DISTRIBUTED DATA SET INDEXING

An apparatus including a processor to receive search criteria including a data value for a search within a data field; in response to the receipt of the query instructions, and for each data cell within a super cell, perform the specified search by comparing the data value to ranges of values indicated in a corresponding cell index to determine whether the data cell includes a data record meeting the search criteria, and in response to a determination that the data cell includes such a data record, use a unique values index in the cell index to search the data records of the data cell to identify one or more data records meeting the search criteria; and in response to identifying at least one data record meeting the search criteria, provide an indication that at least the data cell includes at least one data record meeting the search criteria.