System and method for composite record keys ordered in a flat key space for a distributed database

A computer-implemented method for indexing data records by composite record keys, comprising:

• constructing a composite record key in canonical form specified by a data schema defining a flat composite record key space for each of a plurality of data records;
• inserting the composite record key in the canonical form specified by the data schema defining the flat composite record key space for each of the plurality of data records into an index in sorted order;
• and
• storing the index in sorted order by the composite record key in the canonical form specified by the data schema defining the flat composite record key space for each of the plurality of data records.

A distributed computer system for indexing data records by composite record keys, comprising:

• means for receiving a query with a plurality of record keys to retrieve a data record in a distributed database;
• means for constructing a composite record key in canonical form specified by a data schema defining a flat composite record key space for a plurality of data records in the distributed database;
• means for looking up the data record in an ordered index of a plurality of composite record keys generated in canonical form specified by a data schema defining a flat composite record key space for a plurality of data records in the distributed database;
• and
• means for returning the data record in response to the query.