Patent ID: 8248921

Claim:
A system to distribute digital content, the system comprising: a first network ring comprising a first video distribution hub and a second video distribution hub, wherein the first video distribution hub is coupled to a first link and to a second link, wherein the first video distribution hub and the second video distribution hub are associated with a first network ring, a second network ring, and a third network ring of a cascaded network ring architecture, the first video distribution hub adapted to: when the second link is intact, send a data packet, or a copy of the data packet, from the first video distribution hub to the second video distribution hub via a primary network path that includes the second link and that excludes the first link; and when the second link has failed, send the data packet, or the copy of the data packet, from the first video distribution hub to the second 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 the first network ring, the secondary backup network path includes a second plurality of nodes of the second network ring, the tertiary backup network path includes a third plurality of nodes of the third network ring, and 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.