Tiger bridge

The typical implementation process for Tiger Bridge involves several structured steps, and the timeline can vary depending on the complexity of the environment and the specific use case (e.g., cloud migration, multi-site sync, disaster recovery). Here's a general overview based on Tiger Technology's official documentation:

Tiger Bridge Implementation Process

1. Planning Phase
   • Assess your data: Use Tiger Bridge Analytics to understand your data set and access patterns.
   • Define use case: Choose between cloud migration, data protection, archiving, or multi-site sync.

   • Select target storage: Tiger Bridge supports AWS, Azure, Google Cloud, IBM Cloud, Backblaze, Wasabi, and S3-compatible storage.

2. Preparation
   • Infrastructure setup: Tiger Bridge is software-only and integrates with existing Windows-based infrastructure (NTFS/ReFS).
   • Create storage buckets/accounts: For cloud targets like Amazon S3.

   • Install Tiger Bridge: On a Windows server or gateway system.

3. Configuration
   • Policy setup: Define intelligent tiering rules, replication schedules, and retention policies.
   • Namespace unification: Configure a single global namespace for hybrid workflows.

   • Security settings: Preserve Active Directory permissions and enable versioning if needed.

4. Deployment

   • Choose migration method:
     • Big Bang: Full migration over a short period (e.g., weekend).

     • Trickle: Gradual migration over days or weeks.

   • Enable replication/sync: Start data movement based on defined policies.

   • Monitor and validate: Use built-in tools to track progress and ensure data integrity.

5. Post-Deployment
   • Space reclaiming: Replace local files with stubs to optimize storage.
   • Ongoing sync and protection: Continuous data protection and multi-site synchronization.

   • Maintenance: Minimal, as Tiger Bridge automates most tasks.

Typical Timeline

• Simple deployments (e.g., single-site cloud archiving): 1–2 days

• Moderate deployments (e.g., trickle migration or multi-site sync): 3–7 days

• Complex deployments (e.g., hybrid cloud with multiple policies and locations): 1–2 weeks

The timeline depends on:

• Size of data set
• Network bandwidth
• Chosen migration method
• Number of sites and systems involved

Tiger Bridge is highly adaptable to various business needs. Here are the key customization features:

1. Policy-Based Data Management

• You can define custom policies for:
  • Tiering (e.g., move cold data to cloud or tape)
  • Replication schedules
  • Retention periods

  • Space reclaiming (stub files)

2. Storage Flexibility

• Works with any storage provider: AWS, Azure, Google Cloud, IBM, Wasabi, Backblaze, and S3-compatible systems.

• Supports multiple storage tiers: hot, cool, archive, tape, and disk.

3. Metadata Control

• Version 5.2 allows separate metadata replication to different buckets for compliance and immutability.

• Supports Amazon MRAPs for cross-region access.

4. Per-Source Configuration

• You can configure data retrieval modes and sync settings per source folder or system.

5. Multi-Site Sync & Collaboration

• Enables global file locking, infinite restore points, and remote sync clients for distributed teams.

6. Workflow Integration

• Seamlessly integrates with existing Windows-based infrastructure (NTFS/ReFS).

• No disruption to user workflows—files remain accessible as usual.

7. Command-Line & GUI Tools

• Offers CLI and GUI interfaces for advanced configuration and automation.

• Setup Fees: None explicitly listed; Tiger Bridge is software-only and installs on existing infrastructure.

• Support Charges:
  • Email support is included in all plans.

  • Premium support and professional services (e.g., onboarding, custom integrations) are not included—you must contact sales for quotes.

• Maintenance Fees: Not separately charged; updates and bug fixes are included in the subscription.

• AWS Marketplace: Available as SaaS with flexible billing via AWS. No infrastructure lock-in or user-tier pricing.

Tiger Bridge provides a comprehensive onboarding experience:

• User Documentation: Includes installation guides, configuration manuals, and release notes for each version.

• Help Portal: Offers troubleshooting tips, licensing information, and technical articles.

• Knowledge Base: Contains how-to guides and best practices, including strategies for ransomware protection.

• Support Access: Users can reach out to Tiger Technology’s support team directly for assistance. Premium support may be available for enterprise clients, though pricing is not publicly listed.

