1. A computer system for facilitating querying of historical network information, the system comprising: a processor; and a storage device storing instructions that when executed by the processor cause the processor to perform a method, the method comprising: generating a query for historical information associated with interest and corresponding content object packets, wherein a name for an interest packet is a hierarchically structured variable length identifier that includes contiguous name components ordered from a most general level to a most specific level, wherein the query is based on a name prefix that includes one or more contiguous name components; transmitting the query to a responding entity; and in response to receiving the historical information from the responding entity, performing an operation that increases network efficiency based on the historical information, thereby facilitating a protocol for querying the historical information to increase network efficiency.