Database selection in distributed computing systems

A method of database selection during site provisioning in a distributed computing system having multiple nodes individually hosting one or more databases, the method comprising:

• receiving, via a computer network, a user request for a site to be hosted on one or more nodes in the distributed computing system;
• and
• in response to the received user request, selecting one of the databases hosted on the nodes, including:
• randomly selecting a set of databases from a list of available databases in the distributed computing system;
• determining a subset of the set of randomly selected databases, the subset of databases each having a lower level of database load than the other databases from the set of databases;
• randomly selecting one database from the subset of databases;
• and
• storing a configuration file for the site in the randomly selected one database to enable the site to be accessible, the configuration file containing data representing one or more of module loading control, security configuration, session state configuration, application language, or compilation setting of the site.

A computing device in a distributed computing system having multiple nodes individually hosting one or more databases, the computing device comprising:

• a processor;
• and
• a memory operatively coupled to the processor, the memory containing instructions executable by the processor to cause the computing device to:
• in response to a received user request for a site to be hosted on one or more nodes in the distributed computing system,
• randomly select a set of databases from a list of available databases in the distributed computing system;
• determine a subset of databases each having a level of database load lower than that of the other databases from the randomly selected set of databases;
• randomly select a single database from the determined subset of databases;
• provision the site by storing a configuration file of the site in the randomly selected single database, the configuration file containing data representing one or more of module loading control, security configuration, session state configuration, application language, or compilation setting of the site;
• and
• provide, via the computer network, a webpage of the site in response to another user request according to the data contained in the configuration file representing the one or more of module loading control, security configuration, session state configuration, application language, or compilation setting of the site.