System and method for dynamically adapting network delivery modes of content

Abstract

A content distribution network includes a first server in communication with an anycast server that provides content via a unicast signal, and with a multicast server that provides the content via a multicast signal. The first server is configured to receive a list of source addresses associated with the content, and to provide a metadata file including an anycast Internet protocol address of the anycast server from the list of source addresses as an Internet protocol address of the content in response to a first request for the content. When the number of client devices requesting the content exceeds a first threshold, the first server receives an updated list of sources including a multicast Internet protocol address of a multicast server, and provides the multicast Internet protocol address of the multicast server as the Internet protocol address of the content in the metadata file.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A system, comprising:
 a memory that stores instructions; and   a processor that executes the instructions to perform operations, the operations comprising:
 monitoring a number of client devices requesting content in a content distribution network; 
 responsive to a determination that the number of client devices requesting content exceeds a first threshold, generating a metadata file that includes:
 an anycast internet protocol address of an anycast server as an internet protocol address for obtaining a first set of blocks of the content, the anycast internet protocol address further assigned as an internet protocol address for error recovery; 
 a multicast internet protocol address of a multicast server as the internet protocol address for obtaining a second set of blocks of the content; 
 
 providing blocks of content to a client device from the anycast server associated with the anycast internet protocol address; 
 receiving a request for retransmission of one or more blocks of content from the anycast server associated with the anycast internet protocol address, the request for retransmission generated by the client device in response to detection of an error by the client device; and 
 retransmitting blocks of content in response to the request for retransmission. 
   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the generating the metadata file comprises:
 determining an internet protocol address of a local peer device of the client device for providing blocks of content following the detection of the error by the client device; and   generating the metadata file including the internet protocol address of the local peer device.   
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the operations further comprise:
 determining an internet protocol address associated with a zone of the content distribution network associated with the client device; and   storing the internet protocol address associated with the zone of the content distribution network; and   storing the internet protocol address associated with the zone of the content distribution network in association with internet protocol addresses of one or more local peer devices available for error recovery.   
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 3 , wherein the retransmitting blocks of content in response to the request for retransmission comprises:
 initiating transfer of the blocks of content in a peer-to-peer mode from a local peer device of the one or more local peer devices available for error recovery.   
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the operations further comprise:
 obtaining a list of source addresses associated with the content, the list of source addresses including include internet protocol addresses for unicast sources and multicast sources;   obtaining the anycast internet protocol address of the anycast server from the list of source addresses associated with the content; and   obtaining a peer internet protocol address of a local peer device of the client device for providing blocks of content following the detection of the error by the client device.   
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 5 , wherein, responsive to the determination that the number of client devices requesting content exceeds the first threshold, the operations further comprise:
 updating the list of source addresses to include the multicast internet protocol address of the multicast server and the peer internet protocol address of the local peer device.   
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the operations further comprise:
 comparing the number of client devices requesting content with a second threshold;   deallocating a multicast channel when the number of client devices requesting content is determined to have fallen below the second threshold; and   removing the multicast internet protocol address of the multicast channel from a list of source addresses associated with the content.   
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the operations further comprise:
 responsive to the determination that the number of client devices requesting content exceeds the first threshold, allocating a multicast channel of the multicast server for delivering the content;   updating a list of source addresses to include a multicast internet protocol address associated with the multicast server; and   designating the multicast internet protocol address associated with the multicast server as a primary source address for the content.   
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the operations further comprise:
 determining a zone in a content delivery network associated with client devices including the client device requesting content;   storing information identifying the zone in the content delivery network as a list of internet protocol addresses of local peer sources for the zone of the content delivery network; and   updating a source list of addresses associated with the content to include internet protocol addresses for unicast sources and internet protocol addresses for multicast sources, and local peer internet protocol addresses for the zone of the content delivery network.   
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein the operations further comprise:
 providing, in the metadata file, the local peer internet protocol addresses for the zone of the content delivery network as a source address for error recovery.   
     
     
         11 . A method, comprising:
 receiving by a processing system including a processor, information about a number of client devices requesting content in a content delivery network;   determining, by the processing system, that the number of client devices requesting the content exceeds a first threshold;   providing, by the processing system, a metadata file, wherein the providing the metadata file is responsive to the determining that the number of client devices requesting the content exceeds the first threshold, the metadata file including:
 an anycast internet protocol address of an anycast server as an internet protocol address for obtaining a first set of blocks of the content; 
 a multicast internet protocol address of a multicast server as the internet protocol address for obtaining a second set of blocks of the content; and 
 a source address as an internet protocol address for obtaining blocks of the content for error recovery; and 
   updating, by the processing system, the metadata file upon expiration of a period of time.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising:
 receiving, by the processing system, a request for retransmission or one or more blocks of content, the request generated by a client device in response to detection of an error by the client device.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the providing the metadata file comprises comprising:
 providing, by the processing system, the anycast internet protocol address as the source address for obtaining blocks of the content for error recovery.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the providing the metadata file comprises comprising:
 providing, by the processing system, an internet protocol address of a peer device as the source address for obtaining blocks of the content for error recovery.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , further comprising:
 determining an internet protocol address associated with a zone of the content delivery network associated with a client device; and   storing the internet protocol address associated with the zone of the content delivery network in association with internet protocol addresses of one or more local peer devices available for error recovery by the client device.   
     
     
         16 . A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising executable instructions that, when executed by a processing system including a processor, facilitate performance of operations, the operations comprising:
 responsive to a determination that a number of client devices in a content delivery network requesting a content item exceeds a first threshold, transmitting a metadata file, the metadata file comprising:
 an anycast internet protocol address of an anycast server as an internet protocol address for obtaining a first set of blocks of the content item; 
 a multicast internet protocol address of a multicast server as the internet protocol address for obtaining a second set of blocks of the content item; and 
 a source address to serve as an internet protocol address for obtaining blocks of the content for error recovery; 
   enabling the multicast server; and   allocating a multicast channel of the multicast server for delivery of the content.   
     
     
         17 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 16 , wherein the operations further comprise: receiving, from a client device of the number of client devices, a request for retransmission or one or more blocks of content, the request generated by the client device in response to detection of an error by the client device. 
     
     
         18 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 16 , wherein the transmitting the metadata file comprises:
 designating the anycast internet protocol address as the source address for obtaining blocks of the content for error recovery.   
     
     
         19 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 16 , wherein the transmitting the metadata file comprises:
 designating an internet protocol address of a peer device as the source address for obtaining blocks of the content for error recovery.   
     
     
         20 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 16 , wherein the operations further comprise: determining an internet protocol address associated with a zone of the content delivery network associated a client device; and
 storing the internet protocol address associated with the zone of the content delivery network in association with internet protocol addresses of one or more local peer devices available for error recovery by the client device, the one or more local peer devices including the client device.