Clustra Systems Debuts with Breakthrough Online Database

Clustra Systems Inc made its debut and introduced the Clustra Parallel Data Server 3.0, the first packaged data management solution to deliver the extraordinary high availability and scalability levels required by the next generation of high-volume, nonstop wireless Web, mobile data and Internet infrastructure applications. The Clustra Parallel Data Server -- by offering "Five Nines" uptime (99.999 per cent) for database services -- enables today's online applications to provide ultra reliable online services for customers and higher revenues for e-businesses.

Setting a new standard for online databases in the rapidly emerging "IP everywhere" world, the breakthrough Clustra Parallel Data Server 3.0 is the only commercial relational database management system to combine high availability and dynamic, linear scalability without sacrificing performance. Before Clustra, these requirements could only be met by costly, proprietary database systems developed in-house or complex configurations of expensive hardware and specialized high-availability software to support traditional packaged database systems.

The convergence of wireless and wireline communications with the Internet is increasing the demand for high quality-of-service (QoS) application solutions. A highly available and dynamically scalable database solution, such as Clustra's Parallel Data Server, is needed to support mobile data and wireless Internet applications, as well as emerging Internet infrastructure applications such as voice-over-IP, unified messaging and directory services. An increasing number of retail merchandising, financial services and mission-critical B2B e-commerce applications require these same high levels of quality-of-service.

"Traditional telecommunications quality-of-service requirements are quickly becoming Internet requirements, and e-businesses are starting to demand that their online applications deliver the same reliability and dependability people have come to expect from the telephone system," said Gary Ebersole, senior vice president of marketing and sales for Clustra Systems. "A key enabler for high-growth Internet businesses, the Clustra Parallel Data Server delivers the nonstop database performance required by these next-generation applications."

The Clustra Parallel Data Server has already proven itself in earlier versions by providing more than two years of uninterrupted service for Inmarsat, a global wireless service provider. And, the Clustra Parallel Data Server has recently been selected by Telcordia (formerly Bellcore) as a key component of their innovative Call Agent offering.

"The Clustra Parallel Data Server has been critical to the success of the Global Mobility Management System, providing uninterrupted service for the past two years while delivering the high performance and scalability needed to support our growing customer base," said Shuen Wong, group leader in systems development at Inmarsat.

"Clustra has raised the bar for very high availability by which all online database systems will be judged. They have delivered an impressive combination of database capabilities in a proven, off-the-shelf data management environment," said Carl Olofson, program director, IDC. "The next generation of innovative online applications will need to deliver service all the time and in real time, and Clustra has a highly effective technology to make this possible today."

High Availability

The Clustra Parallel Data Server achieves its unmatched "Five-Nines" availability by distributing its innovative data management technology over a cluster of from two to several dozen low-cost servers based on Unix, Linux or Windows NT. On average, this approach limits database downtime to less than two minutes per year.

A typical Clustra database configuration employs two units, often located in separate buildings or sites, each maintaining a complete set of application data on an identical number of server nodes linked through a high-performance, redundant communication network. In the event of a system failure, whether planned or unplanned, requests for access to the database are transparently redirected to an available system resource.

The Clustra Parallel Data Server uses sophisticated mechanisms for detecting and correcting system faults, resulting in sub-second masking of failures and unattended self-repair. As such, failures, repairs and upgrades have only minimal impact on database performance, ensuring continuous access. Clustra's sophisticated, fault-tolerant technology and deployment configurations are transparent to the user and application developer.

Dynamic, Linear Scalability

As system demand grows, transactional throughput and storage capacity can be easily increased linearly without interruption to service by adding new server nodes as needed to a running system. The database is dynamically distributed to the new nodes as they are added in a completely transparent, parallel and non-blocking fashion, ensuring no service interruption.

High Performance

The Clustra Parallel Data Server is the only commercial database system to offer extremely predictable, millisecond range transaction response time, making it ideal for applications and systems where previously no other alternative but proprietary data management solutions could satisfy response time requirements. Simple transactions have sub-millisecond response times and transaction rates scale linearly from 50 to tens of thousands of tps.

Availability and Pricing

Clustra Parallel Data Server 3.0 is available immediately. End user pricing starts at $75,000 for a cluster of four active nodes running on Intel platforms including Linux, Windows NT and FreeBSD. Unix pricing starts at $100,000 for a similar configuration.

About Clustra Systems

Clustra Systems, a venture capital funded startup based in Boston, was formed in 1997 after several years of advanced database research at Telenor, the Norwegian telephone company. Clustra was born from a vision of an innovative database system that could address the data management requirements being driven by wireless Internet access and other next-generation IP-based services.

The company delivers fault-tolerant, scalable and high-performance data management solutions based on advanced parallel database technology. The innovative, distributed Clustra architecture promises online applications non-stop data access unmatched by other database systems. Clustra is uniquely qualified to meet the stringent requirements of mission-critical telecommunications, Internet infrastructure and e-commerce database applications. For additional information on Clustra Systems, call 781-505-1300, or visit the company's Website at www.clustra.com.

Contact Patrick Corman, patrick@cormancom.com of Corman Communications, for Clustra Systems Inc Website: www.clustra.com.