Patent ID: 8131693

Claim:
A method for optimizing a transfer of a data file of electronic data between a source and a destination across a network, comprising: determining data parameters of the data file; determining network parameters of the network; determining a user-defined transfer parameter for transferring the data file between the source and the destination, wherein the user-defined transfer parameter comprises periodic retransmission information, wherein the user-defined transfer parameter is defined by a customer of the network; determining, subsequent to determining the data parameters, the network parameters and the user-defined transfer parameter, a method for transferring the data file from the source to the destination across the network that satisfies the user-defined transfer parameter, wherein the determining the method for transferring the data file is performed by an optimizer of a server, wherein the determining the method for transferring the data file further comprises: identifying a plurality of data transfer optimization techniques, each data transfer optimization technique including an associated benefit and an associated cost; and selecting, based on the associated benefits and costs, a data transfer optimization technique from the plurality of data transfer optimization techniques, wherein the plurality of data transfer optimization techniques comprise: a data multicasting, a parallel data transmission, a satellite transmission with wired network error correction, a delta compression at end-points, a staged data transfer, a staged data transfer with delta compression, and a predictive data transfer; and initiating the transfer of the data file in accordance with the method data transfer optimization technique that is selected.