A distributed storage system includes table controllers collectively storing partitions of a logical table having multiple rows. For each of the partitions, a corresponding table controller stores a subset of the rows of the logical table across individual pages. A management controller updates a schema of the logical table from a first to a second schema definition by, for each of the partitions, sending an update command indicating the second schema definition to the corresponding table controller. The first table controller corresponds to a first partition that includes a first subset of the rows. The first table controller, prior to receiving the update command, includes an identifier of the first schema definition within each page of data for the first subset. Subsequent to receiving the update command, the first table controller, when writing each new page of data for the first subset, includes an identifier of the second schema definition.