A data stream recorder system (11) for mufti-stream recording and retrieval utilizes a number of gateways (23, 24, 25), each for sending and receiving packets containing streaming multimedia content data at real-time rates via a packet data network. A session manager communicates via the network with source client devices and receiver client devices to establish and control recording and retrieval sessions. The manager assigns sessions to the gateways for the sending and receiving of the packets to and from client devices. Content is distributed across storage devices associated in storage nodes (27, 28, 29). Each of the gateways (23, 24, 25) receives packets containing content data at real time rates during a recording session and distributes the received packets from the session across all of the storage nodes (27, 28, 29). A scheduler of each respective storage node distributes content data from packets distributed to the respective storage node, across all of the digital storage devices of the respective storage node.