SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR CLASSIFYING OBJECTS

Embodiments of a classification pipeline disclosed herein have the ability to both collect data as it occurs and dynamically redact it, allowing ongoing statistics to be gathered and maintained while simultaneously constraining the total amount of storage capacity that must be dedicated to such a purpose. Various types of information can be extracted from or obtained on the object through the classification pipeline. In one embodiment, the classification pipeline comprises a plurality of layers implemented as a set of services available to network clients through a Web interface or an Applications Programming Interface (API). Each client can subscribe to one or more layers of the classification pipeline at their leisure and tailor their classification pipeline configuration through the interface. The classification pipeline can be configured to collaborate with other software to provide a consistent snapshot of the state of a network environment based on data collected at the time.