1. A computer system for facilitating collection 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: monitoring a plurality of packets which include outgoing interests and corresponding incoming content objects, wherein a name for an interest is a hierarchically structured variable length identifier that includes contiguous name components ordered from a most general level to a most specific level; collecting historical information associated with the packets based on name prefixes of the packets, wherein a name prefix includes one or more contiguous name components; storing the collected historical information; receiving a query from a requesting entity for the historical information; transmitting the historical information to the requesting entity; and facilitating the requesting entity to use the historical information to increase network efficiency; wherein the monitored plurality of packets further includes incoming interests and corresponding outgoing content objects.