Patent ID: 7406461

Claim:
A database system for processing a query request, comprising: at least one master node that communicates a request over a communication channel, the request comprising a request to perform an activity associated with a precompiled query; a first slave node and a second slave node each coupled to the at least one master node, each of the first and second slave nodes receiving the request over the communication channel; wherein the first slave node communicates a first notification over the communication channel indicating that the first slave node is processing the request, the second slave node receives the first notification; the second slave node communicates a second notification over the communication channel indicating that the second slave node is processing the request; the first slave node receives the second notification; the first or second slave node initiates an arbitration to determine whether the first or second slave node is entitled to process the request; and a winner of the arbitration between the first and second slave nodes continues processing the request and a loser of the arbitration between the first and second slave nodes ceases processing the request.