Q: How does TigerGraph Cloud compare with other DBaaS offerings?

A: TigerGraph Cloud gets you up and running with the fastest and best price-performance graph platform in just minutes. TigerGraph's native parallel graph and deep link analytics give you both speed and scale, even on the most complex tasks. The GraphStudio visual design interface enables everyone on your team to be a guru in graph. And our starter kits for popular use cases mean you can have an example graph application working in minutes. Since it requires far fewer machines to achieve high performance, TigerGraph’s price performance sets a new bar for the graph database industry.

Q: Are there Free Tier Instances or Free Credits for the System?

A: Yes, in both instances.

Free Credits: A $25 credit will be automatically granted to each new registered account. The free credits is valid for 30 days after initial use.

Free Tier Instance: When you select an instance type, you will see that one instance type is designated as the Free Tier. For each registered account, you may provision one solution from the Free Tier. Free Tier instances do not include backup and do not include support.

If no user activity is detected for more than one hour, TigerGraph may automatically stop a Free Tier instance. Users can manually restart the free tier instances from their cloud portal. After 7 days of inactivity, TigerGraph may terminate the inactive free tier instances. For additional information, see TigerGraph Cloud Terms.

Tip: If you need to save your work from a Free Tier instance, export the solution (which saves your graph and queries) and write queries which print all your data to files.

Q: I cannot start my free tier instances. Why is there a capacity error in "My Activities"?

A: Known Capacity Issues: Free Tier instances are provisioned on a common instance type in a data center region of the cloud provider (AWS). During the surge cloud usage period, such as the current global lockdown due to COVID-19, cloud providers across the globe are experiencing capacity issues.

It is possible that when you provision a free tier instance, it will not provision successfully on the first try because of the peak usage in a certain region in the backend cloud platform (AWS). Please be patient and try to provision in another region, or at a later time when there is enough capacity in the region. For any stopped free tier instances, when you restart the solution, it is possible that your solution cannot restart with a machine because of the capacity issue from the cloud provider. In this case, try to restart the solution at a later time when there are more machines available in the region of the cloud provider (AWS). In both scenarios, you can look at the log in "My Activities" and the capacity issue is logged. Submit a support ticket if the capacity issue persists.

To reserve an instance for guaranteed capacity, please submit a support ticket and contact sales@tigergraph.com to arrange a long term contract for reserved TigerGraph instances.

Q: In what cloud platforms and regions does TigerGraph operate?

A: TigerGraph Cloud offers two cloud platform options: AWS and Azure. In AWS, supported regions are: US-West-1 (N.Cal), US-East-1 (N. Virginia), EU-West-1(Ireland), EU-West-2(UK), EU-Central-1(Germany) and AP-Northeast-1(Japan). In Azure, supported regions are: West US (California, US West), West Europe (Amsterdam, Netherlands).

More regions and platforms will be added soon.

Q: Does TigerGraph Cloud support distributed databases?

A: Yes. In the latest version of TigerGraph Cloud, you can provision a highly available TigerGraph cluster by entering 2 for the replication factor during the provisioning process. Future versions of TigerGraph Distributed Cloud will support higher replication factors. The configuration is active-active, meaning that all copies of the data are available to answer queries.

NOTE: HA systems must have a minimum of 3 instances, This means that the smallest supported cluster configuration for a replicated system is two-way partitioning X two-way replication = four instances.

Q: What type of server should I use for my data size and workload?

A: Please see the section on pricing on our website at www.tigergraph.com/cloud/. For further assistance, contact TigerGraph at sales@tigergraph.com

Q: What kind of services do I get?

A: TigerGraph Cloud includes automatic scheduled backup, built-in encryption and other security features, patching, replication and distributed database option. In addition, you can now provision a distributed database as well as a replica cluster for high availability. As a cloud service, many of the administrative and operational tasks - for monitoring, restoring, upgrading, for example - are just a click away. In addition to operations and management for your TigerGraph databases, TigerGraph Cloud also offers Starter Kits to provide instant experience to various graph analytics use cases. The list of Starter Kits can be found here: https://www.tigergraph.com/starterkits/

Q: Is there a quota for the number of solutions I can provision in a single account?

A: Yes. For basic accounts with credit card billing, there is a limit of 160 vCPUs and 20 instances. A solution is one logical database, which may include several instances due to a distribution database configuration and replication. For accounts running exclusively on Free Credit and that have not yet entered a valid credit card, there is a limit of 16 vCPUs and two solutions. For each registered account (with or without a valid credit card), you may only provision one solution from the Free Tier. To allow more vCPUs and solutions, please contact TigerGraph at sales@tigergraph.com.

