Abstract: An enhanced playback method including receiving real time content from source links connected to a sources, simultaneously storing the real time content as stored content using a fault tolerant and load balancing method, aggregating the real time content and stored content from additional content, delivering content real time or stored in response to a user request from a user on a terminal system using a cut-through forwarding method.

Abstract: A method and apparatus redundantly store data, in particular video data objects, in a distributed computer system having at least three processor systems, each processor system being connected in point to point two way channel interconnection with each other processor system. The data is stored in a redundant fashion both at the computer system level as well as the processor system level. Accordingly, the failure of a single processor does not adversely affect the integrity of the data. The computer system can also overlay a switching system connected in a ring fashion for providing a fault tolerance to the failure of a single connected processor system at the switch level. Accordingly, there results a fault tolerant data distribution system.

Abstract: A process of propagates viewing assets on a system of video storages. The process includes copying a missing portion of a replica of a selected viewing asset onto a target video server. The act of copying is responsive to determining that a priority to propagate the selected asset to the target server is higher than a retention value of a replica of one or more viewing assets stored on the target server.