Splitting a database into several pieces, usually to improve the speed and reliability of your application.
Sharding strictly speaking is a synonym for "horizontal partitioning" or dividing up a database table by its rows.
In common use, sharding refers to having some data for an app on one database server, and other data in another. Often this is done by having specific tables hosted on specific servers, with a function determining which server contains the information being requested.
Sharding is frequently discussed with regard to large web based applications, but is not limited to any particular industry.
As a practical example, a WordPress MultiSite installation hosting several hundred thousand blogs could have the tables for sites 1-100,000 running on one database server 100,001-200,000 on another or 200,001+ on a third. An alternative sharding implementation could be to have the 50 busiest blogs' tables split between the first two servers all remaining blog data on the third server. Likewise, data could be partitioned based upon the geographic location of the web servers delivering each blog.
Sharding strictly speaking is a synonym for "horizontal partitioning" or dividing up a database table by its rows.
In common use, sharding refers to having some data for an app on one database server, and other data in another. Often this is done by having specific tables hosted on specific servers, with a function determining which server contains the information being requested.
Sharding is frequently discussed with regard to large web based applications, but is not limited to any particular industry.
As a practical example, a WordPress MultiSite installation hosting several hundred thousand blogs could have the tables for sites 1-100,000 running on one database server 100,001-200,000 on another or 200,001+ on a third. An alternative sharding implementation could be to have the 50 busiest blogs' tables split between the first two servers all remaining blog data on the third server. Likewise, data could be partitioned based upon the geographic location of the web servers delivering each blog.
When our site became so popular it kept overwhelming our database servers, we looked into sharding the database between five different data centers.
by Brian Layman June 20, 2011
Get the sharding mug.Is a technique to distribute large amounts of identically structured data across a number of independent databases....
docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure-sql/database/elastic-scale-introduction
docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure-sql/database/elastic-scale-introduction
The DBA that named this data distribution technique, sharding must have had either stomach issues or a drug problem!
by Cherryflavoredwakeup23 June 9, 2020
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by Hazmatt10to2 November 30, 2020
Get the Sharding mug.The act of putting glass up someones ass and having their anus retract to shatter it into shards and then give them anal sex
Me and my hb were sharding last night
by The big epstien February 14, 2026
Get the Sharding mug.Doing an unasked-for favor for someone, and then using it to try and guilt them into doing something for you.
Sam: "So Bob shows up at my house randomly with some brown bananas and is like 'hey, you can use these to make banana bread,' and I'm like 'uh, ok, I don't really bake but thanks,' and then he invites himself in for an hour and asks to borrow $300."
Joe: "That's some prime favor sharking right there. But my mother in law is worse. She keeps buying us weird vases and knick-knacks we don't need and then calls us ungrateful if we don't spend hours on the phone with her saying thank you and talking about where we'll put them in the house. We keep asking her to stop but she won't.
Joe: "That's some prime favor sharking right there. But my mother in law is worse. She keeps buying us weird vases and knick-knacks we don't need and then calls us ungrateful if we don't spend hours on the phone with her saying thank you and talking about where we'll put them in the house. We keep asking her to stop but she won't.
by Mai Ainsel June 17, 2020
Get the favor sharking mug.The Sharingan is an ability that allows a ninja to copy, by mere sight, their opponents' techniques while gaining incredible reflexes and perceptive abilities.
by The Uchiha Umut November 15, 2020
Get the The Sharingan mug.When a cat (or other pet) stalks or winds around your ankles, weaving in and out, often brushing against your legs with its body and tail. Used as a compound verb. Also see the noun form: ankle shark.
by JpodNi February 6, 2020
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