Total number of instances in a cluster = replication factor x partitioning factor

Q: Can I run queries directly after sample starter kits are provisioned?

A: Data must be loaded and queries must be installed first. Please perform the following steps after the solution is provisioned:

1. Connect to GraphStudio through “Open Solution Via Domain” from the cloud portal.

2. On the Load Data tab, click the Load button to load the sample dataset.

3. On the Write Query tab, click the Install button to install the sample queries.

Now you can run queries on the starter kit's sample data. Please visit tigergraph.com/starterkits to watch the overview video for each starter kit.

Q: How can I monitor my TigerGraph Cloud service?

A: TigerGraph Cloud is instance-based and offers an administrator portal to monitor the performance and health of each machine instance.

Q: Is TigerGraph Cloud cloud-agnostic?

A: TigerGraph Cloud will provide teams with the flexibility to use the cloud vendor of their choice, so there will be no vendor lock-in. For the current version, TigerGraph Cloud offers instances on both AWS and Azure platforms. More cloud platforms are coming soon. If you require immediate assistance to manage TigerGraph on another cloud provider, please contact sales@tigergraph.com.

Q: Is the support for TigerGraph Cloud the same as the support for TigerGraph Enterprise?

A: Yes, TigerGraph supports TigerGraph cloud users using paid tiers. See the Support Policy terms at https://www.tigergraph.com/support-policy/. For free tier instances, support is not included; therefore, support tickets for free tier solutions are answered when support staff bandwidths allows. See Section 1.4 in https://www.tigergraph.com/tigergraph-cloud-subscription-terms/. Additional developer resources for free tier users: join TigerGraph developer community at https://community.tigergraph.com.

Q: What is the user interface for the TigerGraph Cloud instance?

A: The TigerGraph GraphStudio™ UI (User Interface) provides an intuitive, browser-based interface that helps users get started quickly with graph-based application development tasks: designing a graph schema, creating a schema mapping, loading data, exploring the graph, and writing GSQL queries.

In addition, for TigerGraph paid tier solutions, users can use GSQL Web Shell to write GSQL Commands in an interactive command line shell. Users can access GSQL Web Shell through the solution panel from their Cloud Portal. This GSQL Web Shell opens up more data loading options such as S3 Loader (parquet format) and Kafka Loader.

Q: What graph query language does TigerGraph support?

A: TigerGraph uses GSQL, the query language designed for fast and scalable graph operations and analytics. GSQL’s similarity to SQL, high-level syntax, Turing completeness, and built-in parallelism brings faster performance, faster development and the ability to describe any algorithm.

You can start learning GSQL from our tutorial at docs.tigergraph.com/intro/gsql-101. We also support a RESTful API and JSON output for easy integration with application languages like Python, Java, and C++.

Start learning GSQL and become a TigerGraph Certified Associate today: www.tigergraph.com/certification/

Q: Can I have multiple graphs in one TigerGraph Cloud instance?

A: TigerGraph's MultiGraph feature, available now in the on-premises TigerGraph Enterprise product, will be coming to TigerGraph Cloud soon.

Q: What methods do you support for importing data?

A: We support AWS S3 import and local file upload through GraphStudio. Spark loading is available through our open source JDBC Driver. See https://github.com/tigergraph/ecosys/tree/master/etl

In addition, for TigerGraph paid tier solutions, users can use GSQL Web Shell to write GSQL Commands in an interactive command line shell. This GSQL Web Shell opens up more data loading options such as S3 Loader (parquet format), Kafka Loader and other complex loading jobs. Users can access GSQL Web Shell through the solution panel from their Cloud Portal.

For complex loading jobs through GSQL Web Shell for paid tier solutions, please submit a support ticket from your cloud portal for more information.

Q: If I don’t enter a valid credit card in the account and use the initial $25 free credit, will the data in the provisioned solutions be deleted if I stop the solutions?

A: As long as there is remaining free credits in your account, the data of your solutions will be preserved by the provisioned disk after you stop the solutions even if you don’t have a credit card in your account. The data will be available and accessible after you restart the solutions. The free credits is valid for 30 days after initial use. Your solutions will be deleted automatically if the following scenario is detected: there is no remaining valid free credits and there is no valid credit card in your account.

‌To use “backup and restore” functionality, you need to enter a valid credit card in your account and choose non free tier instances. The non free tier solutions provisioned after the credit card is entered have backup and restore functionality through TigerGraph’s Admin Portal. Note that any solutions provisioned before entering the credit card will not be upgraded with the backup and restore functionality.

If you choose to terminate the instance, your solutions and the data will not be preserved. Please see "Provisioning, Backup and Restore" section for detailed explanation on the difference between stopping and terminating a solution.

