To increase the efficiency of the management of image data in a data network including a multiplicity of network nodes, at least one embodiment of the present invention provides for image data, having been stored at a network node provided as a buffer store, to be transmitted for archiving to a network node provided as an archive store and to be stored there, with the storage of the respective image data in the buffer store and in the archive store involving a reference to the respective network node being recorded in an index in conjunction with an explicit identifier for the respective image data. Further, in at least one embodiment, the index is used when the stored image data are subsequently loaded to ascertain the respective at least one network node at which the respective image data are stored.