System and method for dynamically adapting network delivery modes of content

A method, comprising:

• receiving by a processing system including a processor, information about a number of client devices requesting content in a content delivery network;
• determining, by the processing system, that the number of client devices requesting the content exceeds a first threshold;
• providing, by the processing system, a metadata file, wherein the providing the metadata file is responsive to the determining that the number of client devices requesting the content exceeds the first threshold, the metadata file including:
• an anycast internet protocol address of an anycast server as an internet protocol address for obtaining a first set of blocks of the content;
• a multicast internet protocol address of a multicast server as the internet protocol address for obtaining a second set of blocks of the content;
• and
• updating, by the processing system, the metadata file upon expiration of a period of time.

A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising executable instructions that, when executed by a processing system including a processor, facilitate performance of operations, the operations comprising:

• responsive to a determination that a number of client devices in a content delivery network request a content item exceeds a first threshold, transmitting a metadata file, the metadata file comprising:
• an anycast internet protocol address of an anycast server as an internet protocol address for obtaining a first set of blocks of the content item;
• a multicast internet protocol address of a multicast server as the internet protocol address for obtaining a second set of blocks of the content item;
• enabling the multicast server;
• and
• allocating a multicast channel of the multicast server for delivery of the content.