Patent ID: 7926079

Claim:
A system for selecting a network path for delivering on-demand content comprising: a first location comprising a first media server and a resource management processor; a second location remote from the first location comprising a second media server, wherein the first and second locations are connected via a first network segment and a second network segment; wherein the second media server in the second location is sized to support expected peak demand for on-demand content, wherein the first media server in the first location and first network segment are sized for providing on-demand content from the first location to the second location to support an incremental demand level for on-demand content, and wherein the incremental demand level is less than the expected peak demand; and a video termination device, wherein the video termination device is connected to the second location via a distribution network and wherein the video termination device comprises an instruction for sending a request for a particular on-demand content to the resource management processor; and wherein the resource management processor comprises instructions for: selecting a source from which to obtain the particular on-demand content from the first media server and the second media server in response to the request sent from the video termination device; selecting a path over which to deliver the particular on-demand content to the video termination device; and wherein the instruction for selecting a path comprises: if the selected source is the second media server, then selecting the distribution network as the selected path; if the selected source is the first media server, then selecting the first network segment, if available, and the distribution network as the selected path; and if the selected source is the first media server and if the first path is not available, then selecting the second network segment and the distribution network as the selected path; and wherein the selected source delivers the particular on-demand content over the selected path to the video termination device.