Sharding.
also: sharded · shard · shards · data partitioning · horizontal partitioningSplitting one dataset across machines (shards or partitions) so storage, throughput and memory add up beyond one server's limits.
the two-minute refresher
- 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.