A network provides distributed database services based on replicating data records to a new storage location that is closest to consumers of the data records, based on comparing a network distance between the new storage location and an attribute identifying a center of activity of at least one data element, relative to the network distance between any existing storage location in the center of activity. If the new storage location is closer to the center of activity relative to any of the other existing stores locations, than at least the one data element associated with the center of activity is copied to the new storage location. Multiple centers of activity may be utilized for respective data records, enabling data records to be copied on a per-record basis, or grouped as needed.