System and method for storing/caching, searching for, and accessing data

A system for persistently maintaining data using a network for data streams, comprising:

• a transmission medium associated with the network;
• a plurality of switches operatively connected to the transmission medium, each switch having an intelligent network controller adapted for delivering at least one of the data streams to a device operatively connected to the intelligent network controller in response to a request for the at least one of the data streams from the device and for determining if the data stream is unexpired based on an expiration property of the data stream and adapted for re-transmitting, unexpired data streams over the network;
• wherein the expiration property of the data stream specifies an amount of time the data stream is persistently maintained on the network sufficient to allow the data stream to be stored, accessed, and searched while reverberating on the system.