# Cluster User's Guide

> eXtremeDB Cluster is McObject's distributed database implementation. The following topics explain the general principles of eXtremeDB Cluster application design and implementation:

> Introduction | Introduction, Theory of Operation and Overview of eXtremeDB Cluster
> Cluster Applications | General instructions for implementing Cluster applications
> Cluster Implementation Details | Implementation details for BSE, database snapshots, transaction logging and database sharding
> Using an MPI Channel | Instructions on how to use an MPI channel in a Cluster application
> OpenSSL Integration | How to integrate OpenSSL for secure communications, authorization and authentication
> Optimizations | Techniques and tips for optimizing eXtremeDB Cluster application performance