1. A method comprising: receiving a request for a search of an index, wherein the index is partitioned across a plurality of nodes; determining whether the request is deterministic based, at least in part, on a sorting criteria included in the request, wherein the request is deterministic if no more than a predetermined number of sets of index entries satisfies the request; determining a number of responses to request from at least one of the plurality of nodes in an instance in which the request is deterministic; and determining one or more index entries on a local partition of a local node of the plurality of nodes that satisfy the request in an instance in which the request is not deterministic.