International Telemetering Conference Proceedings / November 04-07, 1991 / Riviera Hotel and Convention Center, Las Vegas, Nevada / Real-time data processing of telemetry data has evolved from a highly centralized single large scale computer system to multiple mini-computers or super mini-computers tied together in a loosely coupled distributed network. Each mini-computer or super mini-computer essentially performing a single function in the real-time processing sequence of events. The reasons in the past for this evolution are many and varied. This paper will review some of the more significant factors in that evolution and will present some alternatives to a fully distributed mini-computer network that appear to offer significant real-time data processing advantages.