A computer-implemented method and apparatus of searching a plurality of queries against at least one database containing a plurality of records. The plurality of queries is partitioned into a set of smaller subsets of queries. Then at least one database is partioned into a set of smaller subdatabases. Searching tasks to be performed are designated by associating each of said subsets of queries with one or more of said subdatabases, assigning each searching task to one of a group of computers operating in parallel, wherein each member of the group of computers operating in parallel has at least one searching task assigned thereto, and executing at least some of the assigned searching tasks using the group of computers operating in parallel. Search results are collected from the executed searching tasks and a unified search result is generated in accordance with the collected search results.