System and method for performing event inquiries in a network

A respective machine in a collection of machines that forms a linear communication orbit, the respective machine comprising:

• one or more processors;
• and
• memory storing instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the processors to perform operations including:
• receiving from a respective server, external to the linear communication orbit, an instruction packet via the linear communication orbit, wherein the instruction packet has been propagated to the respective machine through one or more upstream machines of the respective machine along the linear communication orbit, and wherein the instruction packet includes an instruction for establishing a direct duplex connection between the respective machine and the respective server;
• in response to receiving the instruction packet through the linear communication orbit, sending an outbound connection request to the respective server to establish the direct duplex connection between the respective machine and the respective server in accordance with a respective network connection protocol;
• and
• uploading local data to the respective server through the direct duplex connection, wherein the respective server is configured to perform analysis on the local data received from the respective machine through the direct duplex connection.

A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions that, when executed by one or more processors on a respective machine in a collection of machines that forms a linear communication orbit, cause the processors to perform operations comprising:

• receiving from a respective server, external to the linear communication orbit, an instruction packet via the linear communication orbit, wherein the instruction packet has been propagated to the respective machine through one or more upstream machines of the respective machine along the linear communication orbit, and wherein the instruction packet includes an instruction for establishing a direct duplex connection between the respective machine and the respective server;
• in response to receiving the instruction packet through the linear communication orbit, sending an outbound connection request to the respective server to establish the direct duplex connection between the respective machine and the respective server in accordance with a respective network connection protocol;
• and
• uploading local data to the respective server through the direct duplex connection, wherein the respective server is configured to perform analysis on the local data received from the respective machine through the direct duplex connection.