A message management system, comprising: a message collector (102a-n); an interface coupled to the message collector for receiving a plurality of a messages; characterized in that the message management system further includes: a message descriptions data store for storing message descriptions, wherein the message descriptions data store is for storing the message descriptions in a token value table and in a message description table; a message description system (114, 302) coupled to the interface, the message description system configured for: searching each first message of the plurality of messages for a value pattern; identifying the value pattern in the first message and replacing a value in the first message with a token to create a first message description (414, 429); and storing the first message description in the message description data store as a reference to the first message, wherein the storing comprises storing the token and the associated value in the token value table and storing the message description (414, 429) in the message description table; in response to receiving a query directed to the first message, recreating the first message from the message description including accessing the token value table and the message description table to substitute the token in the message description by the associated value and returning the recreated first message; an index of the message descriptions; and a reporting engine configured for searching against the index of the message descriptions when recreating the first message. a message collector (102a-n); an interface coupled to the message collector for receiving a plurality of a messages; a message descriptions data store for storing message descriptions, wherein the message descriptions data store is for storing the message descriptions in a token value table and in a message description table; a message description system (114, 302) coupled to the interface, the message description system configured for: searching each first message of the plurality of messages for a value pattern; identifying the value pattern in the first message and replacing a value in the first message with a token to create a first message description (414, 429); and storing the first message description in the message description data store as a reference to the first message, wherein the storing comprises storing the token and the associated value in the token value table and storing the message description (414, 429) in the message description table; in response to receiving a query directed to the first message, recreating the first message from the message description including accessing the token value table and the message description table to substitute the token in the message description by the associated value and returning the recreated first message; searching each first message of the plurality of messages for a value pattern; identifying the value pattern in the first message and replacing a value in the first message with a token to create a first message description (414, 429); and storing the first message description in the message description data store as a reference to the first message, wherein the storing comprises storing the token and the associated value in the token value table and storing the message description (414, 429) in the message description table; in response to receiving a query directed to the first message, recreating the first message from the message description including accessing the token value table and the message description table to substitute the token in the message description by the associated value and returning the recreated first message; an index of the message descriptions; and a reporting engine configured for searching against the index of the message descriptions when recreating the first message.