Q: I can’t find my registration activation email after registering for the first time. Where can I find it?

A: Please check your SPAM folder. The activation email could be sent to your SPAM folder. If you can't find it in SPAM folder, and does not receive verification email in your mailbox after resending the verification email, please contact support@tigergraph.com so that we can assist you with manual email verification process.

Q: How do I develop a customized application on top of TigerGraph Cloud?

A: Please see Graph Gurus episode 24, where we presented "How to Build Innovative Applications with a Native Graph Database".

Pricing for TigerGraph Cloud is based on the virtual machine instance(s) and storage capacity you select. Efficient data compression means you'll get a surprising amount of data storage and query performance out of each instance. TigerGraph works with the leading cloud providers to use the most optimal servers and storage nodes to maximize TigerGraph Cloud performance at the lowest cost to you.

Q:  How much does TigerGraph Cloud cost?

A:  Your cost is based on the number and size of the instances as well as your storage needs, times the number of hours of use. HA replicas are offered at a discounted rate.To calculate the Total Cost of Ownership (TCO), please consider the following factors: 

- TigerGraph’s compression rate which yields a graph data footprint smaller than the raw data size;

-Superior loading speed;

-50x to 100x query performance compared to competitors. 

With these factors, TigerGraph Cloud is a lot more cost effective than other graph databases running in the cloud. Please see this independent benchmark report. For more TCO comparisons, please contact sales@tigergraph.com. 

Q:  How are services calculated and billed?

A:  Machine instance and storage are billed hourly, which means that you are charged for each continuous period of operation, measured in seconds. Instances incur charges from when they are started until they are stopped (or terminated). Storage attached to instances incur charges from when an instance is first activated until the instance is terminated. Our billing system will total the charges at the end of each calendar month, generate an itemized invoice, and charge your credit card.

Q: What are the hourly prices for instances?

A:

TigerGraph Distributed Cloud offers eight different instances in AWS platform, ranging from 4 vCPUs with 7.5 GiB RAM, to 96 vCPUs with 768 GiB RAM. In Azure, TigerGraph Distributed Cloud offers six different instances, ranging from 8 vCPUs with 16 GiB RAM, to 64 vCPUs with 432 GiB RAM. Larger graphs require more RAM. Higher performance calls for both more CPUs and more RAM.

Our pricing table gives initial recommendations for which instance to start with, if you know how much data you will be loading into the graph. We call the input data your "raw data". TigerGraph reorganizes your data into a graph, encoding and compressing it. We have assumed that your stored graph will be about 70% of the size of your raw data. This is a conservative estimate; it's often smaller.

You also need RAM for your graph querying and computation. Workloads vary considerably. In the pricing table, we recommend that your total RAM be about 1.5 times the maximum amount of raw data you think you will load.

If you see you need more space or more compute power, then just scale up.

Please submit a support ticket from TigerGraph Cloud Portal or contact support@tigergraph.com for more help.

View hourly pricing here:  https://www.tigergraph.com/tigergraph-cloud-pricing/

Q: What is the hourly price for storage?

A: There are two components to storage: instance-attached disk storage and backup storage.

Disk Storage is $0.15 /GB/month = $0.0002083 /GB/hour

Backup Storage is based on the maximum number of backups allowed, which is currently fixed at seven.  In the future, TigerGraph Cloud will allow users to specify the maximum number of backups.

Backup Storage is $0.625 /GB/month = $0.0008681 /GB/hour for an allocation of 7 backups.

Q: Can you provide an example of the price to operate a TigerGraph Cloud deployment?

A: Example 1,  a single server with no replica (partition factor is 1; replication factor is 1): 

Suppose you choose TG.C16.M64, and provision 180GB disk

Your monthly cost when the instance is running is: 

$11.28*24*30 + ($0.625+$0.15)*180GB = $8261.10 per month, if running continuously

Your monthly cost when the instance is stopped but not terminated is:

($0.625+$0.15)*180GB = $139.50 per month

Example 2, a single server with 1 additional replica (partition factor is 1; replication factor is 2)

This small configuration is not supported. See "Does TigerGraph Cloud support HA?"

