Patent ID: 7373644

Claim:
A computer implemented method comprising: detecting a change in demand for server resources across a load-bearing system having a number of content servers hosting identical content, the load-bearing system being connected to a network of content servers, wherein the network comprises at least one other load-bearing system having one or more content servers each assigned a priority level; and automatically modifying the number of content servers on the load-bearing system in response to the change in demand, wherein automatically modifying the number of content servers on the load-bearing system comprises: selecting an available content server from a selected one of the at least one other load-bearing system based on a comparison of the priority level assigned to the available content server relative to at least one other content server in the network; loading identical content onto the selected content server by an image manager in communication with the selected content server; adding the selected content server to the load-bearing system, wherein all of the content servers on the load-bearing system including the selected content server use the identical hosted content; detecting a change in demand greater than a pre-configured threshold; and adding a content server to the load-bearing system if the number of content servers on the load-bearing system is less than a maximum number assigned to the hosted identical content, wherein the hosted identical content is assigned a priority level of a plurality of priority levels, and wherein selecting an available content server comprises selecting an available content server having a lowest priority level and a highest available load capacity.