The disclosed embodiments provide a system that processes network data. During operation, the system obtains, at a remote capture agent, a first protocol classification for a first packet flow captured by the remote capture agent. Next, the system uses configuration information associated with the first protocol classification to build a first event stream from the first packet flow at the remote capture agent, wherein the first event stream comprises time-series event data generated from network packets in the first packet flow based on the first protocol classification. The system then transmits the first event stream over a network for subsequent storage and processing of the first event stream by one or more components on the network.