1. An apparatus for batch processing of data records in an on-demand system, the apparatus comprising: a processor; and one or more stored sequences of instructions which, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to carry out the steps of: storing a marker that identifies a node in an on-demand system and identifies a most recent data record processed in a relational database management system by the node; using the marker to query the database management system to identify a batch of records for the node to process; and processing the batch of records by the node to update a client of data changes reflected by the batch of records.