One embodiment of the present invention provides a distributed, differential electronic-data storage system (302, 304, 306-309, 310-316, and 318) that includes client computers (310-316), component data-storage systems, and a routing component. Client computers direct data objects (418) to component data-storage systems within the distributed, differential electronic-data storage system. Component data-storage systems provide data storage for the distributed, differential electronic-data storage system. The routing component directs data objects, received from the clients computers, through logical bins (324-338) to component data-storage systems by a compression-enhancing routing method.