Example 3, a distributed system with 2 partitions, but no replica (partition factor is 2; replication factor is 1)

you choose TG.C16.M64, and provision 180GB disk

Your monthly cost when the instance is running is: 

$11.28*24*30*2 + $0.625*180GB*2 + $0.15*180GB*2= $16522.2 per month, if running continuously

Your monthly cost when the instance is stopped but not terminated is:

$0.625*180GB*2 + $0.15*180GB*2 = $279 per month

Example 4, a distributed system with 2 partitions, with replicas for both partitions (partition factor is 2; replication factor is 2)

you choose TG.C16.M64, and provision 180GB disk

Your monthly cost when the instance is running is: 

$11.28*24*30*2 + $7.9*24*30*2+ $0.625*180GB*2 + $0.15*180GB*2*2= $27952.2 per month, if running continuously

Your monthly cost when the instance is stopped but not terminated is:

$0.625*180GB*2 + $0.15*180GB*2*2 = $333 per month

TIP: If you are doing development or PoC work, you can lower your cost substantially by stopping your instances when not in use. For longer term subscriptions, including annual reserved instances, please contact sales@tigergraph.com.

Q: How do I pay for usage?

A: There are currently two payment methods: you can use TigerGraph-awarded credits or provide a valid credit card.

Q: Can you invoice me?

A:  In the near future we will introduce an online credit approval process to allow qualified customers pay by invoice. To arrange an annual contract or pre-paid service, contact sales@tigergraph.com.

Q:  If I switch to a yearly contract, how are my unused funds from my previous applied?

A:  TigerGraph will apply any unused amounts to your account and prorate the amount if you convert to a yearly contract.

Q: If I fail to pay promptly, or if there is a billing problem, what is the risk to all my data? Will it be deleted?

A:  Before deleting any data we will make multiple efforts to contact you using the email address and phone number provided to us when you register. In any case, we will save the last backup of your instance for up to 30 days.

Q: What costs are included in what I’m paying?

A:  Your payment includes both the fixed costs and variable costs that are calculated based on machine instances you've activated and storage you've used, including backup storage.

Q:  How often will prices change?

A:  When new functionalities are added in future versions, pricing may be subject to change. 

Q: Do you offer a discount for annual contracts/commitments?

A: Yes, there is a discount for contracting with TigerGraph for a one-year term. Please contact sales@tigergraph.com to discount annual contracts/commitments.

Q: What will I have to pay if I delete my instance before the end of the month?

A: If you are subscribed to our standard hourly service, you will be charged only for your hours of use, as described above.

Q: If I add an instance mid-month, when do I start paying for it?

A: We bill you and charge your credit card at the end of each calendar month.

Q: How do I contact you if I have a billing problem that I can’t solve online?

A: You can either open a support ticket from the cloud portal by clicking “Support” on the menu at the left of the page, or you can send an email to billing@tigergraph.com.

Q: What happens if my monthly costs exceed the credit limit on my credit card?

A: If this happens you can contact sales@tigergraph.com and we will provide you with other payment options.

Q: Where can I find TigerGraph's terms and conditions for its products and services?

A: You can find our terms and conditions here: www.tigergraph.com/terms.

Q: How is TigerGraph Cloud priced for development, test, or QA environments?

A: With TigerGraph Cloud, you only pay for what you use. For long term contracts, please contact sales@tigergraph.com.

Q: How do I determine the instance needed for my workload?

A: TigerGraph Distributed Cloud offers seven different instances, ranging from seven vCPUs with 15 GiB RAM, to 96 vCPUs with 768 GiB RAM. In Azure, TigerGraph Distributed Cloud offers five different instances, ranging from 8 vCPUs with 16 GiB RAM, to 32 vCPUs with 256 GiB RAM. Larger graphs require more RAM. Higher performance calls for both more CPUs and more RAM.

Our pricing table gives initial recommendations for which instance to start with, if you know how much data you will be loading into the graph. We call the input data your "raw data". TigerGraph reorganizes your data into a graph, encoding and compressing it. We have assumed that your stored graph will be about 70% of the size of your raw data. This is a conservative estimate; it's often smaller.

You also need RAM for your graph querying and computation. Workloads vary considerable. In the pricing table, we recommend that your total RAM be about 1.5 times the maximum amount of raw data you think you will load.

If you see you need more space or more compute power, then just scale up.

Contact support@tigergraph.com for more help.

Q: How do I expand the disk size?

A: Please contact support@tigergraph.com.

Q: Can I migrate my database to a larger (or smaller) instance?

A: Contact TigerGraph Cloud Support for migrating between different instance types. Instance migration is not yet supported through one-click operation; however, migration can be achieved by using backup and restore for some cases.

Q: Can I deploy a distributed TigerGraph database across a cluster of instances?

A: Yes, you can provision a distributed database in TigerGraph Cloud. Simply provide the partition number and replication number you would like to have. Please see High Availability and Replication Section on TigerGraph FAQs.

If you are transitioning from TigerGraph Cloud V1 to the latest version TigerGraph Distributed Cloud please see the FAQ here: https://docs.tigergraph.com/tigergraph-cloud/tigergraph-cloud-v1-to-tigergraph-distributed-cloud-faqs