Datadog trial enablement
that proves value before you commit.
You're evaluating Datadog. The trial gives you access to the platform but not the expertise to show what it can do in your actual environment. Most trials fail for lack of time, not lack of conviction. FETCH changes that.
Critical Cloud engineers work alongside your team during the trial, configuring integrations, validating telemetry quality, and building dashboards that reflect how your platform actually behaves. FETCH is complimentary.
Prove Datadog solves your priority use case before you commit.
Our engineers work in your environment during the trial, so the decision rests on what Datadog did with your data rather than on a demo.
Trial enablement, not operational cover.
FETCH is complimentary and it ends with the trial. It does not include 24×7 incident response or ongoing platform management. Those are separate services you can choose afterwards.
- Purchase Datadog → HyperCare™ for post-go-live support
- Need a full rollout → LaunchPad™ for managed implementation
Trials fail when nobody has time to run them
Most trials do not fail on conviction. They fail because nobody has time to run them: the team spends the evaluation window on setup instead of evaluation, and the trial ends with agents installed and nothing proven. A few default dashboards appear, nobody has had time to look at them properly, and the window closes without a clear answer about whether Datadog solves the problem it was brought in for.
- Instrumentation is incomplete, key services aren't covered, telemetry quality is poor, or the data doesn't match how the platform actually works
- Dashboards are generic, the out-of-the-box views don't reflect the architecture or operational concerns the team actually cares about
- Setup falls to engineers who already have a day job, so configuration work crowds out the actual signal-quality assessment
- Cost guardrails aren't in place, the trial runs up against usage limits without generating useful signal, or unexpected costs appear
The consequence is an inconclusive evaluation: the window closes before you have seen Datadog working in your environment at the standard it is capable of, and the problems that prompted the trial carry on. FETCH exists because of that. Our engineers do the configuration work, so the trial costs your team hours, not weeks, and you decide on evidence, not installed agents.
Expert-led trial setup, configured to your environment
FETCH is a structured trial enablement engagement. Critical Cloud engineers work alongside your team during the trial period and take on the configuration work, so the setup reflects what Datadog is actually capable of, not what a default installation looks like. Your team judges the results; ours does the setup.
Integration setup and agent configuration
The right agents, in the right places, with appropriate configuration for your infrastructure, AWS, Azure, containers, services. Coverage that matches your actual environment.
Telemetry validation
Confirming that the data coming into Datadog is accurate, complete, and structured correctly. Identifying gaps and mismatches before they skew the evaluation.
Early dashboards and monitors
Operational dashboards built around your actual services and architecture, not the generic out-of-the-box views. Monitors that alert on things that matter to your team.
Cost guardrails
Usage scoping to prevent the trial from running into unexpected cost limits, ensuring the evaluation window produces useful signal without hitting capacity ceilings.
End-of-trial review
A structured review at the end of the trial: what's working, what isn't, what coverage gaps remain, and a clear-eyed assessment of Datadog's fit for your environment.
Guided adoption plan
A recommended path forward based on what we've seen during the trial, whether that's HyperCare for post-purchase support, LaunchPad for a managed rollout, or something else.
A trial that answers the question it was supposed to answer
What FETCH produces by the end of the trial window.
- Real evidence of Datadog's value in your environment, not a vendor demo, not default dashboards, but signal quality from your actual infrastructure and services
- Integrations working correctly from the start, the foundation that doesn't need rebuilding after purchase
- A team that has seen Datadog working properly and can make an informed decision about whether to commit
- Cost guardrails in place, the trial runs cleanly without surprise usage limits
- An adoption plan that reflects the actual environment, not a generic implementation guide, but a specific recommendation for next steps
- A clear path to the next phase, whether that's HyperCare, LaunchPad, or a different route based on what the trial revealed
What a trial looks like when it works
CETA
CETA came to us during a Datadog trial. We configured integrations, validated telemetry quality and built dashboards against how their platform actually behaved, so the purchase decision rested on evidence. The trial converted, and HyperCare carried the adoption through the first 90 days. CETA kept ownership of the product throughout; we owned the Datadog work.
FAQ
Questions about how FETCH works.
Is FETCH completely free?
Yes. FETCH is complimentary, there is no charge. It's how we make sure you evaluate Datadog with expert support rather than on your own. The commitment is small and scoped: a kickoff call, access for our engineers, and a short readout at the end. We do the configuration work during the trial window.
What access does Critical Cloud need for FETCH?
Datadog administrative access, no cloud credentials required. Critical Cloud engineers need Datadog admin access to configure integrations, validate telemetry quality, and build dashboards against your actual environment. No AWS, Azure, or source-control access is needed. You retain full control of your credentials and infrastructure throughout the trial.
What happens at the end of the FETCH engagement?
FETCH closes with an end-of-trial review: what's been configured, what telemetry is working, where the gaps are, and a recommended adoption plan. That plan typically points toward HyperCare (for post-go-live support after purchase) or LaunchPad (for a fully managed rollout) depending on your situation and scale.
What comes after FETCH
The natural paths from a successful trial.
HyperCare™
Post-go-live support. The two-week sprint after Datadog purchase that fixes misconfigurations, tunes alerts, and builds dashboards that reflect the actual system, before early adopters lose confidence.
LaunchPad™
Fully managed Datadog implementation. If the trial reveals that the team needs a structured, end-to-end rollout rather than ad hoc setup, LaunchPad delivers it, Assess, Pilot, Scale.
UK Datadog partner
Critical Cloud is the world's first Powered by Datadog accredited MSP. FETCH is delivered by the same engineers who run Datadog in production every day.
Start your Datadog trial with expert support
FETCH is complimentary. If your team is evaluating Datadog, get in touch and we'll arrange structured trial support from Critical Cloud engineers.