Patent ID: 8838802

Claim:
A method comprising: automatically providing content to an information device from a first content distribution node of a plurality of content distribution nodes, wherein the information device is adapted to send a second request for the said content from the said first content distribution node utilizing a unicast Internet Protocol (IP) address of the said first content distribution node, the information device provided the said unicast IP address responsive to a first request comprising an anycast IP address and an automatic determination that the content is associated with a first long-lived session based upon the anycast IP address being a first anycast IP address that is associated with long-lived content rather than a second anycast IP address that is associated with short-lived content, the first content distribution node addressable by either the said anycast IP address or the unicast IP address, the anycast IP address provided to the information device from a Domain Name System (DNS) server, the information device adapted to automatically request a second long-lived from a second content distribution node via the anycast IP address if the first content distribution node fails.