METHODS AND PROCEDURES FOR TIMESTAMP-BASED INDEXING OF ITEMS IN REAL-TIME STORAGE

A method for storing time-based data streams in a high-capacity network is provided. A time-based data storage request is received from an application. The data storage request is associated with one or more data streams. Each of the data streams includes a plurality of time-ordered items having a header. The header includes two or more timestamps representing a time interval associated with each of the plurality of time-ordered items. The received data storage request is processed to accumulate time-ordered data items in a plurality of data files and to identify time-based information and corresponding virtual offset information related to the accumulated data items. The identified time-based information and the virtual offset information related to the accumulated data items are stored in a data repository. A determination is made whether adjustment is necessary for sorting the stored data in the repository. The sorting adjustment is selectively performed responsive to the determination.