In an embodiment, a method includes receiving, from a data source, time-series data of a time-series data stream produced by the data source. The method further includes identifying a target compression algorithm for the time-series data, wherein the target compression algorithm is linked to the data source in memory pursuant to a dynamically-variable assignment. The method also includes compressing the time-series data using the target compression algorithm and transmitting the compressed time-series data to a destination. Furthermore the method includes periodically optimizing the dynamically-variable assignment in real-time as the time-series data is received.