> >> Implementing some form of "distributed sequence" where 
> each node uses 
> >> separate ranges is a reasonable solution to those conflicts that 
> >> would arise as a result of "internal interlinkages".
> >
> > All you do is make one db use even numbers and the other use odd by 
> > setting start and step values of the sequence.
> 
> How, in that scenario, does one introduce a fifth "master node"?
> 
> If you have one office that is an asynchronous node, that 
> could easily be extended to needing five offices.  Or 37 
> remote salescritters, each with a database on their laptop...
> 
> It's not too difficult to solve the "distributed sequence" 
> for the case of two nodes, as even/odd does work out quite 
> nicely.  Generalizing is not so easy...

Make it a compound key that has one part being the node id and one part
being a local sequence counter?

//Magnus