A database management system implemented in a cloud computing environment. Operational nodes are assigned as groups of controller-nodes, compute-nodes or storage-nodes. Queries specify one or more tables for an associated database operation, with each table being assigned to respective storage nodegroup(s). The number of nodes executing a given query may change, by (a) changing the compute-nodes associated with a connection, or (b) adding or removing nodes associated with a connection; and/or distributing data to a storage nodegroup based on a Distribution Method which may be either data dependent or data independent. A controller node further executes a Dynamic Query Planner (DQP) process that develops a query plan.