Executive Summary

Tiger Brokers, a leading global internet brokerage firm, successfully modernized their data infrastructure using KubeBlocks Enterprise, achieving 90% reduction in database provisioning time and managing over 600 clusters through their DataStone engineering platform. This transformation enabled rapid global expansion while maintaining strict financial regulatory compliance.

I. Business Challenges

Company Overview

Tiger Brokers operates as a technology-first global brokerage, serving international markets with diverse financial products and services. As a regulated financial institution, the company faces unique challenges balancing innovation speed with compliance requirements across multiple jurisdictions.

Platform Engineering Strategy

DataStone Engineering Platform

Tiger Brokers developed DataStone as their unified engineering platform, integrating:

• Development toolchain standardization
• Cloud resource orchestration
• Operational process automation
• Compliance workflow management

Core Infrastructure Challenges

1. Global Compliance Complexity

• Multi-jurisdictional Requirements: Different regulatory standards across markets
• Dynamic Policy Adaptation: Rapid response to changing compliance mandates
• Infrastructure Agility: Fast deployment and teardown of regional systems
• Development Velocity: Accelerated time-to-market for new products

2. Technology Stack Fragmentation

• Scattered Database Management: Multiple data engines with disparate operational tools
• Operational Inconsistency: Different monitoring, alerting, and management standards
• Resource Inefficiency: Siloed infrastructure leading to underutilization
• Coordination Overhead: Complex inter-team dependencies and handoffs

3. Cloud-Native Transformation Gaps

• Blurred Responsibilities: Unclear ownership between development and operations teams
• Skills Mismatch: Traditional ops teams lacking container expertise
• Stateful Service Complexity: Challenges managing databases in containerized environments
• Operational Blind Spots: Gaps in monitoring and incident response

II. Solution Architecture with KubeBlocks Enterprise

Integrated Platform Approach

Tiger Brokers implemented a comprehensive solution combining DataStone with KubeBlocks Enterprise to create a unified data infrastructure management platform.

Database as Code Workflow

1. Declarative Configuration

# Developer commits infrastructure requirements
database:
  type: mysql
  version: '8.0'
  resources:
    cpu: '2'
    memory: '4Gi'
  compliance:
    region: 'us-east'
    encryption: true

2. Automated Provisioning Pipeline

• CI/CD Integration: Trigger-based infrastructure deployment
• Policy Enforcement: Automatic compliance validation
• Resource Optimization: Intelligent sizing and placement
• Network Configuration: Automated security and connectivity setup

3. Lifecycle Management

• Synchronous Deployment: Database clusters provisioned alongside applications
• Automated Backup: Snapshot creation before environment teardown
• Resource Cleanup: Efficient compute resource reclamation

Unified Management Platform

Centralized Operations Hub

• Single API Layer: Standardized interface across all database types
• Integrated Monitoring: Unified observability across the infrastructure
• Automated Operations: Self-healing and maintenance workflows
• Compliance Automation: Built-in regulatory requirement enforcement

Advanced Storage Architecture

Multi-Tier Storage Strategy

• MySQL Instances: Native cloud disk allocation
• Other Databases: Ape-local managed storage for density optimization
• Oversubscription Support: Intelligent capacity and throughput management
• Resource Isolation: Protection against noisy neighbor scenarios

III. Governance and Self-Service Model

Three-Tier Architecture

1. Self-Service Layer

• Developer Interface: Web console and API access
• One-Click Provisioning: Pre-configured, compliant database instances
• Sandbox Boundaries: Controlled operational scope for development teams
• Minimal Expertise Required: No deep container knowledge needed

2. Expert Operations Layer

• Performance Templates: Production-optimized configurations
• Security Baselines: Hardened default settings
• Operational Playbooks: Automated troubleshooting and maintenance
• Knowledge Codification: Best practices embedded in platform

3. Enterprise Management Foundation

• Global State Tracking: Real-time infrastructure visibility
• Automated Fault Response: Self-healing capabilities for common issues
• Compliance Workflows: Automated audit and regulatory reporting
• SLA Enforcement: Proactive performance and availability management

IV. Results and Business Impact

Operational Efficiency Gains

Dramatic Time Reduction

• Database Provisioning: 90% faster creation and replica deployment
• Test Environment Setup: From days to 1 hour for complete environments
• Issue Resolution: Problem identification reduced to minutes
• Development Velocity: Significantly accelerated feature delivery cycles

Technical Capabilities Enhancement

Unified Management Experience

• Standardized Operations: Consistent workflows across all database types
• Production-Grade Reliability: High availability architectures for critical workloads
• Data Protection: Comprehensive backup and recovery capabilities
• Operational Intelligence: Advanced monitoring and alerting systems

Business Value Creation

Market Responsiveness

• Faster Product Launch: Accelerated time-to-market for new financial products
• Global Expansion: Rapid deployment capabilities for new markets
• Innovation Support: Rich database ecosystem enabling experimentation
• Compliance Automation: Reduced regulatory risk and manual overhead

Resource Optimization

• Infrastructure Efficiency: Improved utilization through resource pooling
• Cost Reduction: Eliminated redundant tooling and manual processes
• Team Productivity: Reduced operational burden on engineering teams
• Scalability: Support for 600+ database clusters with minimal overhead

V. Strategic Impact and Future Vision

Platform Maturity

The DataStone platform has evolved into a strategic enabler for Tiger Brokers' global expansion, providing:

• Rapid Market Entry: Fast deployment capabilities for new jurisdictions
• Operational Excellence: Standardized, reliable infrastructure management
• Innovation Acceleration: Reduced friction for new product development
• Regulatory Confidence: Built-in compliance and audit capabilities

Industry Leadership

Tiger Brokers' implementation demonstrates how financial services organizations can leverage modern platform engineering approaches to balance regulatory requirements with business agility, setting new standards for fintech infrastructure management.

Conclusion

Tiger Brokers' transformation showcases the power of combining platform engineering principles with specialized database management capabilities. By integrating KubeBlocks Enterprise with their DataStone platform, they achieved unprecedented operational efficiency while maintaining the strict compliance standards required in global financial markets.

This success story illustrates how modern infrastructure platforms can serve as competitive differentiators, enabling financial institutions to innovate rapidly while managing complex regulatory requirements across multiple markets.