High availability built into next-generation emergency radio

EFJ, Inc., a US-based provider of wireless communications systems for homeland security and public safety agencies, has announced that its EFJohnson subsidiary will integrate McObject's eXtremeDB high availability in-memory embedded database as part of upgrades to enhance fault-tolerance in its Netelligent Infrastructure Systems Project 25* Conventional two-way radio infrastructure for first responders.

eXtremeDB HA will help the system become more fail-safe by enabling distribution (replication) of central database information, so each major system element has its own copy and is not dependent on links back to a single database server. Multiple, synchronised copies of McObject's embedded database will reside within embedded controllers in Netelligent base station repeaters and other key devices.

"eXtremeDB's ultra-small footprint (less than 110K code size) allows its use within Netelligent hardware where RAM and CPU constraints ruled out the use of other embedded databases," according to Michael E. Jalbert, chairman and chief executive officer of EFJ, Inc. "eXtremeDB also stands out in terms of performance. Its streamlined design and in-memory deployment meet the near-zero-latency demands of real-time radio communications," Jalbert said.

A critical requirement for a two-way radio system designed for public safety is reliability. Using a rugged, time-cognizant, two-phase commit protocol, eXtremeDB HA ensures that changes to a master database and identical standby databases succeed or fail together, enabling deployment of multiple fully synchronised eXtremeDB databases within the same hardware device or across multiple, widely-distributed systems. eXtremeDB's two-phase commit protocol facilitates instantaneous fail-over, with zero replication-induced latency.

* Project 25 (P25) is the Telecommunications Industry Association's (TIA) standard for digital two-way radio technology. P25 was originally created by the Association of Public Safety Communications Officials International (APCO) in cooperation with the National Association of State Telecommunications Directors (NASTD) and the US government to insure interoperability between Federal, State, and local public safety agencies.

www.mcobject.com

•Date: 17th March 2004 •Region: N.America •Type: Article •Topic: Emergency planning
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