Central database routing for distributed applications

1. A method, comprising:

receiving a request for a datum in a first computing device;

searching a location table for an identifier associated with the datum, the location table including a location of a second computing device that includes a remote database, the remote database including the datum; wherein the location is associated with the identifier;

determining a location of the second computing device that includes the remote database;

sending a request for the datum to the second computing device according to the location; and

sending the requested datum from the second computing device to the first computing device.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the location table comprises a plurality of locations for the datum, each location being associated with a computing device that includes a remote database, where each remote database includes the requested datum.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the location is an Internet Protocol (IP) address.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the remote database comprises the location table.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising

determining, following the receiving step, whether the datum is included in a local database in the first computing device, and if the datum is included in the local database, then sending a request for the datum to the local database in the first computing device.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the location table is comprised in a relational database.

7. A tangible computer-readable medium comprising a set of computer-executable instructions, the instructions comprising instructions for:

receiving a request for a datum in a first computing device;

searching a location table for an identifier associated with the datum, the location table including a location for a second computing device that includes a remote database, the remote database including the datum; wherein the location is associated with the identifier;

determining a location of the second computing device that includes the remote database;

sending a request for the datum to the second computing device according to the location; and

sending the requested datum from the second computing device to the first computing device.

8. The medium of claim 7 , wherein the location table comprises a plurality of locations for the datum, each location being associated with a computing device that includes a remote database, where each remote database includes the requested datum.

9. The medium of claim 7 , wherein the location is an Internet Protocol (IP) address.

10. The medium of claim 7 , wherein the remote database comprises the location table.

11. The medium of claim 7 , further comprising instructions for determining, after the request is received, whether the datum is included in a local database, and if the datum is included in the local database, sending a request for the datum to the local database.

12. The medium of claim 7 , wherein the location table is comprised in a relational database.

13. A system, comprising:

a first computing device that includes a location table, the location table comprising a data identifier associated with a location; and

a second computing device that includes a remote database comprising the data identifier and a datum associated with the data identifier, wherein the first computing device is configured to

receive a request for the datum,

search the location table for one of the plurality of data identifiers associated with the datum,

determine the location based on the data identifier associated with the datum, where the location identifies the second computing device, and

send a request for the datum to the second computing device according to the location.

14. The system of claim 13 , wherein the remote database comprises the location database.

15. The system of claim 13 , wherein the second computing device is configured to provide the datum to the first computing device in response to the request for the datum.

16. The system of claim 13 , wherein the location table comprises a plurality of locations for the datum, each location being associated with a computing device that includes a remote database, where each remote database includes the requested datum.

17. The system of claim 13 , wherein the location is an Internet Protocol (IP) address.

18. The system of claim 13 , wherein the location table is comprised in a relational database.

19. The system of claim 13 , wherein the first computing device is further configured to determine, after the request is received, whether the datum is included in a local database, and if the datum is included in the local database, send a request for the datum to the local database.

20. The method of claim 1 , wherein the location table is included in a second remote database.

21. The medium of claim 7 , wherein the location table is included in a second remote database.

22. The method of claim 1 , wherein the location is indicated in the location table by a primary address and a secondary address.

23. The medium of claim 7 , wherein the location is indicated in the location table by a primary address and a secondary address.

24. The system of claim 13 , wherein the location is indicated in the location table by a primary address and a secondary address.

25. The method of claim 1 , wherein the request is received from a distributed application located in a third computing device that is at a network location distinct from each of the first computing device and the second computing device.

26. The medium of claim 7 , wherein the request is received from a distributed application located in a third computing device that is at a network location distinct from each of the first computing device and the second computing device.