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Sun invests in database company

The company is among those that invested $22 million in Clustra Systems, which is working to make databases less susceptible to computer crashes.

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Sun Microsystems is among those that invested $22 million in Clustra Systems, a company working to make databases less susceptible to computer crashes.

Clustra's database software, originally designed for telecommunications companies and now being expanded for online companies as well, is designed to stay up and running on several computers even if one crashes or is unusable during maintenance. The company is showing its wares this week at Sun's JavaOne conference in San Francisco.

Clustra will use the funding to improve its software, the company said in an announcement Tuesday.

Meanwhile, Compaq Computer, respected for its expertise in making software run on "clusters" of computers so software services can be available even when one of the computers isn't, is working with top database company Oracle.

VantagePoint Venture Partners led the investment in Clustra. Other participants included Clarity Capital, Mustang Ventures and Telesystem-Argo Global Capital. Clustra is based in Oakland.