A method includes executing an initial instance of a change log process for a distributed system, each instance of the change log process configured to store, on memory hardware in communication with the data processing hardware, a transaction history of transactions executed on the distributed system. The method also includes receiving transaction requests for executing corresponding transactions on the distributed system and determining a change log load based on the received transaction requests. The method includes executing at least one subsequent instance of the change log process when the change log load satisfied a threshold load. When multiple instances of the change log process are executing, the method includes ceasing execution of the at least one subsequent instance of the change log process and merging the transaction history of the initial instance of the change log process and the transaction history of the at least one subsequent instance of the change log process.