A method comprising: receiving, at a particular database server of a plurality of database servers, a particular database statement from a database client to query data from two or more pluggable databases of a plurality of pluggable databases that are specified within the particular database statement, wherein each pluggable database of the plurality of pluggable databases is held by a respective container database of a plurality of container databases, wherein each pluggable database of said two or more pluggable databases is held by a different respective container database of a plurality of container databases, wherein each container database in the plurality of container databases is accessible via a respective database server of the plurality of database servers; identifying, by the particular database server, one or more database servers of the plurality of database servers which provide access to the two or more pluggable databases based on mapping information that contains a plurality of records, wherein each record of the plurality of records maps a given pluggable database of the plurality of pluggable databases to a database server of the plurality of database servers which provides access to a container database of the plurality of container databases which holds the given pluggable database; sending, by the particular database server, a respective database statement to each of the one or more database servers, the respective database statement comprising at least a portion of the particular database statement; receiving, at the particular database server, one or more responses from each of the one or more database servers that each include a result of executing the respective database statement; sending, by the particular database server, one or more messages to the database client, wherein the one or more messages includes data from the one or more responses; wherein the particular database statement includes: one or more keywords that indicate that the particular database statement from the database client is to be executed on multiple pluggable databases; and one or more predicates which limit application of the particular database statement from the database client to the two or more pluggable databases by identifying the pluggable database within each of the one or more predicates. receiving, at a particular database server of a plurality of database servers, a particular database statement from a database client to query data from two or more pluggable databases of a plurality of pluggable databases that are specified within the particular database statement, wherein each pluggable database of the plurality of pluggable databases is held by a respective container database of a plurality of container databases, wherein each pluggable database of said two or more pluggable databases is held by a different respective container database of a plurality of container databases, wherein each container database in the plurality of container databases is accessible via a respective database server of the plurality of database servers; identifying, by the particular database server, one or more database servers of the plurality of database servers which provide access to the two or more pluggable databases based on mapping information that contains a plurality of records, wherein each record of the plurality of records maps a given pluggable database of the plurality of pluggable databases to a database server of the plurality of database servers which provides access to a container database of the plurality of container databases which holds the given pluggable database; sending, by the particular database server, a respective database statement to each of the one or more database servers, the respective database statement comprising at least a portion of the particular database statement; receiving, at the particular database server, one or more responses from each of the one or more database servers that each include a result of executing the respective database statement; sending, by the particular database server, one or more messages to the database client, wherein the one or more messages includes data from the one or more responses; wherein the particular database statement includes: one or more keywords that indicate that the particular database statement from the database client is to be executed on multiple pluggable databases; and one or more predicates which limit application of the particular database statement from the database client to the two or more pluggable databases by identifying the pluggable database within each of the one or more predicates. one or more keywords that indicate that the particular database statement from the database client is to be executed on multiple pluggable databases; and one or more predicates which limit application of the particular database statement from the database client to the two or more pluggable databases by identifying the pluggable database within each of the one or more predicates.