Sun Buys Clustra Systems
incorporated into iPlanet
Sun Microsystems Inc. purchased a database-clustering vendor, Clustra Systems, Inc., it said Tuesday. Sun plans to integrate the technology into its iPlanet application server.
Clustra developed software for high-availability clustering for database systems. The software enables enterprises to configure servers such that if one server goes down, a second server can pick up the slack with no interruption to users.
According to Sun, Clustra’s software combines mirrored storage and redundant software processes that enable the two servers to detect failure and fix problems.
Sun does not sell a database server, and it seems unlikely to enter the market. Rather than using the software for a database, Sun plans to incorporate the technology into its iPlanet application server. Although Sun is the primary author of the J2EE spec, it lags behind BEA, IBM, and Oracle in the Java application server market. The addition of Clustra’s technology may give Sun a competitive advantage over its competitors.
Some observers suggested that, although Sun can incorporate the clustering technology, its primary motivation for buying Clustra was to keep a competitor with a database such as Oracle from buying it himself or herself.
Clustra was a privately held company, and Sun did not disclose the value of the transaction.
About the Author
Chris McConnell is Product and Technology Editor for Enterprise Systems.