Patent ID: 8386629

Claim:
A method of distributing a non-live content stream in a network, the method comprising: transmitting an initial meta-file in response to receiving a request for a non-live content stream, the initial meta-file identifying a division of the content stream into a plurality of blocks, the initial meta-file identifying a plurality of available sources for delivery of the plurality of blocks, the plurality of available sources including a multicast source server and a unicast source server, the initial meta-file assigning a first portion of the plurality of blocks for delivery using the multicast source server, the initial meta-file assigning a second portion of the plurality of blocks for delivery using the unicast source server; transmitting the first portion of the non-live content stream using the multicast source server; and transmitting the second portion of the non-live content stream using the unicast source server, the first and second portions identified by distinct blocks of the plurality of blocks.