Abstract: Determining a time-state metric includes receiving a stream of raw data values of an attribute. Each received raw data value of the attribute is associated with a timestamp. It further includes converting the received stream of raw data values into a timeline representation of the attribute over time. The timeline representation comprises a sequence of spans. A span comprises a span start time, a span end time, and a span value. The span value comprises an encoding of one or more values of the attribute over a time interval determined by the span start time and the span end time. It further includes determining a time-state metric according to a timeline request configuration. The timeline request configuration comprises one or more timeline operations. The time-state metric is computed at least in part by performing a timeline operation on the timeline representation of the attribute.