title: Querying sharded data in MySQL
body: <p>I'm dealing with a lot of data in a MySQL database and I'd like to use sharding to scale out.  I understand the principles of sharding, and I even know how I want to shard my data.</p>
  
  <p>When I look up database sharding, I cannot find any comprehensive examples on how to actually manage and query a sharded database.</p>
  
  <p>Specifically, lets say I've split up my data into multiple tables/databases (shards), what is the best way to query that data?  I don't think there is a way to have mysql intelligently know which shard to use.</p>
  
  <p>Are there 3rd party softwares that can manage the shards and my queries?  Or do I have to change my code (which is written in php) to interface with the sharded data?</p>