A lock manager system is provided that includes multiple distinct mechanisms for assigning resources to masters. Specifically, the lock manager system includes (1) one or more assignment mechanisms that do not take into account the affinity between nodes and objects ("affinity-independent assignment mechanisms"), and (3) one or more assignment mechanisms that do take into account the affinity between nodes and objects ("affinity-based assignment mechanisms"). At any given time, the assignment of any given resource to a master is governed by only one of the multiple assignment mechanisms employed by the system. Various techniques are described for determining which assignment mechanism to use with which resources.