10. A method for utilizing a hybrid-distribution system for identifying relevant documents based on a search query, the method comprising: allocating a group of documents to a segment, the group of documents being indexed by atom in a reverse index and indexed by document in a forward index, atoms in the reverse index are accessed in a matching process and a preliminary ranking process and documents in the forward index are accessed in a final ranking process; storing a different portion of the reverse index and the forward index on each of a plurality of nodes that form the segment; first, accessing the reverse index portion stored on each of a first set of nodes having portions of the reverse index; identifying a first set of documents that is relevant to the search query, wherein the first set of documents is identified as being relevant to the search query by way of the matching process and the preliminary ranking process; second, based on document identifications associated with the first set of documents, accessing the forward index portion stored on each of a second set of nodes having portions of the forward index; identifying a second set of documents from the first set of documents, wherein the second set of documents is identified by way of the final ranking process; limiting a quantity of relevant documents in the first set of documents identified to the second set of documents; and communicating for presentation search results for the search query based on the second set of documents.
10. A method for utilizing a hybrid-distribution system for identifying relevant documents based on a search query, the method comprising: allocating a group of documents to a segment, the group of documents being indexed by atom in a reverse index and indexed by document in a forward index, atoms in the reverse index are accessed in a matching process and a preliminary ranking process and documents in the forward index are accessed in a final ranking process; storing a different portion of the reverse index and the forward index on each of a plurality of nodes that form the segment; first, accessing the reverse index portion stored on each of a first set of nodes having portions of the reverse index; identifying a first set of documents that is relevant to the search query, wherein the first set of documents is identified as being relevant to the search query by way of the matching process and the preliminary ranking process; second, based on document identifications associated with the first set of documents, accessing the forward index portion stored on each of a second set of nodes having portions of the forward index; identifying a second set of documents from the first set of documents, wherein the second set of documents is identified by way of the final ranking process; limiting a quantity of relevant documents in the first set of documents identified to the second set of documents; and communicating for presentation search results for the search query based on the second set of documents. 16. The method of claim 10 , wherein the second set of documents from multiple segments are merged to generate a final set of documents that is presented to the user in response to the search query.