1. A system for implementing a real-time, distributed, hierarchical database using a proxiable protocol, the system comprising: (a) a first proxy server for receiving, from a first network element, a first proxiable protocol message including first response routing information for routing a response to the first message to the first network element, performing a first database lookup based on information contained in the first message, formulating a second proxiable protocol message including second response routing information for routing a response to second message to the first proxy server based on results from the first database lookup, and sending the second message over a network; and (b) a second proxy server for receiving the second message, and, in response, performing a second database lookup based on information contained in the second message, formulating a third proxiable protocol message including the first and second response routing information based on results from the second database lookup, and sending the third message to the first proxy server based on the second response routing information.