Sharding.

also: sharded · shard · shards · data partitioning · horizontal partitioning

Splitting one dataset across machines (shards or partitions) so storage, throughput and memory add up beyond one server's limits.

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One machine caps storage (disk), throughput (CPU/IO) and memory (RAM); partitions add them up.
The price: deciding where each key lives, queries that span partitions, and moving data when you add nodes.
Strategies: hash, range, or directory (lookup table) partitioning.
The partition key decides everything: pick it from your most frequent access pattern.

also: sharded · shard · shards · data partitioning · horizontal partitioning

Splitting one dataset across machines (shards or partitions) so storage, throughput and memory add up beyond one server's limits.

One machine caps storage (disk), throughput (CPU/IO) and memory (RAM); partitions add them up.
The price: deciding where each key lives, queries that span partitions, and moving data when you add nodes.
Strategies: hash, range, or directory (lookup table) partitioning.
The partition key decides everything: pick it from your most frequent access pattern.