Aster Data Systems Updates nCluster

High-performance database helps users analyze terabytes of data

• By James E. Powell
• 10/07/2008

Aster Data Systems, which specializes in high-performance databases, has updated Aster nCluster to version 3.0. The analytic database can be used to collect, manage, and monetize terabytes per day of new data, according to the company.

New features in nCluster 3.0 include:

• Round-the-clock availability and resiliency for mission-critical applications; users can add capacity, rebalance data across a cluster, or recover data without bringing the database down

• Fault tolerance: In-database analytics are now sandboxed

• Additional parallel processing -- now all database functions (queries, loading, export, back-up, and restore) are fully parallelized

• In-Database MapReduce to seamlessly integrate analytic power of MapReduce with standard SQL, including polymorphic (reusable) functions and multiple language support

• Multi-level data compression: Compression levels are selectable on a per-table basis

• Improved security and authentication, including LDAP support for user authentication and the ability to manage privileges at the cluster, database, table level

• NIC Bonding: Users can aggregate multiple NIC’s per server for increased bandwidth

• Data partitioning enhancements allow lower levels of data replication based on query-awareness

Pricing and Availability

Aster nCluster 3.0 runs on a cluster of industry-standard x86 servers and network switches from vendors such as Cisco, Dell, HP, and IBM. Pricing is based on the amount of data managed, not cluster size. Aster nCluster 3.0 is available now. For more information, visit http://www.asterdata.com.