US Patent 9723054 Hierarchical organization for scale-out cluster

Performing a distributed data operation. A method includes receiving a request for one or more data operations from a first computing system, such as a client. The method further includes determining a number of node endpoints that can be used to satisfy the query. Based on the number of node endpoints, the method further includes selecting a plan from the group consisting essentially of a flat data operation plan, a hierarchical data operation plan or a combination of partially flat/partially hierarchical data operation plan. The request for one or more data operations is serviced using the selected data operation plan.