Patent ID: 7454408

Claim:
A computer-implemented method for optimized distribution of files from a file source location computer, comprising: assign a cost parameter to each network switch associated with each client device based on at least one characteristic of the network switch, wherein the cost parameter is assigned based on how the network switch is configured; and connecting a first computing device to the file source location computer for copying the files from the file source location computer; connecting a second computing device to the first computing device for copying the files from the first computing device, wherein the connection between the file source location computer, the first computing device, and the second computing device is organized according to a tree structure such that a number of connections to the file source location computer is limited at most three computers, wherein limiting the number of connections to at most three computers comprises: limiting the connects, for receiving the file at the first computing device, to a first connection between the file source and the first computing device, and limiting the connects, for transferring the file from the first computing device, to a second connection to the second computing device and a third connection to a third computing device; and copying the files from the file source location computer to the first computing device and from the first computing device to the second computing device in a recursive manner such that if a locked file is encountered, an error is issued and the locked file attempted to be copied again until the computing device to receive the files notices that the computing device copying the files has marked itself complete in a database for storing information associated with the tree structure, wherein copying the files from the file source location computer to the first computing device and from the first computing device and to the second computing device comprises simultaneously copying the files from the file source location computer to the first computing device and from first computing device and to the second computing device, wherein the files are copied by trickling down the tree structure.