Reduced storage costs: You avoid paying for a second copy of your security data in the SIEM's storage layer.
• Eliminated data duplication: One authoritative copy of your logs serves both analytics and security use cases.
• Predictable pricing: Costs scale with users or workloads, not with log volume-making budgeting far more predictable.

Enterprises with high log volumes often see 50-70% reductions in SIEM-related costs when moving to a BYODb model. For more on the architecture, see our BYODb SIEM platform page.

Data Sovereignty

Because your data never leaves your infrastructure, BYODb SIEM supports strong data sovereignty requirements. No logs are transmitted to or stored in third-party data centers. This matters for:

• GDPR: Data remains within your chosen jurisdiction and under your control.
• HIPAA: Healthcare organizations can satisfy requirements for controlled access and data residency.
• Financial regulations: Banks and insurers can meet strict data residency and audit requirements without exceptions.

This architecture aligns closely with the concept of a Sovereign SOC-a security operations center where data, compute, and intelligence remain under your control. Learn more in our guide: What is a Sovereign SOC?

Who Is BYODb SIEM For?

BYODb SIEM is well-suited for:

• Enterprises with large data volumes: Organizations ingesting hundreds of GB or more per day, where traditional SIEM costs become prohibitive.
• Regulated industries: Healthcare, finance, and government entities with strict data residency and sovereignty requirements.
• Organizations frustrated with SIEM costs: Teams that have had to reduce visibility, sample logs, or drop sources to stay within budget.
• Teams already using cloud data warehouses: Companies with Snowflake, BigQuery, or similar platforms can use their existing investments instead of duplicating data for security.

If your organization has outgrown the economics of traditional SIEM or is constrained by compliance, BYODb SIEM is worth serious consideration.

Conclusion

BYODb SIEM represents a modern, cost-efficient alternative to legacy SIEM architectures. By querying your existing databases in place, it eliminates ingestion fees, reduces storage costs, and keeps your data sovereign. For enterprises seeking to improve visibility without inflating spend, it's an architecture that deserves attention.

Explore Vigilense AI's BYODb SIEM →

Ready to see it in action? Request a demo and learn how we can connect to your existing data infrastructure.