Real-time transaction scheduling in a distributed database

A non-transitory computer readable storage medium containing program instructions for real-time transaction scheduling in a distributed database, wherein execution of the program instructions by one or more processors of a computer system causes the one or more processors to carry out the steps of:

• receiving a database transaction with a node of the distributed database system;
• determining a priority of the database transaction;
• determining a load of a transaction queue of the node;
• delaying execution of the database transaction if the load of the transaction queue is greater than a first-water mark, wherein the database transaction is delayed for a period;
• executing a portion of the database transaction after the period of time;
• and
• determining if the load of the queue is below a second—water mark after the period.

A distributed database system comprising:

• a processor;
• a distributed database comprising a cluster of server nodes;
• a server node comprising a distribution layer that:
• receives a database transaction,
• determines a priority of the database transaction,
• delays execution of the database transaction if the load of the transaction queue is greater than a first-water mark, wherein the database transaction is delayed for a period,
• determines a load of a transaction queue of the node,
• executes a portion of the database transaction after the period of time, and
• determines if the load of the queue is below a second-water mark after the period.