Schema-agnostic indexing of distributed databases

A method of configuring a set of servers to provide access to a data set, wherein the set of servers comprises at least one storage server that stores at least a portion of the data set, the method comprising:

• selecting, from the set, a storage server of the data set, wherein the data set further comprises:
• a first subset of records that are stored by a first storage server according to a first data set schema,
• a second subset of records that are stored by a second storage server according to a second data set schema that is different than the first data set schema, and;
• selecting, from the set, an index server subset of index servers comprising a first index server and a second index server of the data set, wherein the index server subset excludes the storage server;
• and
• configuring the first index server to:
• receive a record to be stored by a storage server of the set;
• add the record to a data set index of the index server including an indication of a location of the record in the set the data set index employing a single indexing schema for the first and second subsets of records, the indexing schema decoupled from the first and second data set schemas;
• synchronize the data set index with the second index server;
• and
• route queries over the data set to the storage server of the set that stores records of the data set that are involved in the query.

An index server that provides access to a data set accessible through a set of servers, wherein the set of servers comprises at least one storage server that stores at least a portion of the data set, the index server comprising:

• a processor;
• and
• a memory storing:
• a data set index, comprising:
• a first index in a first index format that fulfills queries of a first query type, and
• a second index in a second index format that fulfills queries of a second query type;
• a first subset of records that are stored by a first storage server according to a first data set schema, and
• a second subset of records that are stored by a second storage server according to a second data set schema that is different than the first data set schema, the data set index employing a single indexing schema for the first and second subsets of records, the indexing schema decoupled from the first and second data set schemas;
• and
• instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the index server to:
• receive a record to be stored by a storage server of the data set;
• add the record to both the first index and the second index, the record including an indication of the storage server that stores the record;
• and
• evaluate a query over the data set that involves the record by:
• choosing, from the data set index, a selected index that fulfills queries of a query type that matches the query;
• using the selected index to identify the storage server that stores the record;
• and
• initiating a fulfillment of the query by the identified storage server.