Patent ID: 8086750

Claim:
A method, performed by a first computer including a memory and a processor, for providing content over communicatively coupled computer networks, wherein the content is stored for delivery across the communicatively coupled computer networks, the content being stored in association with metadata, the method comprising: receiving, by the first computer, a content request from a particular client machine; and responsive to receiving the content request, utilizing, by the first computer, the metadata to provide at least a first portion of the content to a first network edge server associated with the communicatively coupled computer networks that does not store the first portion of the content, wherein the at least first portion of the content is delivered from the first network edge server to the particular client machine; and providing, by the first computer, a second portion of the content to a second network edge server associated with the communicatively coupled computer networks that does not already store the second portion of the content while automatically redirecting by the first computer the particular client machine to the second network edge server in real-time in accordance with predetermined criteria, wherein the second portion of the content is delivered from the second network edge server to the particular client machine.