The present invention provides techniques for managing information on a multi-tenant database system. In one embodiment a method comprises storing the information on the database among a plurality of tables. The plurality of tables is arranged in columns and rows. Each of a subset of the plurality of tables has sets of the rows distributed amongst different storage nodes on the database. A first of the sets is located at a first node, and a second of the sets is located a second node. Data storage and retrieval capabilities are provided to the database, including access to the information, in response to requests from one of a plurality of remotely disposed computer systems. Also disclosed is a machine-readable medium carrying one or more sequences of instructions for managing computer applications when executed by one or more processors and cause the one or more processors to carry out steps of the method. A data center for managing information on a multi-tenant database is also disclosed that carries-out the functions of the method.