Patent ID: 8553535

Claim:
A video distribution system comprising: an interface to a first link and to a second link; and processing logic configured to: in response to the second link being intact, send a data packet, or a copy of the data packet, to a video distribution hub via a primary network path that includes the second link and that excludes the first link; and in response to a failure of the second link, send the data packet, or the copy of the data packet, to the video distribution hub via a backup network path that includes the first link and that does not include the second link, wherein the backup network path is selected from one of a primary backup network path, a secondary backup network path, and a tertiary backup network path based on one or more selection factors; wherein the primary backup network path includes a first plurality of nodes of a first network ring of a cascaded network ring architecture, wherein the cascaded network ring architecture is associated with the video distribution hub; wherein the secondary backup network path includes a second plurality of nodes of a second network ring of the cascaded network ring architecture; wherein the tertiary backup network path includes a third plurality of nodes of a third network ring of the cascaded network ring architecture; wherein at least one node of the first plurality of nodes differs from each of the second plurality of nodes and at least one node of the third plurality of nodes differs from each node of the first plurality of nodes and differs from each node of the second plurality of nodes; wherein, when the primary backup path is selected, the processing logic sends the data packet, or the copy of the data packet, via the primary backup network path; wherein, when the secondary backup path is selected, the processing logic sends the data packet, or the copy of the data packet, via the secondary backup network path; and wherein, when the tertiary backup path is selected, the processing logic sends the data packet, or the copy of the data packet, via the tertiary backup network path.