Patent ID: 7373394
Filing Date: 2008-05-13
Classification: H04L

Abstract:
1. A method for establishing a data distribution path for content within a content distribution network, the method comprising the steps of: receiving a network topology definition defining at least one hierarchical interconnection of network groups, each network group having at least one content engine, the network topology definition including information regarding the unicast capability and the multicast capability of content engines in the content distribution network; receiving a channel definition including a selection of a plurality of content engines to distribute content within the content distribution network, the plurality of content engines in the channel definition selected from content engines within the network groups defined in the network topology definition; detecting an assignment of a root content engine within the channel definition; applying a first content distribution path determination technique to the network topology definition in relation to the channel definition to establish a set of unicast content distribution paths in the content distribution network for unicast distribution of content from the root content engine to the plurality of content engines defined in the channel definition; and applying a second content distribution path determination technique to the network topology definition in relation to the channel definition to establish a set of multicast content distribution paths in the content distribution network for multicast distribution of content in a subset of the plurality of content engines defined in the channel definition; wherein the step of applying the second content distribution path determination technique further comprises the steps of: at each network group having a plurality of multicast-enabled content engines included in the channel definition, establishing a multicast cloud by a) selecting one of the plurality of multicast-enabled content engines to be a multicast sender; b) defining the other multicast-enabled content engines of the plurality of multicast-enabled content engines to be multicast receivers; and c) providing an Internet Protocol address to each of the plurality of multicast-enabled content engines for multicast advertisement and multicast data traffic within the multicast cloud; wherein the step of selecting comprises the steps of: i) selecting a content engine of the plurality of multicast-enabled content engines; ii) determining whether the selected content engine is on a topological location path toward the root content engine; iii) confirming that the selected content engine is capable of receiving data in a multicast mode and sending data in a multicast mode; iv) if the selected content engine is on a topological location path toward the root content engine and is capable of receiving and sending data in multicast, then defining the selected content engine as the multicast sender; v) if the selected content engine is not on a topological location path toward the root content engine and is not capable of receiving and sending data in multicast, then selecting another content engine of the plurality of multicast-enabled content engines and repeating steps i)-iv).