A method of allocating servers for range requests includes receiving a range request for items in a database that is distributed across storage devices that are accessible through corresponding servers in a network that includes the storage devices and the servers; and initializing a server-allocation value for the range request, where the server-allocation value specifies a number of servers to allocate for executing the range request. The method further includes executing the range request by allocating the servers and using the allocated servers to provide values from the range request to a client that accesses the network; and updating the server-allocation value while executing the range request to improve a consumption rate for the client by comparing changes in the consumption rate with changes in the number of allocated servers.