| 摘要 |
. A route mapping process for identifies the suitability of data sources for satisfying data requests generated by user terminals (50, 51) by searching one or more user address databases for user addresses, and searching one or more data distribution network databases for addresses of data sources (52, 3), and generates for each user address a register (33) of one or more selected data source addresses, together with an order of precedence in which they should be used to fulfil data requests. This register is accessible by a content distribution server to identify a data source address to be communicated to a user address in response to a data request received from the user address. The criteria by which data source addresses are selected for association with individual user addresses may depend on factors such as network proximity, technical compatibility, content variation (e.g language) etc. The mapping function and use of a register simplifies the operation of the content distribution server as it can use the register to identify the most appropriate data source to match a request from a user address. |
