Abstract: A method of selecting a stream server of a plurality of stream servers to which to direct a content title, by (a) evaluating a cache ease-of-entry for each of a plurality of levels of a cache hierarchy for the plurality of stream servers; and (b) selecting the stream server from the plurality of stream servers to receive a content title, the selected stream server having a most favorable cache ease-of-entry over the plurality of levels of the cache hierarchy; (c) if none of the plurality of stream servers has a most favorable cache ease-of-entry over the plurality of levels of the cache hierarchy, selecting a stream server of the plurality of stream servers with a lowest miss traffic to which to direct the title; and (d) if none of the plurality of stream servers has a lowest miss traffic, selecting a stream server of the plurality of stream servers with a lowest stream traffic to which to direct the title.

Abstract: A method for allocating content requests to a server pool includes directing a stream requesting a novel title to one of a least-busy server in a server pool and a least-miss-traffic server in the server pool; setting the server to which the novel title was directed to the requested title's preferred server; directing a stream requesting a familiar title to the title's preferred server; and directing a stream requesting a crowded title to one of a least-busy server and the least-miss-traffic server.

Abstract: “A method of selecting a stream server to which to direct a content title includes (a) comparing a top-tier cache ease of entry for each of multiple of stream servers, (b) if one of the stream servers has a more favorable top-tier cache ease of entry than each of the other stream servers, selecting the one stream server with the more favorable top-tier cache ease of entry to which to direct the title, (c) if the top-tier cache ease of entry for all of the stream servers is equal, comparing a next-lower-tier cache ease of entry for each of the plurality of stream servers, and (d) if one of the plurality of stream servers has a more favorable next-lower-tier cache ease of entry than each of the other stream servers, selecting the one stream server with the more favorable next-lower-tier cache ease of entry to which to direct the title.

Abstract: A method for allocating content requests to a server pool includes directing a stream requesting a novel title to one of a least-busy server in a server pool and a least-miss-traffic server in the server pool; setting the server to which the novel title was directed to the requested title's preferred server; directing a stream requesting a familiar title to the title's preferred server; and directing a stream requesting a crowded title to one of a least-busy server and the least-miss-traffic server.