Tiger Bridge incorporates multiple layers of data protection:

• Checksum Validation: Ensures data integrity by comparing source and replicated files.

• Compliance Mode: Enforces retention policies and prevents unauthorized deletion or modification.

• Versioning: Maintains historical versions of files to enable rollback in case of corruption or ransomware.

• Ransomware Defense: Includes delayed replication policies, intelligent filtering, and versioning to protect against malicious changes.

• Secure Storage Integration: Compatible with secure cloud platforms like AWS, Azure, Google Cloud, and others.

• Digital Certificates & High Availability: Supports secure authentication and resilient configurations.

Tiger Bridge is actively maintained:

• Major Releases: Typically every 6 to 12 months, introducing new features and enhancements.

• Minor Updates: Released as needed to address bugs or improve performance.

• Update Management: Can be handled through the software interface or manually via installer packages.

• Recent Enhancements: Include metadata replication to separate buckets, improved compliance controls, and expanded cloud support.

Tiger Bridge is designed with data sovereignty and portability in mind:

• You retain full ownership of your data. Tiger Bridge does not alter file formats or metadata, ensuring that files remain in their native format.

• No vendor lock-in: Files replicated to the cloud are accessible directly through standard tools and interfaces. This means you can move or retrieve your data without relying on proprietary systems.

• Metadata preservation: When data is replicated to cloud targets (e.g., AWS, Azure, Google Cloud), Tiger Bridge maintains all metadata, including timestamps and permissions.

• Portability across environments: You can freely move data between on-premises systems, cloud platforms, and even tape archives. This flexibility supports compliance, disaster recovery, and long-term retention needs.

• Global namespace: Tiger Bridge creates a unified view of your data across locations and platforms, simplifying access and migration.

Tiger Bridge supports elastic scaling to match changing organizational needs:

• Scale up or down without hardware changes: Because it’s a software-only solution, you can expand or reduce your storage footprint using cloud resources—no need to purchase new infrastructure.

• Pay-as-you-grow model: Pricing is based on the amount of data managed (per TB), allowing you to adjust costs as your usage changes.

• Automatic tiering: You can define policies to move infrequently accessed data to lower-cost storage tiers (e.g., archive or tape), helping manage growth efficiently.

• Space reclaiming: As data is offloaded to the cloud, Tiger Bridge replaces local files with lightweight stubs, freeing up space while maintaining access.

• No disruption to workflows: Users continue accessing files as usual, even as data is moved or scaled in the background.

• Multi-site sync and collaboration: Easily add or remove locations from your sync setup, enabling flexible expansion or contraction of your data network.

Tiger Bridge uses a subscription-based billing model, with flexible options for renewal and cancellation:

Renewal Terms

• Subscriptions are automatically renewed monthly based on the maximum managed data capacity during that period.
• You can upgrade or switch plans by contacting Tiger Technology’s sales team.

• Pre-payment options are available for reserved capacity, often with discounts.

Cancellation Terms

• Cancellation takes effect at the end of the current billing cycle, not immediately.
• You will continue to have access to the software until the billing period ends.
• You can remove your payment method only if there is no active subscription.

• Subscriptions can be managed via Tiger’s licensing server or through AWS Marketplace if purchased there.

Additional Notes

• No setup fees are mentioned.
• Professional services and premium support are billed separately.
• Discounts may be available for larger capacities or long-term commitments.

Key Compliance Features

• Compliance Mode: Enforces retention periods during which files cannot be deleted or modified.

• Versioning Support: Ensures that changes result in new versions, preserving historical data.

• Checksum Validation: Automatically generates checksums to verify data integrity between source and cloud.

• Secure Storage Integration: Compatible with secure cloud platforms (AWS, Azure, Google Cloud, IBM, Wasabi, etc.).

• Digital Certificate Requirements: Supports secure authentication for data transfers.

• Audit & Logging: Includes file system auditing and replication tracking for governance.

Use Case Alignment

These features support compliance in industries such as:

• Legal (e.g., evidence preservation)
• Healthcare (e.g., data immutability)
• Finance (e.g., retention and audit trails)
• Government (e.g., secure replication and access control)