1. A computer program product for serializing data structure retrievals and updates, the computer program product embodied on one or more computer-readable media and comprising: computer-readable program code means for creating two identical tree structures, each representing an initial state for accessing stored data; computer-readable program code means for performing searches against a first of the two trees; computer-readable program code means for performing a first update against a second of the two trees, yielding a revised tree; computer-readable program code means for switching the first tree and the revised tree, such that the first tree becomes the second tree and the revised tree becomes the first tree; computer-readable program code means for performing, after operation of the computer-readable program code means for switching, a second update against the second tree, yielding a synchronized tree that is structurally identical to the first tree; and computer-readable program code means for performing subsequent searches against the first tree.